Top Democrats make case for Republicans to endorse Trump impeachment

[webfact]

Top Democrats make case for Republicans to endorse Trump impeachment

By Sarah N. Lynch and David Lawder

 

House Judiciary Committee Charman Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., votes to approve the second article of impeachment against President Donald Trump during a House Judiciary Committee meeting on Capitol Hill, in Washington, U.S., December 13, 2019. Patrick Semansky/Pool via REUTERS

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives made a last-minute pitch to Republicans on Sunday for why they should put partisanship aside and vote to impeach President Donald Trump.

 

Trump is expected to become the third U.S. president to be impeached when the full Democratic-led House votes on the charges, likely this week, setting up a trial in the Republican-controlled Senate.

 

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, speaking on ABC's "This Week," warned that Trump poses "a clear and present danger" to democracy.

 

In congressional hearings that have gripped Washington, Democrats accused the president of endangering the U.S. Constitution, jeopardizing national security and undermining the integrity of the 2020 election by asking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a July phone call to investigate his Democratic political rival Joe Biden.

 

Schiff and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, speaking on the same show, said lawmakers have a constitutional duty to hold Trump to account for his actions.

 

Their comments come as the House is poised later this week to vote along party lines on whether to approve two articles of impeachment. The Senate has shown little appetite for removing Trump from office.

 

"The misconduct hasn't stopped," Schiff said, noting that Trump has still urged Ukraine, as well as China, to investigate the Biden family, and that Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani is still traveling to Ukraine to conduct a "sham" investigation.

 

A Democratic-controlled House of Representatives committee on Friday took Republican President Donald Trump to the brink of impeachment when it approved two charges against him stemming from his efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate Democratic political rival Joe Biden. Jonah Green reports.

 

"The threat to our election integrity ... goes on. It's a clear and present danger, I think, to our democracy and not something that we can turn away from simply because the Republicans in the House refuse to do their duty."

 

Republicans have defended Trump and accused Democrats of a politically motivated effort aimed at overturning his surprise 2016 presidential election victory.

 

House Democrats on Friday voted to approve articles of impeachment charging Trump with abusing the power of his office over the Ukraine scandal and obstructing Democrats' attempts to investigate him for it.

 

"Impeachment is a hoax. It's a sham," Trump told reporters at the White House after the committee's vote. "There was nothing done wrong. To use the power of impeachment for this nonsense is an embarrassment to this country."

 

Biden, a former U.S. vice president, is a leading Democratic candidate to face Trump in the Nov. 3 election. Trump has alleged that Biden was involved in corruption in Ukraine and should be investigated there, but has offered no evidence. Biden has denied wrongdoing.

 

Both Democrats used their air time on Sunday to urge the Senate to call witnesses and seek documentary evidence that they said the White House has withheld.

 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has raised the prospect of conducting a short trial without calling any witnesses.

 

Nadler on Sunday said such a move would do a disservice to the Senate, whose members will all effectively serve as jurors who will need to weigh the evidence to decide whether Trump should be convicted and removed from office.

 

Some of Trump's staunch Republican defenders in the Senate have already said they believe Trump did nothing wrong, though others have taken a more cautious approach, saying they want to see the evidence first.

 

During an interview with CNN International at the Doha Forum in Qatar on Saturday, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham dismissed the idea that he should be a "fair juror" and said he does not see the need for a formal trial in the Senate.

 

But Republican Senator Pat Toomey on Sunday said on NBC's "Meet the Press", "I think we ought to hear what the House impeachment managers have to say, give the President's attorneys an opportunity to make their defense, and then make a decision about whether and to what extent we go forward from there."

 

Separately this weekend, the Washington Post reported that Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, an anti-impeachment Democrat, will soon join the Republican Party.

 

Trump tweeted in response to the news: "Wow, that would be big. Always heard Jeff is very smart!"

 

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch, Chris Sanders and David Lawder; Editing by Nick Zieminski)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-12-16

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[Kelsall]

"Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, an anti-impeachment Democrat, will soon join the Republican Party.".

 

The start of a trend.

[thaibeachlovers]

Smacks of desperation.

[TopDeadSenter]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

"The misconduct hasn't stopped," Schiff said, noting that Trump has still urged Ukraine, as well as China, to investigate the Biden family, and that Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani is still traveling to Ukraine to conduct a "sham" investigation.

