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House to Vote on Trump Impeachment Inquiry Rules: Live Updates Live Updates: House Approves Rules for Trump Impeachment Inquiry
(about 2 hours later)
The House on Thursday will take its first formal vote on the impeachment inquiry into President Trump. Lawmakers are expected to vote largely along party lines to adopt a resolution that will set rules for the next phase of the inquiry, including public hearings and the drafting of articles of impeachment against the president. The House of Representatives voted Thursday to endorse the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry into President Trump, setting up a new public phase of the process.
The vote is a striking turnabout for House Democrats. For weeks, they have resisted formal floor action, fearing that a vote could hurt the re-election prospects of members in Trump-friendly swing districts where voters want them to focus more on issues like jobs and the high price of prescription drugs than on a seemingly futile effort to oust the president. The vote, 232-196, was largely along party lines.
But after a series of bombshell revelations about the president’s pressure campaign to enlist Ukraine to investigate his political rivals, Democrats are convinced the public is behind the inquiry, and are ready to call the bluff of Republicans who have been demanding a floor vote. The vote was on a resolution sets rules for the public phase of an impeachment inquiry that has so far been conducted exclusively behind closed doors. It authorized the House Intelligence Committee — the panel that has been leading the investigation and conducting private depositions — to convene public hearings and produce a report that will guide the Judiciary Committee as it considers whether to draft articles of impeachment against President Trump.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi has scheduled the vote for Thursday morning. The measure also gives the president rights in the Judiciary Committee, allowing his lawyers to participate in hearings and giving Republicans the chance to request subpoenas for witnesses and documents. But the White House says it does not provide “basic due process rights,” and Republicans complain that their ability to issue subpoenas is limited. They will need the consent of Democrats, or a vote of a majority of members. That has been standard in previous modern impeachments. The majority has the final say over how the proceedings unfold.
The vote is on a resolution that would set rules for the public phase of an impeachment inquiry that has so far been conducted exclusively behind closed doors. It would authorize the House Intelligence Committee — the panel that has been leading the investigation and conducting private depositions — to convene public hearings and produce a report that will guide the Judiciary Committee as it considers whether to draft articles of impeachment against President Trump. Immediately after the vote, Mr. Trump again attacked the inquiry on Twitter.
The measure would also give the president rights in the Judiciary Committee, allowing his lawyers to participate in hearings and giving Republicans the chance to request subpoenas for witnesses and documents. But the White House says it still does not provide “basic due process rights,” and Republicans complain that their ability to issue subpoenas is limited. They would need the consent of Democrats, or a vote of a majority of members. That has been standard in previous modern impeachments. The majority has the final say over how the proceedings unfold. In a statement, the White House press secretary also attacked the inquiry and the Democratic leader, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, calling it “unhinged obsession” of her party.
The vote will be the first time the full House has gone on the record on the impeachment inquiry since Democrats announced last month that they were starting their investigation into Mr. Trump’s dealings with Ukraine. And while it is not a formal vote to open impeachment proceedings, it is all but certain to be seen as a measure of approval or disapproval for the process. “The president has done nothing wrong, and the Democrats know it,” the press secretary, Stephanie Grisham, said.
Republicans have been demanding a formal vote to authorize the impeachment inquiry, as was done in the case of President Bill Clinton, who was impeached in the House but acquitted by the Senate, and President Richard M. Nixon, who resigned rather than face impeachment. The Constitution does not require an authorization vote, nor do House rules require it, and Democrats have repeatedly said an authorization vote is not necessary.
But Thursday’s vote indicates that Democrats, once wary of holding a vote on the issue, have now united solidly behind the idea. They believe it adds an air of legitimacy to the inquiry and gives them practical tools they will need to effectively — and quickly — make their case to the public. It is also meant to call the bluff of Republicans who have been arguing for weeks that the process lacks legitimacy because the full House hasn’t voted on it.
At the same time, there are risks for Democrats. A highly partisan vote could buttress Republican arguments that the inquiry is a purely political exercise aimed solely at overturning the 2016 election.
Our reporters are on Capitol Hill chronicling the vote and all of today’s impeachment developments here. The New York Times will be tracking the vote live from start to finish, showing you who is voting how and analyzing the results.
As lawmakers were preparing for a midmorning vote, Democratic and Republican investigators leading the impeachment inquiry were four floors below in the bowels of the Capitol, questioning yet another witness behind closed doors.As lawmakers were preparing for a midmorning vote, Democratic and Republican investigators leading the impeachment inquiry were four floors below in the bowels of the Capitol, questioning yet another witness behind closed doors.
