Citing allegations of “high crimes and misdemeanors,” Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, made the announcement in a press conference alongside Speaker Pelosi and other House committee chairs.
“Our president holds the ultimate public trust. When he betrays that trust and puts himself before Country, he endangers the Constitution. He endangers our democracy, and he endangers our national security,” Nadler said.
The articles charge President Trump with abusing his power by pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, and soliciting election interference from the foreign country.
Additionally, Nadler cited threats to national security and the integrity of the election system, alleged attempts to conceal evidence from Congress, and an overall violation of the oath of office as the basis for the articles.
Following Nadler’s statement, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-NY), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, charged with conducting the weeks-long impeachment inquiry, described the evidence of the president’s alleged misconduct as “overwhelming and uncontested.”
In response to Nadler’s statement, President Trump refuted the comments saying, “Nadler said that I ‘pressured Ukraine to interfere in our 2020 election.’ Ridiculous, and he knows that is not true. Both the President & Foreign Minister of Ukraine said, many times, that there ‘WAS NO PRESSURE.’ Nadler and the Dems know this, but refuse to acknowledge!”
Following today’s announcement unveiling the articles of impeachment, Texas Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX-25) issued a statement in response, calling the actions of House Democrats a “disgrace.”
“House Democrats have been fixated on impeaching President Trump for the last two and a half years. Their phony investigation has never been about the facts – it’s been a race against the clock and at no point has it ever been bipartisan.”
Williams continued, “The fact that Democrats are proceeding with these articles, despite having no evidence of ‘high crimes or misdemeanors’ by President Trump, is an affront to our democracy. Their actions are a disgrace.”
Earlier today, the same day that articles of impeachment were brought against the president, House Democrats and the Trump administration announced that a deal has been reached regarding the USMCA trade agreement as a replacement of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) after more than a year of stalled action.
Though a vote has yet to take place regarding the new agreement between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, Speaker Pelosi has advocated her support for the new deal, along with President Trump who has praised it as “the best and most important trade deal ever made by the USA.”
Despite the ongoing impeachment proceedings, House Democrats have been working closely with officials in the Trump administration to broker the terms of the USMCA.
“This is a defining moment for our nation: we have an opportunity to pass one of the largest trilateral agreements. The North American Free Trade Agreement gave rise to the greatest display of economic growth in the history of Texas, United States, Mexico, and Canada,” Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) said of the new arrangement. “Now, it is time to continue and build on this economic prosperity by passing the USMCA.”
Officials from the three North American countries are scheduled to meet in Mexico on Tuesday to further discuss the new agreement.
Meanwhile, the Judiciary Committee plans to vote on the articles of impeachment later this week, after which, the articles will then be sent to the House floor for a vote.
If the impeachment vote passes in the House, a trial regarding whether or not to convict President Trump will then be conducted in the Senate.
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Sarah McConnell
Sarah McConnell is a reporter for The Texan. Previously, she worked as a Cyber Security Consultant after serving as a Pathways Intern at the Department of Homeland Security – Citizenship and Immigration Services. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Texas A&M as well as her Master of Public Service and Administration degree from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M. In her free time, Sarah is an avid runner, jazz enthusiast, and lover of all things culinary.
