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Trump Impeachment Vote Updates: Democrats Defeat Republican Effort to Block Debate on 2 Articles Trump Impeachment Vote Live Updates: Democrats Defeat Republican Efforts to Block Debate on 2 Articles
(32 minutes later)
The House of Representatives turned back a Republican effort to block impeachment of President Trump in an early test vote on Wednesday, rejecting a motion to adjourn on a strictly party-line tally of 226 to 188. The House of Representatives turned back the first two of what may be a string of Republican efforts to block impeachment of President Trump in early tests of partisan solidarity on Wednesday, rejecting back-to-back motions on strictly party-line votes.
Representative Justin Amash, an independent from Michigan who bolted from the Republican Party in July, joined every Democrat in the chamber to defeat the motion, while every Republican present voted for it. The Republican motion, offered by Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona, was the first of what may be a string of procedural efforts to slow up the drive to impeachment. The House voted 226 to 188 to block a motion to adjourn without considering the articles of impeachment and then voted 226 to 191 to put aside a Republican resolution condemning the inquiry as an illegitimate and unfair violation of House rules.
Representative Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California and the minority leader, quickly brought up another measure to protest the proceedings, which condemned the impeachment inquiry as illegitimate. The second resolution, introduced by Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, the Republican leader, outlined a litany of complaints about the way the inquiry was run by Representatives Adam B. Schiff of California and Jerrold Nadler of New York, the Democratic chairmen of the House Intelligence and Judiciary Committees.
“It’s going to be a lot of walking up these stairs today, I think,” Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the No. 2 Democrat, said as he climbed the stairs from his Capitol office to vote on the first of likely several procedural votes called by Republicans. Their “abuses of power,” as Mr. McCarthy’s resolution put it, echoing one of the charges against Mr. Trump, “willfully trampled on the rights of the minority” and “brought dishonor and discredit upon the House of Representatives.” Democrats moved to table the resolution, and the vote unfolded along party lines.
“It’s going to be a lot of walking up these stairs today, I think,” Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the No. 2 Democrat, said as he climbed the steps from his Capitol office to vote on the first of the procedural votes called by Republicans.
The House will spend much of the rest of the morning debating the rules for the debate itself before taking up the two articles of impeachment themselves around midday. Democrats assert that Mr. Trump committed high crimes and misdemeanors by pressuring Ukraine to tarnish Democratic rivals to aid his re-election campaign while Republicans argue that the majority was engaged in a partisan witch hunt against a president they fear they could not beat at the polls. The House plans to vote by the end of the day.The House will spend much of the rest of the morning debating the rules for the debate itself before taking up the two articles of impeachment themselves around midday. Democrats assert that Mr. Trump committed high crimes and misdemeanors by pressuring Ukraine to tarnish Democratic rivals to aid his re-election campaign while Republicans argue that the majority was engaged in a partisan witch hunt against a president they fear they could not beat at the polls. The House plans to vote by the end of the day.
In a letter on Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi invited all Democratic members to be present on the floor on Wednesday as the chamber convened to debate the articles at what she called a “very prayerful moment in our nation’s history.”In a letter on Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi invited all Democratic members to be present on the floor on Wednesday as the chamber convened to debate the articles at what she called a “very prayerful moment in our nation’s history.”
In the morning, the House is expected to debate the rules that the House Rules Committee hashed out on Tuesday with a vote expected around noon. This will be the first procedural vote by the full chamber to lay the groundwork for formally impeaching Mr. Trump. The rules call for six hours of debate, equally divided between Republicans and Democrats, on the articles.In the morning, the House is expected to debate the rules that the House Rules Committee hashed out on Tuesday with a vote expected around noon. This will be the first procedural vote by the full chamber to lay the groundwork for formally impeaching Mr. Trump. The rules call for six hours of debate, equally divided between Republicans and Democrats, on the articles.
