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Trump impeachment hearings to go public next week | Trump impeachment hearings to go public next week |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Congressional Democrats have announced the first public hearings next week in an inquiry that may seek to remove President Donald Trump from office. | Congressional Democrats have announced the first public hearings next week in an inquiry that may seek to remove President Donald Trump from office. |
Three state department officials will testify first. So far lawmakers from three key House committees have heard from witnesses behind closed doors. | |
The impeachment inquiry centres on claims that Mr Trump withheld aid to Ukraine to prod it to investigate his political rival, Joe Biden. | The impeachment inquiry centres on claims that Mr Trump withheld aid to Ukraine to prod it to investigate his political rival, Joe Biden. |
Mr Trump denies any abuse of power. | Mr Trump denies any abuse of power. |
House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff, who is overseeing the inquiry, told reporters on Wednesday that an impeachment case was building against the president. | House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff, who is overseeing the inquiry, told reporters on Wednesday that an impeachment case was building against the president. |
He said: "We are getting an increasing appreciation for just what took place during the course of the last year - and the degree to which the president enlisted whole departments of government in the illicit aim to get Ukraine to dig up dirt on a political opponent." | |
The Capitol Hill hearings will now be broadcast live, with both Democratic and Republican lawmakers questioning witnesses. | The Capitol Hill hearings will now be broadcast live, with both Democratic and Republican lawmakers questioning witnesses. |
The first public witness will be Bill Taylor, acting US ambassador to Ukraine, who delivered some of the most explosive private testimony last month. | |
On Wednesday - a week ahead of his scheduled public hearing - House Democrats released a transcript of his evidence. | |
It shows Mr Taylor told lawmakers it was his "clear understanding" that the president had withheld nearly $400m (£310m) in US military aid because he wanted Ukraine to investigate the Bidens. | It shows Mr Taylor told lawmakers it was his "clear understanding" that the president had withheld nearly $400m (£310m) in US military aid because he wanted Ukraine to investigate the Bidens. |
Mr Trump has been making discredited corruption claims about former US vice-president Mr Biden, whose son, Hunter Biden, worked for a Ukrainian gas company. | |
Joe Biden is a Democratic front-runner for the presidential election a year from now. | Joe Biden is a Democratic front-runner for the presidential election a year from now. |
Also scheduled to testify publicly next Wednesday is career state department official George Kent. | Also scheduled to testify publicly next Wednesday is career state department official George Kent. |
Mr Kent reportedly told lawmakers that department officials had been sidelined as the White House put political appointees in charge of Ukraine policy. | |
He testified that he had been warned to "lay low" by a superior after expressing concern about Mr Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who was lobbying Ukraine to investigate the Bidens. Mr Giuliani has denied wrongdoing. | He testified that he had been warned to "lay low" by a superior after expressing concern about Mr Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who was lobbying Ukraine to investigate the Bidens. Mr Giuliani has denied wrongdoing. |
Former US ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, who was recalled in May after falling from favour with the White House, is due to testify on Friday next week. | |
She told the hearing last month that she had felt threatened by Mr Trump's remark to Ukraine's president that was "going to go through some things". | |
House Democrats formally launched the impeachment inquiry after an intelligence official filed a whistleblower complaint in September. | House Democrats formally launched the impeachment inquiry after an intelligence official filed a whistleblower complaint in September. |
The whistleblower raised the alarm about a 25 July phone call in which Mr Trump asked Ukraine's president to investigate the Bidens. | The whistleblower raised the alarm about a 25 July phone call in which Mr Trump asked Ukraine's president to investigate the Bidens. |
Quick facts on impeachment | |
Impeachment is the first part - the charges - of a two-stage political process by which Congress can remove a president from office. | |
If, following the hearings, the House of Representatives votes to pass articles of impeachment, the Senate is forced to hold a trial. | |
A Senate vote requires a two-thirds majority to convict and remove the president - unlikely in this case, given that Mr Trump's party controls the chamber. | |
Only two US presidents in history - Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson - have been impeached, but neither was convicted. | |
President Richard Nixon resigned before he could be impeached. |