WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump was impeached for abuse of power in a historic vote in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, setting up a Senate trial on removing him from office after three turbulent years.
“What is at risk here is the very idea of America,” said Adam Schiff, the lawmaker who headed the impeachment inquiry, ahead of the vote. After a marathon of 10 hours of debate, lawmakers were to vote quickly on the second article of impeachment facing Trump – for obstructing the congressional probe into his Ukraine dealings by blocking the testimony of subpoenaed White House aides.
Democrats are “trying to nullify the ballots of tens of millions of patriotic Americans”, he charged.Neither of the two previous presidents impeached since 1789, Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998, was convicted in the Senate, and both held onto their jobs. “It is a matter of fact that the president is an ongoing threat to our national security and the integrity of our elections.”“It’s a big responsibility, it’s sobering, and I think the members feel that way too,” House Democrat Diana DeGette told AFP.
Republicans repeatedly drove the line that the Democrats rushed the investigation; Trump was treated more unfairly than witches put on trial in the 17th century Americas – or even than Jesus Christ, they claimed.