Democrats Push Ahead With Articles Of Impeachment

House Democrats unveil articles of impeachment Tuesday morning. We break it all down with a top reporter and legal scholars.

Toluse Olorunnipa, White House reporter for the Washington Post. (@ToluseO)

Claire Finkelstein, teaches law and philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania. Director of the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law. (@COFinkelstein)

David Schultz, visiting professor of law at the University of Minnesota, where he teaches constitutional law. Professor of political science and law at Hamline University. (@ProfDSchultz)

Associated Press: "Democrats poised to unveil 2 impeachment articles vs. Trump" — "House Democrats are poised to unveil two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — with an announcement expected early Tuesday.

"Democratic leaders are pushing ahead with formal charges saying the president put U.S. elections and national security at risk by asking Ukraine to investigate his rivals, including Joe Biden, while withholding military aid for an ally trying to counter hostile Russia neighbors. They warn Trump could do it again if left unchecked.

"Speaker Nancy Pelosi declined during an evening event Monday to discuss the articles or the coming announcement. Details were shared by multiple people familiar with the discussions but unauthorized to discuss them and granted anonymity.

"When asked if she has enough votes to impeach the president, the Democratic leader said she would let House lawmakers vote their conscience."

New York Times: "Trump’s Abuse of Power Was ‘Brazen’ and ‘Clear,’ Democrats Argue in Impeachment Case" — "House Democrats delivered a scathing summation of their impeachment case against President Trump on Monday, arguing that the president had put his personal and political interests above those of the nation in soliciting re-election help from Ukraine in a pattern of conduct that clearly warranted his impeachment.

"In a contentious hearing before the House Judiciary Committee, Barry H. Berke, the Democratic counsel, told lawmakers that the evidence against Mr. Trump was “overwhelming” and that the case for impeaching him was urgent. Summarizing the findings of more than two months of inquiry, Mr. Berke asserted that the president had repeatedly put the integrity of American elections and national security at risk by pressing Ukraine to tarnish his political rivals, and trying to conceal it from Congress.

“'The scheme by President Trump was so brazen, so clear — supported by documents, actions, sworn testimony, uncontradicted contemporaneous records — that it’s hard to imagine that anybody could dispute those acts, let alone argue that that conduct does not constitute an impeachable offense or offenses,' Mr. Berke said.

“'This is a big deal,' he added, appealing to the deeply divided panel of lawmakers sitting before him. 'President Trump did what a president of our nation is not allowed to do.'"

CNN Politics: "Impeachment's bitter partisan divide spills over at hearing: 'The chairman is not in order'" — "House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler on Monday accused President Donald Trump of putting 'himself before country' at a contentious and chaotic hearing kicking off a two-week sprint for Democrats likely to end in the third impeachment of a president in US history.

"The hearing for Democratic and Republican staff attorneys to present cases for and against Trump's impeachment saw the bitter partisan divide over the impeachment proceedings spilled into the open, with Republican lawmakers vocally protesting Nadler's handling of the hearing and committee staffers even clashing during questioning.

"Republicans erupted while Democratic Judiciary Committee staff counsel Barry Berke pressed GOP counsel Steve Castor on the Republican report and accused Republicans of inaccurately quoting a witness."

The Guardian: "Republicans heckle and disrupt as bitter impeachment divide laid bare" — "Having heard all the witness testimony in the impeachment case against Donald Trump, Congress began arguments on Monday on what that testimony meant. It did not go smoothly.

"Jerry Nadler, the Democratic chair of the House judiciary committee, had barely begun introducing the session when a bearded young man got up from the public seats at the back of the chamber and started yelling.

“'Americans are sick of your impeachment scam! Trump is innocent!' he shouted. 'You’re the one committing treason. America is done with this!' As uniformed Capitol policeman began ushering him from the chamber, he declared: 'You can kick me out, but he’s the one committing crimes.'

"There is a long history of protesters at congressional hearings, but this was no ordinary member of the public. He was Owen Shroyer, who works as a host at the far-right conspiracy site Infowars."