I still don't get this aspect. Do the dems really think the Bidens are above the law? Why are the Bidens allowed to conduct corrupt activities across the globe with no scrutiny? It really seems like the dems expect Americans to give the Bidens a clear pass for any and all crimes committed in the past, and for sure if they continue their corruption into the future - who will be able to investigate them? This all looks so dodgy.

 

 Apart from that, this whole train wreck is the funniest thing since Naked Gun part 1, and has thrust up and coming Republicans like Gaetz, Collins and Jordan into the spotlight and has guaranteed them a great future. These guys did an incredible job highlighting the high farce and stupidity of the trumped up charges. Looking forward to a landslide election to wipe out the left just like across the pond in the UK last week. KAG2020

 

 

[legend49]

52 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

"Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, an anti-impeachment Democrat, will soon join the Republican Party.".

 

The start of a trend.

He is just jumping ship as his electorate are unhappy with him, 70% said they wont vote for him again in 2020. Reap what you sow, GOP.

[DoctorG]

18 minutes ago, legend49 said:

He is just jumping ship as his electorate are unhappy with him, 70% said they wont vote for him again in 2020. Reap what you sow, GOP.

It is my understanding that his electorate is largely pro-Trump and that they will not vote for him if he votes for impeachment.

There are other Dems in a similar position who might vote against impeachment or just vote Present.

[Tug]

Trump has the gop cowering they know he’s corrupt and a Buffon but he is a viscous vindictive nasty guy and delights in ruining others lives they dare not cross him they are in submission and lost

[MaxYakov]

16 minutes ago, Tug said:

Trump has the gop cowering they know he’s corrupt and a Buffon but he is a viscous vindictive nasty guy and delights in ruining others lives they dare not cross him they are in submission and lost

Buffon, buffoff... 

 

 

 

[IAMHERE]

If Joe Biden were president he'd be impeached too. Same goes for Hilary.

[Paul Henry]

Open unbiased investigations have shown that Biden did nothing wrong.When he presented the Ukranians

with the ultimatum he was following US policy and instructions along with UN endorsement he was not trying to feather his own nest or change the outcome of an upcoming election. If Trump is as good as he and his supporters claim why does he have to cheat when he stands for election. The people will decide at the ballot box irrespective of the outcome of the impeachment. 

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

I still don't get this aspect. Do the dems really think the Bidens are above the law? Why are the Bidens allowed to conduct corrupt activities across the globe with no scrutiny? It really seems like the dems expect Americans to give the Bidens a clear pass for any and all crimes committed in the past, and for sure if they continue their corruption into the future - who will be able to investigate them? This all looks so dodgy.

 

 Apart from that, this whole train wreck is the funniest thing since Naked Gun part 1, and has thrust up and coming Republicans like Gaetz, Collins and Jordan into the spotlight and has guaranteed them a great future. These guys did an incredible job highlighting the high farce and stupidity of the trumped up charges. Looking forward to a landslide election to wipe out the left just like across the pond in the UK last week. KAG2020

 

 

I can only wonder as to what the Dems will do when Trump survives and they realise they've only got Biden to put up for president? 555555555555555555555555555555

[Nyezhov]

3 minutes ago, Paul Henry said:

Open unbiased investigations have shown that Biden did nothing wrong.

what investigation was that?

[thaibeachlovers]

3 minutes ago, Paul Henry said:

Open unbiased investigations have shown that Biden did nothing wrong.When he presented the Ukranians

with the ultimatum he was following US policy and instructions along with UN endorsement he was not trying to feather his own nest or change the outcome of an upcoming election. If Trump is as good as he and his supporters claim why does he have to cheat when he stands for election. The people will decide at the ballot box irrespective of the outcome of the impeachment. 

IMO, the entire reason for trying to impeach Trump is because they realise they have no show of unseating him in an election. Economy, good, economy, good, economy, good.

[Eric Loh]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Trump is expected to become the third U.S. president to be impeached when the full Democratic-led House votes on the charges, likely this week, setting up a trial in the Republican-controlled Senate.

What a swamp in WH. Snow White Mick Pence has now been reveal as a possible accomplice of the Ukraine abuse of power. Evidence has been submitted to the judiciary Committee. Now we know why Congress is afraid to do a long trial and call on WH top officials to testify. The swamp is getting denser by the minute. 