Republicans opened the day with the first of what may be a series of parliamentary moves to register their opposition and slow the process, which could lead to multiple procedural votes that don’t amount to much like the one to adjourn. The votes everyone is waiting for — on the two articles of impeachment — are expected in the evening. House leaders anticipate two separate votes on the two articles to begin at 7:15 p.m. and wrap up about 20 minutes later.Republicans opened the day with the first of what may be a series of parliamentary moves to register their opposition and slow the process, which could lead to multiple procedural votes that don’t amount to much like the one to adjourn. The votes everyone is waiting for — on the two articles of impeachment — are expected in the evening. House leaders anticipate two separate votes on the two articles to begin at 7:15 p.m. and wrap up about 20 minutes later.
The House may also vote to empower Ms. Pelosi to name impeachment managers, whose identities are likely to become public in the coming days. The managers are House members who act much like prosecutors in the impeachment trial that is to follow in the Senate, presenting the findings of the House inquiry to their colleagues across the Capitol. Senators decide whether to acquit the president or to convict and remove him from office, which requires a two-thirds vote, or 67 senators if all are present.The House may also vote to empower Ms. Pelosi to name impeachment managers, whose identities are likely to become public in the coming days. The managers are House members who act much like prosecutors in the impeachment trial that is to follow in the Senate, presenting the findings of the House inquiry to their colleagues across the Capitol. Senators decide whether to acquit the president or to convict and remove him from office, which requires a two-thirds vote, or 67 senators if all are present.
House Democrats head into the debate with the 216 votes they need (with four vacant seats) to pass the articles of impeachment already in their pocket, according to a survey of members by The New York Times. Ms. Pelosi chose Representative Diana DeGette of Colorado, a veteran Democrat who had impressed her with a tough, skillful parliamentary hand, to preside over the historic debate on the articles of impeachment. .
The president on Wednesday called on his Twitter followers to “say a prayer” ahead of the House vote. Ms. DeGette, first elected in 1996, was until this year the Democrats’ chief deputy whip — the member of leadership responsible for counting votes, known in congressional parlance as “whipping.” She has held the gavel more than a dozen times this year, rotating in and out of the chair as members customarily do.
Mr. Trump set the tone on Tuesday with an aggrieved and hectoring six-page letter to Ms. Pelosi accusing her of “declaring open war on American Democracy” with “an illegal, partisan attempted coup” that he called a “perversion of justice and abuse of power.” He complained he was being railroaded: “More due process was afforded to those accused in the Salem Witch Trials.” On Wednesday, she will spend the entire day in the chair. Her skills managing unruly proceedings on the House floor were quickly put to the test when Republicans moved to shut down debate on the articles of impeachment even before it had begun.
Even as the House has enough Democratic members to pass the impeachment articles, Democrats and Republican will most likely engage in hours of passionate and even angry debate before the roll is called. A top aide to Ms. Pelosi said Ms. DeGette had impressed the speaker with her past performance in the presiding officer’s chair. But Ms. Pelosi herself will preside over the vote, the aide said.
Republicans will almost surely pick up many of his points on the floor on Wednesday, while Democrats make their case that Mr. Trump put his own political interests ahead of those of the country by withholding American security aid from Ukraine even as he pressed the country’s new president to announce investigations into former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and other Democrats. — Sheryl Gay Stolberg
If the House, as expected, approves both of the articles, Mr. Trump will find himself in the company of Presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton, who were the other presidents impeached. President Richard M. Nixon resigned after the House Judiciary Committee approved articles of impeachment but before the full House could vote. Both Mr. Johnson and Mr. Clinton went on to be acquitted in a Senate trial, and by all accounts, it looks as if Mr. Trump will follow that pattern as well.
With the final outcome seemingly preordained, perhaps the only suspense about the vote on Wednesday will be how many Democrats break with the party and oppose impeachment.With the final outcome seemingly preordained, perhaps the only suspense about the vote on Wednesday will be how many Democrats break with the party and oppose impeachment.
