This archive report was first published on 12 December 2019.
Trump Impeachment: Democrats Reject Republican Bid to Kill Abuse of Power Charge ¶
On December 12, 2019, the House Judiciary Committee voted 23-17 along party lines to reject a Republican amendment aimed at killing one of the articles of impeachment against President Trump.
The amendment, offered by Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, sought to strike Article I of the impeachment charges, which accuses the president of abusing his power by inviting foreign interference in the 2020 election.
Representative Jim Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin, a senior Republican on the panel, argued that the facts speak for themselves and that there was no impeachable offense. However, Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas countered that the president abused his power and is a continuing threat to democracy and national security.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated that she is not asking Democrats to vote to impeach President Trump and will allow them to follow their conscience when articles of impeachment come to the House floor.
Meanwhile, President Trump took to Twitter to accuse two Democratic lawmakers of lying during the debate, claiming they had misquoted his July 25 call with the president of Ukraine.
As the impeachment inquiry continues, President Trump's lawyers are discussing hiring Alan Dershowitz, a high-profile lawyer, to help with his defense during a trial in the Senate.
Mr. Dershowitz has frequently defended the president on television and has been mentioned as a potential addition to the president's legal team.