[Sir Swagman]

Change the name to Obama and then you would see a different republican reaction to this sort of behaviour. Very sad that this (pre announced!) partisan senate vote basically endorses a slide into dictatorship. Sadder still is that it is for a dipstick like trump!

[elmrfudd]

1 hour ago, Tug said:

Trump has the gop cowering they know he’s corrupt and a Buffon but he is a viscous vindictive nasty guy and delights in ruining others lives they dare not cross him they are in submission and lost

This is your opinion, based on your bias. Nothing more. 

[elmrfudd]

56 minutes ago, Paul Henry said:

Open unbiased investigations have shown that Biden did nothing wrong.When he presented the Ukranians

with the ultimatum he was following US policy and instructions along with UN endorsement he was not trying to feather his own nest or change the outcome of an upcoming election. If Trump is as good as he and his supporters claim why does he have to cheat when he stands for election. The people will decide at the ballot box irrespective of the outcome of the impeachment. 

What open unbiased investigation are you referring to precisely? What agency did it, when, with who and what were the findings of this investigation? Please enlighten us 

[elmrfudd]

50 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

What a swamp in WH. Snow White Mick Pence has now been reveal as a possible accomplice of the Ukraine abuse of power. Evidence has been submitted to the judiciary Committee. Now we know why Congress is afraid to do a long trial and call on WH top officials to testify. The swamp is getting denser by the minute. 

Do you have any real evidence of your claims or are you just another angry TV orange man bad poster? 

[Mick501]

What is a "top democrat?"    The one who throws the most toys out of the cot?

[Baerboxer]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Smacks of desperation.

 

Indeed.

 

Smacks of hypocrisy too.

 

Isn't this the same Mr. Nadler that described the impeachment of the liar Bill Clinton as a "coup d'etat"?

 

Usual left hypocrisy. Laws and morals only apply to others; we're exempt because we're special mentality.

[Baerboxer]

59 minutes ago, elmrfudd said:

What open unbiased investigation are you referring to precisely? What agency did it, when, with who and what were the findings of this investigation? Please enlighten us 

 

Perhaps he's referring to Mrs. Biden.

 

She was interviewed and said that the bottom line is her boy has done nothing wrong.

 

And she wouldn't lie, now would she? ????

[Baerboxer]

1 hour ago, Sir Swagman said:

Change the name to Obama and then you would see a different republican reaction to this sort of behaviour. Very sad that this (pre announced!) partisan senate vote basically endorses a slide into dictatorship. Sadder still is that it is for a dipstick like trump!

 

The partisan Congress vote will allow for a somewhat seemingly desperate attempt at impeachment to be heard in the Senate whose partisan vote will deny it.

 

Gotta love American politics. And they want to impose this brand on so many other countries!

[elmrfudd]

10 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

The partisan Congress vote will allow for a somewhat seemingly desperate attempt at impeachment to be heard in the Senate whose partisan vote will deny it.

 

Gotta love American politics. And they want to impose this brand on so many other countries!

Better than the parliamentary style of government where they can unseat any leader with a vote of confidence. Basically neutered 

[thaibeachlovers]

16 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Indeed.

 

Smacks of hypocrisy too.

 

Isn't this the same Mr. Nadler that described the impeachment of the liar Bill Clinton as a "coup d'etat"?

 

Usual left hypocrisy. Laws and morals only apply to others; we're exempt because we're special mentality.

The one good thing that is coming out of this entire fiasco, is that everyone in the country can now see just how swampy congress is. The games they play while the country falls apart in political chaos.

That applies to both sides.

[seajae]

the charges are a joke, they have been made up by the dems because they know they have nothing on trump that will stick and also that they will lose the 2020 election, Even their supporters are leaving them and they will be wiped out due to their one minded get trump <deleted>. They have no evidence apart from what some people think he meant, even then they stated there was no quid pro quo and that trump even stated he wanted nothing, they release of papers showing what happened with the money was all above board and also how it has been done for years also shows the money was not held back to get the bidens etc, democrats are refusing to accept the truth because they are s**t scared they are going be irrelevant after the election, even their own officials are leaving them, cant wait to see them squashed, no more drunken idiots with <deleted> all mental capacity mouthing off, they have the brains of a flea

[jany123]

1 hour ago, elmrfudd said:

Better than the parliamentary style of government where they can unseat any leader with a vote of confidence. Basically neutered 

555... The difference between a democracy and the American swamp.... in the swamp, the gator rules. In a democracy, the majority rules... but by all means, continue blindly believing that your special flawed brand of governing is actually democracy.

