Washington DC.— The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved the sending of charges for the historic Senate political trial against the president, Donald Trump, for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, and Democratic lawmakers who will serve as prosecutors in the process.
With 228 votes in favor and 193 against, the lower house approved on partisan lines a resolution that sends the charges to the Senate, appoints prosecutors at trial, and authorizes funds for the process.
The vote was preceded by a hot debate in which the Democrats justified the trial for Trump's possible dismissal, and the Republicans attacked the opposition for leading what they consider a "farce" for political purposes.
Hours earlier, the president of the Lower House, Nancy Pelosi, appointed the seven Democratic congressmen, including a Hispanic woman, who will serve as administrators or prosecutors at the trial, once she begins in the Senate on January 21.
The prosecutors team is made up of Adam Schiff, Jerry Nadler, Zoe Lofgren, Hakeen Jeffries, Val Demmings, Jason Crow and Sylvia Garcia, a range of legislators designed to show the diversity of the party.
https://twitter.com/SpeakerPelosi/status/1217464494668091394
"On December 18, the House of Representatives passed the political trial against Trump, a political trial that will last forever," said Pelosi, a Democratic legislator for California, during a press conference.
Pelosi and his bench today reiterated their demand that the Senate convene members of the Trump Administration to offer testimony and deliver documents at the political trial, following the dissemination of details about Trump's alleged campaign of pressure against Ukraine.
Folder in hand, the team of prosecutors will walk to the Senate for the delivery of the charges, in a protocol process scheduled for five in the afternoon (East Coast time).
After the vote, a senior official of the Administration told the press that the charges "are weak" and the White House does not anticipate that the trial will be extended more than two weeks.
Nor did he specify what the defense strategy will be, if he will incorporate Republican legislators, if they will request witnesses, will present a motion to dismiss the charges, or will request a change of date to Trump's speech on the "State of the Union" on February 4.
The Constitution establishes the process for the political trial against a president, known in English as impeachment . In that process, the House of Representatives approves the charges and designates the legislators who serve as prosecutors in the political trial in the Senate, who must vote to dismiss or acquit the president.
The head of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, will preside over the political trial and must swear in all 100 senators as jurors next week.
The charges against Trump are linked to his alleged pressure campaign for Ukraine to investigate its political rivals, and its efforts to cover it up by refusing to hand over documents and allowing the testimony of a dozen members of its Administration.
The investigation revolved around a call Trump made on July 25 to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in which he asked to announce an investigation against the former vice president, Joe Biden, his possible rival in the November contest.
He also wanted Zelenskiy to investigate the alleged interference of Ukraine in the 2016 presidential elections, although the US intelligence services made it clear that it was Russia who intervened to facilitate Trump's victory against his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.
Documents delivered yesterday, including notes and text messages, reveal more details about the pressure campaign to Zelenskiy. The documents were delivered to the Lower House by Lev Parnas, a partner of Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and the Democratic bank plans to spread others in the coming days.
Pelosi has no doubt that Trump tried to cover up that pressure campaign, in the light of documents released to droppers since last month, and today he again pressured the leader of the Republican majority, Mitch McConnell, to allow the inclusion of witnesses and documents.
According to Pelosi, "there cannot be a full and fair trial in the Senate if leader McConnell prevents the Senate from hearing witness testimony and obtaining documents that President Trump is covering up."
https://twitter.com/SpeakerPelosi/status/1217403054368182273
Trump has insisted that he did not commit any illegal act, and refused to collaborate with the Democratic investigation arguing that it is a "farce."
From his Twitter account, Trump again criticized the political trial as "a scam" because, in his opinion, the Lower House had to conclude the entire process - despite the fact that he banned testimonies - and not demand more from the Senate.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1217469828656701442
His spokesman, Stephanie Grisham, accused Pelosi of lying that the trial was urgent and "vital to national security," and of carrying out a "farce" with political motives.
His Republican allies in the Senate, led by McConnell, have hinted that they will expedite the political trial and acquit Trump.
Related content:
The president of the Supreme Court will preside over Trump's political trial. But he has his hands tied
Giuliani sought a private meeting with the Ukrainian president with Trump's consent