The witness, Timothy Morrison, the former top Russia expert for the National Security Council, appeared under subpoena despite a White House directive not to, according to an official involved in the inquiry. He is the second current white House official to testify before the inquiry this week, following Lt. Col. Alexander S. Vindman.The witness, Timothy Morrison, the former top Russia expert for the National Security Council, appeared under subpoena despite a White House directive not to, according to an official involved in the inquiry. He is the second current white House official to testify before the inquiry this week, following Lt. Col. Alexander S. Vindman.
Little was known about what Mr. Morrison intends to say. Other witnesses have said he informed them about efforts by Mr. Trump and his ambassador to the European Union, Gordon D. Sondland, made clear to the Ukrainians that they expected a public pledge for certain politically advantageous investigations before the security assistance would be released.Little was known about what Mr. Morrison intends to say. Other witnesses have said he informed them about efforts by Mr. Trump and his ambassador to the European Union, Gordon D. Sondland, made clear to the Ukrainians that they expected a public pledge for certain politically advantageous investigations before the security assistance would be released.
Mr. Morrison resigned his post at the National Security Council on Thursday ahead of the testimony, though he had been weighing leaving for some time, according to another official familiar with the matter.Mr. Morrison resigned his post at the National Security Council on Thursday ahead of the testimony, though he had been weighing leaving for some time, according to another official familiar with the matter.
In a rare gesture, Speaker Nancy Pelosi presided over the House chamber as the text of the procedures and the resolution outlining the public stage of the inquiry was read into the Congressional Record.
Standing next to a poster of the American flag, Ms. Pelosi repeatedly evoked the tenets of the Constitution as she framed the vote as an act of transparency as lawmakers investigate whether Mr. Trump abused his office in pressuring Ukraine to investigate a political rival.
“That is really what this vote is about,” Ms. Pelosi said. “It is about the truth.”
After she concluded her remarks, the dozens of Democrats already gathered in the chamber broke into applause.
Republican lawmakers continued to argue that under the procedures and the resolution outlined by House Democrats, Mr. Trump would not have the opportunity to sufficiently defend himself against the allegations.
At a news conference early Thursday morning, Ms. Pelosi dismissed questions about Republican concerns, saying that “these rules are fairer than anything that have gone before in terms of an impeachment proceeding.”— Emily Cochrane
Representative Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the Republican whip, emerged from the House floor triumphant that not a single member of his party broke ranks to support the House Democrats’ resolution.
“There were a lot of questions today about whether or not Republicans would stick together on this vote and do the right thing for the country,” Mr. Scalise said. “I can tell you that our conference stood strong.”
In a victory lap in the speaker’s lobby, Mr. Scalise noted that two Democrats opposed the resolution.
“Nancy Pelosi, at the beginning of this Congress, said if there’s going to be impeachment it has to be bipartisan,” he said. “In fact the only bipartisan vote today was against impeachment.”— Catie Edmondson
Mr. Trump has repeatedly asserted that there was nothing damning in his “perfect” call with the Ukrainian president.
Democrats see the situation differently, to say the least. Before the lawmakers voted on the impeachment rules, the president on Twitter urged the public to read the reconstructed transcript of the July 25 call with President Volodymyr Zelensky that the White House released last month. Among the replies was a tart response from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of his top critics in the House.
Mr. Trump repeatedly pressured President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine to investigate people and issues of political concern to Mr. Trump, including former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Here’s a timeline of events since January.Mr. Trump repeatedly pressured President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine to investigate people and issues of political concern to Mr. Trump, including former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Here’s a timeline of events since January.
A C.I.A. officer who was once detailed to the White House filed a whistle-blower complaint on Mr. Trump’s interactions with Mr. Zelensky. Read the complaint.A C.I.A. officer who was once detailed to the White House filed a whistle-blower complaint on Mr. Trump’s interactions with Mr. Zelensky. Read the complaint.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced in September that the House would open a formal impeachment proceeding in response to the whistle-blower’s complaint. Here’s how the impeachment process works and here’s why political influence in foreign policy matters.Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced in September that the House would open a formal impeachment proceeding in response to the whistle-blower’s complaint. Here’s how the impeachment process works and here’s why political influence in foreign policy matters.
House committees have issued subpoenas to the White House, the Defense Department, the budget office and other agencies for documents related to the impeachment investigation. Here’s the evidence that has been collected so far.House committees have issued subpoenas to the White House, the Defense Department, the budget office and other agencies for documents related to the impeachment investigation. Here’s the evidence that has been collected so far.
Read about the Democrats’ proposed rules to govern impeachment proceedings. Read about the Democrats’ rules to govern impeachment proceedings.