The House Judiciary Committee will vote today on whether to send articles of impeachment to the full House. Send tweet.
After more than 14 hours of debate Thursday, Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler gaveled the committee into recess after 11 p.m. ET, shocking his Republican counterparts, who decried the move.
“That was the most bush league play I’ve seen in my life,” Ranking Member Doug Collins said as lawmakers left the committee room.
How did we even get here?
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, flanked by the Democratic leaders of several committees, on Tuesday morning announced that House Democrats would be bringing two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.
“We stand here today because the president’s continuing abuse of his power has left us no choice,” said Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif.
So on Wednesday evening, the House Judiciary Committee gaveled in and got down to its dramatic business. It was rowdy.
Republicans were incensed that the inquiry has gotten to this point.
“This is the quickest, thinnest, weakest, most partisan impeachment in all of American presidential history,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., one of the president’s most staunch supporters.
Democrats were committed to their belief that the president had violated the law.
“It’s understandable that Republicans feel loyalty to the leader of their party. But loyalty to our country and to our Constitution must be greater,” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif.
And that was just Wednesday. Then Thursday came and the marathon continued. Both sides bantered over whether to use the president’s middle name in the article and whether to include specific language. But there was little new ground tred.
“Dare I state the obvious: I have not heard a new point or an original thought from either side in the last three hours,” Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., scoffed after more than 10 hours of debate.
So the day ended, just shy of midnight, with grouchy lawmakers and weary staff (and journalists) preparing to return at 10 a.m. Friday morning for the historic vote.
Having a hard time keeping track of how this is all going to work? The USA TODAY graphics gurus have a handy guide for just that.
This week in 2016 Never Ended
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz on Monday released his review of the FBI’s decision to investigate four associates of President Donald Trump.
The report found that the controversial surveillance of former Trump campaign advisor Carter Page was riddled with errors, finding 17 separate inaccuracies in three surveillance applications. But Horowitz concluded the FBI was legally justified in launching its inquiry into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.
Trump then took the opportunity to attack FBI Director Christopher Wray, who had defended his agency against the president’s allegation that federal authorities mounted a “coup.”
“I don’t know what report current Director of the FBI Christopher Wray was reading, but it sure wasn’t the one given to me,” Trump tweeted.
This week in 2020
Thanks, as always, for reading. Take it easy on the egg nog at this weekend’s holiday parties, OK? — Annah Aschbrenner
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