House panel approves articles of impeachment against Trump

By Meg Wagner, Mike Hayes, Zoe Sottile and Veronica Rocha, CNN

Updated 1:41 PM ET, Mon December 16, 2019

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4:49 p.m. ET, December 13, 2019

Vulnerable Democrat says she will vote in favor of impeachment articles

Nevada Rep. Susie Lee, a vulnerable Democrat from a swing district, announced today that she would vote for the two articles of impeachment against President Trump.

Lee said she came to her decision after she "carefully deliberated and comprehensively reviewed the facts."

"This is a grave decision that requires thorough and solemn deliberation," she said in a statement. "After weighing all of the facts, I will be voting in support of impeachment of the President."

She continued:

“The facts are clear: the President abused the power of his office and blatantly obstructed Congress. I took an oath of office to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. This is a solemn decision. I end with this: democracies live and die by the integrity of our elections. We have lived in relative peace on our soil for over two centuries in the strongest democracy on earth. It is my constitutional duty to ensure that it remains that way.”

3:29 p.m. ET, December 13, 2019

Moderate Democratic congressman says he supports both articles of impeachment

From CNN's Manu Raju

Rep. Max Rose, a freshman Democrat from a swing district in New York, just announced his support for both articles of impeachment against President Trump.

"Party and politics will never come before the country I bled to protect — and would unquestionably do so again," said Rose, a veteran who served in Afghanistan.

He criticized the President for "coercing a foreign government into targeting American citizens," calling it an "invitation to the enemies of the United States to come after any citizen."

Rose's district includes Staten Island and parts of southern Brooklyn.

Why this matters: The House Judiciary committee approved both articles of impeachment against President Trump this morning. The articles will move to a formal vote on the House floor next week.

Read Rose's full statement below:

“Party and politics will never come before the country I bled to protect—and would unquestionably do so again. A President coercing a foreign government into targeting American citizens is not just another example of scorched earth politics, it serves as an invitation to the enemies of the United States to come after any citizen, so long as they disagree with the President. Embarking on an unprecedented effort to obstruct this inquiry doesn’t make the facts any less true. Therefore I will vote in support of the two Articles of Impeachment.
I came to Washington to take on both parties and get things done. In the past year alone we passed legislation to finally build the East Shore Seawall, permanently fund the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, and enact sanctions on Chinese pharmaceutical companies for pumping fentanyl into our communities. We’ve also beat FEMA, the Port Authority, and secured much needed funding for transportation projects. Whether the Senate votes to remove the President or not, I will continue to focus on getting results for the people of Staten Island and South Brooklyn.”

1:40 p.m. ET, December 13, 2019

The Judiciary Committee advanced impeachment articles today. Here's what you need to know.

It was another big day in the impeachment inquiry into President Trump as the House Judiciary Committee approved articles of impeachment.

Here's where things stand today:

What happened: After a lengthy day of debating the two articles of impeachment against Trump, abuse of power and obstruction of congress, the House Judiciary Committee voted to approve both articles. The vote fell on partisan lines: Democrats voted yes and Republicans voted no, with the exception of Rep. Ted Lieu, a Democrat who was absent because of illness.
Yesterday: The vote was supposed to be held yesterday but was unexpectedly delayed by House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, a decision that underscored the partisan tensions throughout the impeachment inquiry.
What's in the articles: The first article of impeachment accuses Trump of abusing his office by pressuring Ukraine to investigate his political rivals and withholding US security aid and a White House meeting. The second accuses him of obstructing the investigation into his misconduct by blocking witnesses and disobeying subpoenas.
What's next: The two articles of impeachment will now go to the House floor for a vote. If a simple majority of the House votes to approve either article, Trump will become the third president ever formally impeached — President Nixon resigned after the votes passed the House Judiciary Committee but before they could make it to the full House. The House has yet to set a specific date for the full impeachment vote, but two Democratic leadership aides said it could happen on Wednesday.
Possible trial: Then the Republican-led Senate will hold a trial presided over by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The White House is still planning its trial strategy and considering whether or not it will call witnesses, which may lengthen the trial. Trump said earlier today that "I wouldn't mind the long process because I'd like to see the whistleblower — who is a fraud."

1:43 p.m. ET, December 13, 2019

Schumer on a potential impeachment trial: We will render "impartial justice"

From CNN's Phil Mattingly

Chuck Schumer speaks during a press conference at the US Capitol in Washington, December 10, 2019. Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement following this morning’s vote in the House Judiciary Committee on the articles of impeachment:

“If articles of impeachment are sent to the Senate, every single senator will take an oath to render ‘impartial justice.’ Making sure the Senate conducts a fair and honest trial that allows all the facts to come out is paramount.”

12:41 p.m. ET, December 13, 2019

Trump says he "wouldn't mind" a long trial in the Senate

President Trump was just asked if he prefers a long or short trial in the Senate.