[jany123]

5 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

I still don't get this aspect. Do the dems really think the Bidens are above the law? Why are the Bidens allowed to conduct corrupt activities across the globe with no scrutiny? It really seems like the dems expect Americans to give the Bidens a clear pass for any and all crimes committed in the past, and for sure if they continue their corruption into the future - who will be able to investigate them? This all looks so dodgy.

You don’t get it, because your not prepared to listen to facts and engage deductive reasoning, in favor of party politics.... much like the jurors to the upcoming impeachment trial, who are already saying they will not vote against the trump. If that’s not a tainted jury pool, I don’t know what is

 

you don’t get it because you believe the Biden’s should be on trial, when it’s actually the trump that is on trial, irrespective of what the Biden’s did or did not do. 

 

But hey.... no! the dems do not believe that the Biden’s are above the law.... if only the trump could back up his slander with evidence of some kind of wrong doing... any kind, really.

 

you claim that the Biden’s are conducting corrupt (around the globe) activity without scrutiny ( or certainly imply it).... why not tell us what this corrupt activity is... failing the ability to do this suggests your a liar.

 

dems aren’t giving the Biden’s a pass.... firstly one must establish a wrong doing... which has not been done by the slanderous accusers. Failing that, there is no need to excuse anything

 

That said, Biden is on record as saying he will give the trump a free pass if he is in the position to do so.... what? Yes ol son, the dems are prepared to give the trump a free pass. And... the republicans are saying that they will give him (the trump) a free pass, so bumping on like that is disingenuous at best.

 

who will be able to investigate? Christ on a cross... y’all have more investigative apparatus that the russkis at the height of the Cold War... if you can’t investigate your own, what real chance has america got to actually become great? 

 

You appear to have faith in a leader that lies to you each and every day... repeatedly....  but you have no faith in your governments apparatus.... what a sad day, week, month, year, decade for america 

 

meanwhile... I see that Obama’s economic recovery is continuing to perform at a similar rate as was seen in the first many years of its implementation.... and that the trumps are arrogantly taking the credit for the man in tans great achievements.... and goodness gracious, aren’t y’all lucky Nancy managed to finally make the new nafta workable.

[thaibeachlovers]

42 minutes ago, jany123 said:

555... The difference between a democracy and the American swamp.... in the swamp, the gator rules. In a democracy, the majority rules... but by all means, continue blindly believing that your special flawed brand of governing is actually democracy.

Anyone that actually believes we have "democracy" in any western country probably believes Santa Claus is real. We "elect" people we don't know, who then break their promises and can do so because once elected they do whatever they like, till the next election when they promise another lot of bribes, and surprise surprise, people elect them again. 

[jany123]

19 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Anyone that actually believes we have "democracy" in any western country probably believes Santa Claus is real. We "elect" people we don't know, who then break their promises and can do so because once elected they do whatever they like, till the next election when they promise another lot of bribes, and surprise surprise, people elect them again. 

I understand that, not being from a democratic country, you don’t understand how a democracy works.

 

i understand that you are against using checks and balances to guarantee the effectiveness of a democracy, which underscores the point that you don’t understand how a democracy works

 

i understand that you accept your leader lying to you, and that having disavowed checks and balances, you can do nothing about that contempt in which your leader holds you... in a democracy you can.

 

What i don’t understand, is how, after 18 months of campaigning, you can claim that you elect people you don’t know.... that seems like a bizarre waste of 18 months worth of campaigning.... but I do accept it, as it’s inconceivable that an electorate could willingly vote for a multi bankrupt habitual liar, to be their leader.

[elmrfudd]

2 hours ago, jany123 said:

555... The difference between a democracy and the American swamp.... in the swamp, the gator rules. In a democracy, the majority rules... but by all means, continue blindly believing that your special flawed brand of governing is actually democracy.

There are many different things one system does better than the other. But a no confidence vote isn't one of them. If you think the corruption in the uk and EU is less of a problem then you are delusional. But you keep carrying on sunshine