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| Impeachment inquiry: Trump lashes out at Louisiana rally | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| US President Donald Trump has lashed out at his Democrat opponents in a defiant speech at a rally in Louisiana. | US President Donald Trump has lashed out at his Democrat opponents in a defiant speech at a rally in Louisiana. |
| He was speaking after it was confirmed that public impeachment hearings will begin in Congress next Wednesday. | He was speaking after it was confirmed that public impeachment hearings will begin in Congress next Wednesday. |
| He accused the Democrats of trying to overthrow American democracy via a "deranged, delusional, destructive and hyper-partisan" process. | He accused the Democrats of trying to overthrow American democracy via a "deranged, delusional, destructive and hyper-partisan" process. |
| Mr Trump was in Louisiana to support the Republican candidate for governor in forthcoming elections. | Mr Trump was in Louisiana to support the Republican candidate for governor in forthcoming elections. |
| Tuesday saw his party lose the governorship of Kentucky and control of the state legislature in Virginia. | Tuesday saw his party lose the governorship of Kentucky and control of the state legislature in Virginia. |
| The impeachment inquiry centres on claims that Mr Trump pressured Ukraine to announce an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading contender for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. Mr Trump denies any abuse of power, calling the inquiry a "witch hunt". | The impeachment inquiry centres on claims that Mr Trump pressured Ukraine to announce an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading contender for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. Mr Trump denies any abuse of power, calling the inquiry a "witch hunt". |
| What did Trump say? | What did Trump say? |
| At the rally in the city of Monroe, he accused the Democrats of "ripping the guts out of our country", suggesting they were engaged in an "illegal act". | At the rally in the city of Monroe, he accused the Democrats of "ripping the guts out of our country", suggesting they were engaged in an "illegal act". |
| "Corrupt politicians... and the crooked media have launched the deranged, delusional, destructive and hyper-partisan impeachment witch-hunt," he said. | "Corrupt politicians... and the crooked media have launched the deranged, delusional, destructive and hyper-partisan impeachment witch-hunt," he said. |
| The president also attempted to discredit the whistleblower who flagged up his July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. | The president also attempted to discredit the whistleblower who flagged up his July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. |
| A rough transcript of the call released by the White House shows Mr Trump asked Mr Zelensky to investigate Mr Biden, now a Democratic frontrunner for next year's White House election. | A rough transcript of the call released by the White House shows Mr Trump asked Mr Zelensky to investigate Mr Biden, now a Democratic frontrunner for next year's White House election. |
| Mr Trump said the whistleblower made a "horrible statement" about the call, which led to the impeachment probe.US President Donald Trump has dismissed the impeachment inquiry as a "hoax" as he accused Democrats of a "coup" in a defiant speech. | Mr Trump said the whistleblower made a "horrible statement" about the call, which led to the impeachment probe.US President Donald Trump has dismissed the impeachment inquiry as a "hoax" as he accused Democrats of a "coup" in a defiant speech. |
| He sought to galvanise support for Republican businessman Eddie Rispone, who is bidding to unseat Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards in next month's state election. | He sought to galvanise support for Republican businessman Eddie Rispone, who is bidding to unseat Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards in next month's state election. |
| The president told supporters Mr Rispone will "defend your values", while accusing Mr Edwards of being "dangerously soft on crime". | The president told supporters Mr Rispone will "defend your values", while accusing Mr Edwards of being "dangerously soft on crime". |
| What's happening with the impeachment? | What's happening with the impeachment? |
| Democrats said on Wednesday the first public hearings of the inquiry will take place next week. | Democrats said on Wednesday the first public hearings of the inquiry will take place next week. |
| Three state department officials will testify first. So far lawmakers from three key House of Representatives committees have heard from witnesses behind closed doors. | Three state department officials will testify first. So far lawmakers from three key House of Representatives committees have heard from witnesses behind closed doors. |
| 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." | 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." |
| Mr Trump has been making widely discredited corruption claims about former Mr Biden, whose son Hunter Biden once worked for a Ukrainian gas company. | Mr Trump has been making widely discredited corruption claims about former Mr Biden, whose son Hunter Biden once worked for a Ukrainian gas company. |
| 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. |
| One of the first to appear will be Bill Taylor, acting US ambassador to Ukraine, who delivered some of the most explosive private testimony last month. | One of the first to appear 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. | 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. |
| The military aid to Ukraine was released in September, after a whistleblower raised the alarm about a 25 July phone call in which Mr Trump asked the Ukrainian president to investigate the Bidens. | The military aid to Ukraine was released in September, after a whistleblower raised the alarm about a 25 July phone call in which Mr Trump asked the Ukrainian president to investigate the Bidens. |
| Quick facts on impeachment | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | President Richard Nixon resigned before he could be impeached. |