HERE'S THE DEAL
IMPEACHMENT EDITION

Things are moving quickly now in the House of Representatives.  Democrats have unveiled their drafts of two articles of impeachment against the president.

What happened? And what happens next? Watch our video summary. Or keep reading. 

House Democrats release two articles of impeachment 

• House Democratic leaders published their draft of articles of impeachment Tuesday morning. 

• There are two articles of impeachment, essentially two charges: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. 

• Abuse of power. 

  • This article charges that the president  had “corrupt motives” and “persisted in openly and corruptly urging and soliciting Ukraine to undertake investigations for his personal benefit,”seeking to “influence the 2020 election.”

  • Democrats allege President Trump conditioned $391 million in aid to Ukraine and a White House meeting on an announcement by Ukraine that it would investigate former Vice President Joe Biden. 

  • This article also asserts that President Trump is a continuing “threat to national security” and has a pattern of misconduct alluding to Russia and his “previous invitations of foreign interference in the United States elections.”

• Obstruction of Congress

  • This article focuses largely on the president’s orders that staff and agencies refuse Democrats’ subpoenas and requests to testify in the Ukraine investigation.

  • It also asserts a pattern of conduct, stating, “These actions were consistent with President Trump’s previous efforts to undermine … investigations into foreign interference in United States elections.”

White House calls charges “false”

• White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham issued a statement yesterday morning writing, “The President will address these false charges in the Senate and expects to be fully exonerated, because he did nothing wrong.”

Next steps for House Democrats

• The House Judiciary Committee will next go over, or “mark up” articles of impeachment for consideration by the full House of Representatives.

• The mark-up will begin tonight at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, with members of the committee each getting five minutes for an opening statement about impeachment. The 41 members’ statements should take roughly three and a half hours. 

• Tomorrow, the mark-up will continue and likely finish, with members of the committee able to offer amendments to the articles of impeachment.  A vote by the committee is expected sometime tomorrow.

• The full House is expected to vote on articles of impeachment some time next week.

President Trump tells supporters impeachment is linked to trade deal

• Speaking at a rally in swing-state Pennsylvania, President Trump again called impeachment a “witch hunt” and said Democrats supported a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada “because they’re embarrassed by impeachment.”