Trump Impeachment Update: Judiciary Committee Department Debates Charges Against President

Republicans and Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday bickered over the validity of the two articles of impeachment unveiled against Donald Trump earlier this week, with Republicans trying to argue the president withheld aid to Ukraine to help fight corruption in the former Soviet republic and Democrats arguing he pressured Ukraine to do his personal bidding.

The committee is expected to vote later Thursday to send the resolution to the full House where it is expected to be approved, thus turning the process over to the Senate for trial. The resolution accuses Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress for refusing to cooperate with an investigation of his actions.

Republicans argued the resolution and an amendment is invalid because no underlying statutory crimes were charged while Democrats said the Constitution does not require criminal acts even though it refers to “treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” The panel voted down amendments offered by Republicans.

At issue is whether Trump withheld $391 million in military aid to Ukraine in exchange for investigations that could benefit his 2020 re-election effort. Trump asked Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, his son Hunter’s relationship with Ukraine energy company Burisma and a debunked conspiracy theory pushed by Moscow positing that Ukraine, not Russia, was responsible for interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Trump spent the morning busily tweeting and retweeting condemnation of the impeachment process.

“This is not a rightful shot at impeachment with facts and evidence. … This is like pin the tail on your favorite impeachment theory because they don’t have the evidence,” Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., charged.

Gaetz added that President Obama was not impeached even though “a lot of constituents” thought he had abused his power.

“This is a travesty!” Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., said.

“If we decide a president is above the law, then we will no longer live in a democracy; we will be living in a dictatorship, trading the values of Madison for the values of Moscow,” David Cicilline, D-R.I., countered. “That’s why this should matter to every single person … because if the president gets away with trying to cheat in the 2020 election, he will no longer be responsive to the will of the people.”

Late Wednesday, the administration issued a memo attempting to justify the hold on aid to Ukraine as a routine policy review.

Watch Thursday’s proceedings below: