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| Impeachment live updates: Trump praises Republican defenders as ‘warriors’ as Democratic-led House panel prepares to vote to impeach him | Impeachment live updates: Trump praises Republican defenders as ‘warriors’ as Democratic-led House panel prepares to vote to impeach him |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| President Trump on Friday praised his Republican defenders in Congress as “warriors” as a Democratic-led House panel prepared to take historic votes on two articles of impeachment against him for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. | President Trump on Friday praised his Republican defenders in Congress as “warriors” as a Democratic-led House panel prepared to take historic votes on two articles of impeachment against him for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. |
| The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to resume deliberations at 10 a.m. following an abrupt halt late Thursday night. The full House is expected to vote to impeach Trump next week, though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has said there is “no chance” his chamber will vote to remove him from office. | The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to resume deliberations at 10 a.m. following an abrupt halt late Thursday night. The full House is expected to vote to impeach Trump next week, though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has said there is “no chance” his chamber will vote to remove him from office. |
| At the heart of the Democrats’ case is the allegation that Trump tried to leverage a White House meeting and military aid, sought by Ukraine to combat Russian military aggression, to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to launch an investigation of former vice president Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden, as well as a probe of an unfounded theory that Kyiv conspired with Democrats to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. | At the heart of the Democrats’ case is the allegation that Trump tried to leverage a White House meeting and military aid, sought by Ukraine to combat Russian military aggression, to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to launch an investigation of former vice president Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden, as well as a probe of an unfounded theory that Kyiv conspired with Democrats to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. |
| ●House Judiciary Committee abruptly adjourns after marathon debate, will vote on articles of impeachment Friday morning. | ●House Judiciary Committee abruptly adjourns after marathon debate, will vote on articles of impeachment Friday morning. |
| ●Name-calling, insults and scandals dominate all-day impeachment proceeding. | ●Name-calling, insults and scandals dominate all-day impeachment proceeding. |
| ●The latest guessing game is figuring out Pelosi’s picks to prosecute impeachment trial. | ●The latest guessing game is figuring out Pelosi’s picks to prosecute impeachment trial. |
| How impeachment works | House resolution impeaching Trump | House Intelligence Committee’s impeachment inquiry report | Key figures on the House Judiciary Committee | How impeachment works | House resolution impeaching Trump | House Intelligence Committee’s impeachment inquiry report | Key figures on the House Judiciary Committee |
| Trump returned to Twitter a little more than an hour before the Judiciary Committee was scheduled to reconvene to make the case that he doesn’t deserve impeachment. | |
| Among his now-familiar claims: There was nothing wrong with the July call in which he pressed Zelensky for investigations that could benefit him politically. | |
| “How do you get Impeached when you have done NOTHING wrong (a perfect call), have created the best economy in the history of our Country, rebuilt our Military, fixed the V.A. (Choice!), cut Taxes & Regs, protected your 2nd A, created Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, and soooo much more? Crazy!” Trump tweeted. | |
| Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), an outspoken member of the House Judiciary Committee, defended the decision by the panel’s chairman to put off final votes on impeachment until Friday morning. | Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), an outspoken member of the House Judiciary Committee, defended the decision by the panel’s chairman to put off final votes on impeachment until Friday morning. |
| “The American people deserve to see it,” Deutch said during an appearance on CNN. “It ought to take place in the light of day.” | “The American people deserve to see it,” Deutch said during an appearance on CNN. “It ought to take place in the light of day.” |
| Deutch said it was hard to understand why Republicans were so upset by the delay, since they have accused Democrats of rushing the impeachment process. | Deutch said it was hard to understand why Republicans were so upset by the delay, since they have accused Democrats of rushing the impeachment process. |
| He said he suspects if the panel had proceeded at midnight Republicans would have asked “how we could cast a vote like that in the dead of the night.” | He said he suspects if the panel had proceeded at midnight Republicans would have asked “how we could cast a vote like that in the dead of the night.” |
| Rep. Douglas A. Collins (Ga.), the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, continued Friday morning to complain about the decision of Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) to delay votes on the articles of impeachment until Friday morning. | Rep. Douglas A. Collins (Ga.), the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, continued Friday morning to complain about the decision of Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) to delay votes on the articles of impeachment until Friday morning. |
| “They’re highjacking your weekend because they just want this to be on television,” Ainsley Earhardt, a co-host of Fox News’s “Fox & Friends” said to Collins as he appeared on the program. | “They’re highjacking your weekend because they just want this to be on television,” Ainsley Earhardt, a co-host of Fox News’s “Fox & Friends” said to Collins as he appeared on the program. |
| “Right,” Collins replied, indicating that he and even some Democrats on the panel were caught off guard by the delay. | “Right,” Collins replied, indicating that he and even some Democrats on the panel were caught off guard by the delay. |
| “This was simply a stunt by my chairman. It’s bush league,” Collins said. “Normally, the chairman and the ranking member at least talk about scheduling issues. We can disagree about the color of the sun but we always talk about scheduling.” | “This was simply a stunt by my chairman. It’s bush league,” Collins said. “Normally, the chairman and the ranking member at least talk about scheduling issues. We can disagree about the color of the sun but we always talk about scheduling.” |
| The Judiciary Committee is scheduled to reconvene at 10 a.m. on Friday to vote on two articles of impeachment against Trump alleging abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. | The Judiciary Committee is scheduled to reconvene at 10 a.m. on Friday to vote on two articles of impeachment against Trump alleging abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. |
| The committee had planned to vote on Thursday night, but after more than 14 hours of debate, Democrats made an abrupt decision before midnight to hold off on the history-making vote until the light of day. | The committee had planned to vote on Thursday night, but after more than 14 hours of debate, Democrats made an abrupt decision before midnight to hold off on the history-making vote until the light of day. |
| Thursday’s all-day debate ended as it began, with angry exchanges, personal insults and recycled arguments about process and propriety as the committee moved toward voting to impeach Trump for “high crimes and misdemeanors.” | Thursday’s all-day debate ended as it began, with angry exchanges, personal insults and recycled arguments about process and propriety as the committee moved toward voting to impeach Trump for “high crimes and misdemeanors.” |
| Congress has impeached only two presidents: Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998. President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 before the House could vote on articles of impeachment in the Watergate scandal. Lawmakers drafted three articles against Nixon, including charges of “high crimes and misdemeanors” that mirror the abuse-of-power and obstruction allegations Trump now faces. | Congress has impeached only two presidents: Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998. President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 before the House could vote on articles of impeachment in the Watergate scandal. Lawmakers drafted three articles against Nixon, including charges of “high crimes and misdemeanors” that mirror the abuse-of-power and obstruction allegations Trump now faces. |
| In a burst of early morning tweets, Trump praised the performance of Republicans who defended him during Thursday’s marathon meeting of the House Judiciary Committee, calling them “warriors.” | In a burst of early morning tweets, Trump praised the performance of Republicans who defended him during Thursday’s marathon meeting of the House Judiciary Committee, calling them “warriors.” |
| “The Republicans House members were fantastic yesterday,” he tweeted. “It always helps to have a much better case, in fact the Dems have no case at all, but the unity & sheer brilliance of these Republican warriors, all of them, was a beautiful sight to see. Dems had no answers and wanted out!” | “The Republicans House members were fantastic yesterday,” he tweeted. “It always helps to have a much better case, in fact the Dems have no case at all, but the unity & sheer brilliance of these Republican warriors, all of them, was a beautiful sight to see. Dems had no answers and wanted out!” |
| In another tweet, Trump claimed that poll numbers “have gone through the roof in favor of No Impeachment especially with Swing States and Independents in Swing States.” | In another tweet, Trump claimed that poll numbers “have gone through the roof in favor of No Impeachment especially with Swing States and Independents in Swing States.” |
| It was not clear what polls Trump was citing. Two national polls released this week showed a bare majority opposed to ousting Trump from office. | It was not clear what polls Trump was citing. Two national polls released this week showed a bare majority opposed to ousting Trump from office. |