"I'll do whatever I want. Look — we did nothing wrong, so I'll do long or short," Trump said.

If the House approves the articles of impeachment against Trump as they are expected to do next week, the Senate will then hold a trial to decide if he should be removed from office. It's not clear how long the Senate trial might last.

The President added he "wouldn't mind" a longer trial if it meant more witnesses.

"I wouldn't mind the long process because I'd like to see the whistleblower — who is a fraud," he said.

Some context: Throughout the House impeachment inquiry, Republicans have demanded to hear from the whistleblower whose complaint against Trump was at the heart of the inquiry.

The legal team for the whistleblower is preparing for the possibility that lawmakers will call their client to testify in the Senate, two people familiar told CNN.

Watch more:

12:02 p.m. ET, December 13, 2019

Democrat on McConnell coordinating with White House: It's "a complete surrender of the constitutional duties and prerogatives"

From CNN's Manu Raju

Rep. Jamie Raskin called Senate Majority Leader McConnell’s comments that he will coordinate with closely with the White House on the looming Senate impeachment trial “a complete surrender of the constitutional duties and prerogatives of the Senate, essentially turning them over to the White House.”

“Well, let's hope that there's sufficient clamor within the Senate and within the country to make him rethink this idea of coordinating strategy with the defendant in the case. The President is essentially a constitutional defendant, and he's a defendant because we have voted to send an indictment, articles of Impeachment, to the Senate, because of the high crimes and misdemeanors he’s committed,” Raskin said.

Meanwhile, Rep. Steve Cohen, a Democrat from Tennessee, spoke about the possibility of House Democrats voting against the articles of impeachment on the floor.

“I think that you should always put your oath first, but you also have to consider your district," he said.

12:40 p.m. ET, December 13, 2019

Trump says Democrats are "trivializing" impeachment

From CNN's Kevin Liptak

President Trump said Democrats are "trivializing" impeachment following a vote in the House Judiciary Committee on articles of impeachment.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump repeated his claims the impeachment amounts to a "witch hunt" and a "sham."

He again said his phone call with Ukraine's president was "perfect" and he noted it's been a "wild week."

Trump is still speaking from the Oval Office.

Watch:

11:52 a.m. ET, December 13, 2019

How each House Judiciary member voted this morning

The House Judiciary Committee voted 23-17 this morning to advance articles of impeachment against President Trump. It was a party-line vote, with Democrats voting yes and Republicans voting no.

Democrats who voted yes:

Jerrold Nadler, New York
Mary Gay Scanlon, Pennsylvania
Zoe Lofgren, California
Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas
Steve Cohen, Tennessee
Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Georgia
Theodore E. Deutch, Florida
Karen Bass, California
Cedric L. Richmond, Louisiana
Hakeem S. Jeffries, New York
David N. Cicilline, Rhode Island
Eric Swalwell, California
Jamie Raskin, Maryland
Pramila Jayapal, Washington
Val Butler Demings, Florida
J. Luis Correa, California
Sylvia R. Garcia, Texas
Joe Neguse, Colorado
Lucy McBath, Georgia
Greg Stanton, Arizona
Madeleine Dean, Pennsylvania
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Florida
Veronica Escobar,Texas

Republicans who voted no:

Doug Collins, Georgia
F. James Sensenbrenner, Wisconsin
Steve Chabot, Ohio
Louie Gohmert, Texas
Jim Jordan, Ohio
Ken Buck, Colorado
John Ratcliffe, Texas
Martha Roby, Alabama
Matt Gaetz, Florida
Mike Johnson, Louisiana
Andy Biggs, Arizona
Tom McClintock, California
Debbie Lesko, Arizona
Guy Reschenthaler, Pennsylvania
Ben Cline, Virginia
Kelly Armstrong, North Dakota
W. Gregory Steube, Florida

Ted Lieu, a Democrat from California, was not present and did not vote. He's recovering from a heart procedure.

11:27 a.m. ET, December 13, 2019

One Democrat is calling for McConnell to recuse himself from impeachment trial

From CNN's Phil Mattingly and Jeremy Herb

Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee raised concerns about Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s comments that he will coordinate closely with the White House on the looming Senate impeachment trial.

Rep. Val Demings, a Florida Democrat, said the Kentucky Republican should recuse himself entirely.

“He’s working hand in hand with the White House, with the president’s attorney, and yet we’re supposed to expect him to manage a fair and impartial trial?” Demings said when asked about McConnell’s remarks. “I think he should recuse himself.”

Rep. Pramila Jayapal called the coordination “ridiculous.”

“I think it is outrageous for the chief juror who is organizing the trial to be coordinating with the defendant,” Jayapal, a Washington Democrat, told reporters.

Some context: If a simple majority of the House votes to impeach the President — which is expected to happen next week — the Senate will hold a trial overseen by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

McConnell held a closed-door meeting with the President's top lawyer, White House counsel Pat Cipollone, on Thursday to coordinate plans for the trial.