WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., revealed Thursday the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives will move forward with drafting articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.
Pelosi accused Trump of abusing the power of the presidency for his own benefit by withholding military aid from Ukraine in exchange for an announcement of an investigation into his political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden.
'The President leaves us no choice but to act, because he is trying to corrupt, once again, the election for his own benefit,' Pelosi said at a brief press conference. 'The President has engaged in abuse of power undermining our national security and jeopardizing the integrity of our elections.'
She added, 'His actions are in defiance of the vision of our Founders and the oath of office that he takes 'to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.'
Pelosi said she has subsequently asked the chairmen of the House committees investigating Trump to proceed with articles of impeachment.
The announcement by Pelosi comes a day after several leading American constitutional scholars testified before the House Judiciary Committee, with three out of four saying Trump committed impeachable offenses.
Pelosi said she wises Trump had not made the move necessary but declared Democrats would proceed in a manner worthy of their oath of office to support and defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic.
Responding to the news on Twitter, Trump reiterated his claim that his interactions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were 'totally appropriate.'
'This will mean that the beyond important and seldom used act of Impeachment will be used routinely to attack future Presidents. That is not what our Founders had in mind,' Trump tweeted. 'The good thing is that the Republicans have NEVER been more united. We will win!'
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said Pelosi and the Democrats should be ashamed and said the White House looks forward to a fair trial in the Senate.
Democrats should have enough support to pass articles of impeachment in the House, but Republicans control the Senate and have steadfastly stood by Trump thus far.
Republicans currently hold a 53 to 45 majority in the Senate, with two Democrat-leaning independents, and removing Trump from office would require a two-thirds vote in favor.
(Photo: Gage Skidmore)
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