| Forty-five percent of Americans say that Trump should be impeached and removed from office, while 50 percent disagree, according to a Monmouth University poll. | Forty-five percent of Americans say that Trump should be impeached and removed from office, while 50 percent disagree, according to a Monmouth University poll. |
| A Quinnipiac University poll showed that 45 percent of registered voters say Trump should be impeached and removed, while 51 percent say he should not be. | A Quinnipiac University poll showed that 45 percent of registered voters say Trump should be impeached and removed, while 51 percent say he should not be. |
| Some other recent polls have shown a somewhat different picture. | Some other recent polls have shown a somewhat different picture. |
| An Economist-YouGov poll released this week, for example, showed that 44 percent of Americans support the Senate removing Trump if he is impeached by the House, while 40 percent are opposed. | An Economist-YouGov poll released this week, for example, showed that 44 percent of Americans support the Senate removing Trump if he is impeached by the House, while 40 percent are opposed. |
| In his tweets, Trump also repeated a claim that his job approval stands at 95 percent among fellow Republicans. That claim is not supported by any public polling. | In his tweets, Trump also repeated a claim that his job approval stands at 95 percent among fellow Republicans. That claim is not supported by any public polling. |
| As House Republicans resume debate on his impeachment Friday morning, Trump is scheduled to host Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Benítez at the White House. | As House Republicans resume debate on his impeachment Friday morning, Trump is scheduled to host Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Benítez at the White House. |
| Earlier this year, Benítez faced calls for impeachment from a group of legislators after a secret energy deal with Brazil surfaced. | Earlier this year, Benítez faced calls for impeachment from a group of legislators after a secret energy deal with Brazil surfaced. |
| Trump is also scheduled to attend a Christmas reception Friday evening. | Trump is also scheduled to attend a Christmas reception Friday evening. |
| McConnell said Thursday night that “there’s no chance” Trump will be removed from office after a trial in his chamber. | McConnell said Thursday night that “there’s no chance” Trump will be removed from office after a trial in his chamber. |
| “The case is so darn weak coming over from the House,” McConnell told host Sean Hannity in a Fox News interview. “We all know how it’s going to end: There’s no chance the president’s going to be removed from office. My hope is that there won’t be a single Republican who votes for either of these articles of impeachment.” | “The case is so darn weak coming over from the House,” McConnell told host Sean Hannity in a Fox News interview. “We all know how it’s going to end: There’s no chance the president’s going to be removed from office. My hope is that there won’t be a single Republican who votes for either of these articles of impeachment.” |
| Removal requires a two-thirds vote in the Senate. | Removal requires a two-thirds vote in the Senate. |
| What we know and don’t know about how a Senate impeachment trial will work | What we know and don’t know about how a Senate impeachment trial will work |
| During the interview, McConnell reiterated his intention to work closely with the White House’s legal team on the impeachment trial, pledging “total coordination.” | During the interview, McConnell reiterated his intention to work closely with the White House’s legal team on the impeachment trial, pledging “total coordination.” |
| “There will be no difference between the president’s position and our position,” McConnell said. | “There will be no difference between the president’s position and our position,” McConnell said. |
| When asked whether the Senate trial would involve witnesses, McConnell said, “I’m going to take my cues from the president’s lawyers.” | When asked whether the Senate trial would involve witnesses, McConnell said, “I’m going to take my cues from the president’s lawyers.” |
| He has previously said the trial could end after opening arguments from House managers and lawyers for the president. | He has previously said the trial could end after opening arguments from House managers and lawyers for the president. |
| “If you know you have the votes, you’ve listened to the arguments on both sides, and you believe the case is so slim, so weak that you have the votes to end it, that might be what the president’s lawyers would prefer, and you can certainly make a case for making it shorter rather than longer since it’s such a weak case,” McConnell said. | “If you know you have the votes, you’ve listened to the arguments on both sides, and you believe the case is so slim, so weak that you have the votes to end it, that might be what the president’s lawyers would prefer, and you can certainly make a case for making it shorter rather than longer since it’s such a weak case,” McConnell said. |
| GLENS FALLS, N.Y. — When Rep. Elise Stefanik ran for reelection in 2016, observers here dubbed her “the tightrope walker” for the way she delicately tiptoed around the question of Trump. | |