Two House Democrats who registered their opposition to the inquiry by voting against its ground rules in October, Representatives Collin C. Peterson of Minnesota and Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, plan to vote against the articles as well — and Mr. Van Drew is expected to leave the party altogether to become a Republican.Two House Democrats who registered their opposition to the inquiry by voting against its ground rules in October, Representatives Collin C. Peterson of Minnesota and Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, plan to vote against the articles as well — and Mr. Van Drew is expected to leave the party altogether to become a Republican.
Another 14 Democrats have said they were undecided or have not responded to The Times survey, but only one of them, Representative Ron Kind of Wisconsin, represents a district won by Mr. Trump. The rest of the so-called front-line Democrats representing Republican areas announced their support for impeachment in recent days, suggesting that the party was rallying behind the effort.Another 14 Democrats have said they were undecided or have not responded to The Times survey, but only one of them, Representative Ron Kind of Wisconsin, represents a district won by Mr. Trump. The rest of the so-called front-line Democrats representing Republican areas announced their support for impeachment in recent days, suggesting that the party was rallying behind the effort.
No Republican has announced support for impeachment, and while 30 have not said how they would vote, few expect any to break with the president.No Republican has announced support for impeachment, and while 30 have not said how they would vote, few expect any to break with the president.
Assuming the House proceeds with impeachment as anticipated, the fate of Mr. Trump’s presidency will soon be in the hands of the Senate, whose leaders are already quarreling over how to put on a fair trial in an era of deep divisions.Assuming the House proceeds with impeachment as anticipated, the fate of Mr. Trump’s presidency will soon be in the hands of the Senate, whose leaders are already quarreling over how to put on a fair trial in an era of deep divisions.
Senators Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Chuck Schumer of New York, the Republican and Democratic leaders, hardly waited for the House vote to debate how to proceed. On Tuesday, Mr. McConnell rejected Mr. Schumer’s proposal to call four witnesses who did not testify in the House inquiry, arguing that it was not the Senate’s job to complete a rushed and inadequate investigation by the House.Senators Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Chuck Schumer of New York, the Republican and Democratic leaders, hardly waited for the House vote to debate how to proceed. On Tuesday, Mr. McConnell rejected Mr. Schumer’s proposal to call four witnesses who did not testify in the House inquiry, arguing that it was not the Senate’s job to complete a rushed and inadequate investigation by the House.
But even as Mr. McConnell and other Republicans assailed House Democrats for not hearing from key witnesses, they generally did not fault the White House for blocking those witnesses from testifying in the first place. Instead, they said the blame lay with Democrats for not going to court to challenge the White House refusal to cooperate, an approach that Democrats rejected because they concluded the judicial process would take too long.But even as Mr. McConnell and other Republicans assailed House Democrats for not hearing from key witnesses, they generally did not fault the White House for blocking those witnesses from testifying in the first place. Instead, they said the blame lay with Democrats for not going to court to challenge the White House refusal to cooperate, an approach that Democrats rejected because they concluded the judicial process would take too long.
Mr. McConnell was navigating a tricky position of balancing Mr. Trump’s desire for vindication through a trial and the positions of vulnerable Republican senators who are concerned that an abbreviated trial or one that seems tilted to Mr. Trump would make it look like they did not take the charges seriously.Mr. McConnell was navigating a tricky position of balancing Mr. Trump’s desire for vindication through a trial and the positions of vulnerable Republican senators who are concerned that an abbreviated trial or one that seems tilted to Mr. Trump would make it look like they did not take the charges seriously.
The various sides will continue to try to formulate a plan for the trial on Wednesday even as the House formally decides whether one will be needed.The various sides will continue to try to formulate a plan for the trial on Wednesday even as the House formally decides whether one will be needed.
Mr. Trump and his advisers repeatedly pressured President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine for investigations that could benefit Mr. Trump politically, including one of Mr. Biden. 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.
Ms. Pelosi announced in September that the House would open a formal impeachment proceeding and this month directed Democrats to draft articles of impeachment. 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 White House budget office and other agencies for documents related to the impeachment investigation. Here’s the evidence that was collected.
Read about the Democrats’ rules to govern impeachment proceedings.