| She had once insisted he could never win the Republican nomination. When he did, she kept him at a careful distance — acknowledging, when pressed, that she supported the man at the top of her party’s ticket while generally avoiding any mention of his name. | |
| Three years later, with Trump’s presidency on the line, Stefanik (R-N.Y.) shot to his defense with all the subtlety of a human cannonball. | |
| Given a national platform during the impeachment hearings, the Harvard graduate leveraged her post on the House Intelligence Committee to do battle with Trump antagonists over their “crumbling” case and to present herself as “the 35-year-old Republican congresswoman standing between Democrats and our American Democracy.” | |
| Read more here. | |
| House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) released a video Friday highlighting former House Republicans who have spoken out against Trump’s conduct toward Ukraine. | House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) released a video Friday highlighting former House Republicans who have spoken out against Trump’s conduct toward Ukraine. |
| “Former Republican House members know the oaths they took,” the two-minute video says as it opens. “Why don’t today’s Republicans?’ | “Former Republican House members know the oaths they took,” the two-minute video says as it opens. “Why don’t today’s Republicans?’ |
| It features news clips of Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania, Joe Scarborough of Florida, David Jolly of Florida, Bob Inglis of South Carolina and Justin Amash of Michigan. (Unlike the others, Amash remains in Congress, having changed his affiliation from Republican to independent in July.) | It features news clips of Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania, Joe Scarborough of Florida, David Jolly of Florida, Bob Inglis of South Carolina and Justin Amash of Michigan. (Unlike the others, Amash remains in Congress, having changed his affiliation from Republican to independent in July.) |
| Among the clips highlighted is Inglis suggesting a double standard in Republican minds between Trump and President Barack Obama. | Among the clips highlighted is Inglis suggesting a double standard in Republican minds between Trump and President Barack Obama. |
| “I just ask my Republican friends, if Barack Obama had done any of these things, would we have impeached him?” Inglis asks. “And the answer’s pretty clearly yes. In fact, we would have impeached him and removed him from office very quickly if he’d done any of these things. So it’s important in a republic to keep in mind that you’ve got to follow principles. … You can’t just decide that, oh no, for our team, we have a different rule.” | “I just ask my Republican friends, if Barack Obama had done any of these things, would we have impeached him?” Inglis asks. “And the answer’s pretty clearly yes. In fact, we would have impeached him and removed him from office very quickly if he’d done any of these things. So it’s important in a republic to keep in mind that you’ve got to follow principles. … You can’t just decide that, oh no, for our team, we have a different rule.” |
| Toward the end of Thursday’s marathon debate in the House of Representatives about approving two articles of impeachment against Trump, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) lashed out against Republicans for blinding themselves in defending Trump’s conduct amid a defining moment for the country. | Toward the end of Thursday’s marathon debate in the House of Representatives about approving two articles of impeachment against Trump, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) lashed out against Republicans for blinding themselves in defending Trump’s conduct amid a defining moment for the country. |
| “For some of our members who are defending the Constitution, it is their finest hour,” Schiff said in a Thursday interview on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.” “But for others who are willfully blinding themselves to this president’s misconduct, it is the most shameful hour.” | “For some of our members who are defending the Constitution, it is their finest hour,” Schiff said in a Thursday interview on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.” “But for others who are willfully blinding themselves to this president’s misconduct, it is the most shameful hour.” |
| Then, Schiff, a frequent target of Trump’s, lowered his head and laid out what the years ahead might look like for Republicans. They are united in supporting a president who faces the prospect of the House Judiciary Committee voting Friday morning to send the two articles of impeachment against him — “abuse of power” and “obstruction of Congress” for his dealings with Ukraine — to the House floor next week. | Then, Schiff, a frequent target of Trump’s, lowered his head and laid out what the years ahead might look like for Republicans. They are united in supporting a president who faces the prospect of the House Judiciary Committee voting Friday morning to send the two articles of impeachment against him — “abuse of power” and “obstruction of Congress” for his dealings with Ukraine — to the House floor next week. |
| Read more here. | Read more here. |