Category Archives: House of Representatives

Pelosi delays sending articles of impeachment against Trump – live

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House to convene for the first time of the new year and a first true signal of when speaker might advance impeachment issue

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Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell reportedly plans to advance a set of rules for the looming impeachment trial without Democratic support.

Politico reports:

McConnell is on the verge of having sufficient backing in his 53-member caucus to pass a blueprint for the trial that leaves the question of seeking witnesses and documents until after opening arguments are made, according to multiple senators. That framework would mirror the contours of President Bill Clinton’s trial and ignore Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s demands for witnesses and new evidence.

No final decision has been made, but in a brief interview, McConnell said he would address the possibility of spurning Democrats on Tuesday afternoon.

Appearing at the US Capitol for the first time in 2020, House speaker Nancy Pelosi deflected reporters’ repeated questions about when she might transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate.

Entering the Capitol for the first time in 2020, ⁦@SpeakerPelosi⁩ is still mum on when she’ll send articles of impeachment to the Senate —> pic.twitter.com/8WlaSiCwvg

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Nancy Pelosi on Trump: ‘He’ll be impeached for ever’ – live

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  • ‘No matter what the Senate does – he’s impeached for ever’
  • Trump to sign spending deal today including $738bn defense bill
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That’s all from me. Thanks for sticking around for the tail end of this momentous week.

Here’s a summary of the day’s major stories:

Bernie Sanders spoke with my colleague Sam Levin this morning, and reiterated his critique of Pete Buttigieg, Joe Biden and billionaires:

They will tell you, ‘It doesn’t impact me. It really doesn’t mean anything to me.’ That is clearly nonsensical. Why would billionaires and wealthy people be making large contributions if it didn’t mean something to them?

The United Kingdom, last I heard, is not the United States. Brexit is not a major part of what this campaign is about. The issues that I am campaigning on, in fact, are precisely the issues the American people support. Talk about raising the minimum wage to 15 bucks an hour. Four years ago when I introduced that concept, it was a radical idea. Not radical anymore.

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McConnell and Pelosi set for showdown over next steps of Trump impeachment

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  • Not clear when articles of impeachment will reach Senate
  • Pelosi threatens delay until she receives assurances of fair trial

As Washington awoke on Thursday to the realisation that it had impeached the third US president in American history, the capital remained racked with uncertainty about what will come next in an impeachment process defined by almost total partisanship and rancor.

Related: Trump impeachment charges 'absolutely made up', says Putin

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A divided America: the moment Trump was impeached – in pictures

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Donald Trump became the third president in US history to be impeached on Wednesday 18 December. The moment offered a surreal split screen. In the House of Representatives, lawmakers voted solemnly, mostly along party lines, in favor of two articles of impeachment. Meanwhile in Michigan, Trump railed against the Democrats at a defiant rally. ‘They’re the ones that should be impeached, every one of them’, he told the crowd

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Trump’s impeachment may be just another battle in the US’s civil war

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Trump will be wounded, seething, hellbent on revenge – and turn the weight of impeachment against his foes in 2020

After Donald Trump’s inaugural address, George W Bush turned to Hillary Clinton and said: “Well, that was some weird shit,” the former secretary of state confirmed earlier this month.

For nearly three years since that chilly day here at the US Capitol in Washington, Democrats (and many others) have accused of Trump using and abusing the United States like his personal punchbag. On Wednesday, that slice of America finally punched back via impeachment.

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Trump accuses Democrats of ‘open war on American democracy’ in stinging impeachment letter – live

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President sends six-page letter to House speaker Nancy Pelosi condemning inquiry as ‘unprecedented and unconstitutional abuse of power’

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A message from the Guardian US editor-in-chief:

This year, readers across all 50 states supported our journalism, allowing us to thrive in a challenging climate for publishers. Thank you.

Here’s a recap of today:

Related: Trump impeachment inquiry: a timeline of key events so far

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Five highlights from Trump’s angry, bizarre letter to Nancy Pelosi

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Trump claims in his missive – which he says historians will study one day – he’s been treated worse than those accused of witchcraft

On Tuesday, Donald Trump showed that it is not only through the spoken word or his Twitter account that he is able to raise eyebrows, when he sent an angry and frequently bizarre letter to House speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The six-page missive was remarkable for a number of reasons, not least for Trump’s claim he has been subjected to worse treatment than that endured by people accused of witchcraft in the 17th century.

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Trump writes blistering letter to House accusing leaders of ‘war on democracy’

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Letter is a thinly veiled attempt to redirect back impeachment inquiry’s findings he abused power and obstructed Congress

Donald Trump has accused Democratic leaders in the House of declaring “open war on American democracy”, on the eve of a historic vote that is likely to make him only the third president in US history to be impeached.

Trump issued the incendiary accusation in an intemperately-worded letter sent to the speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, on Tuesday.

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Trump impeachment: Schumer says Senate trial without witnesses would be ‘cover-up’ – live

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Senate minority leader criticized the White House for its handling of the impeachment inquiry, saying ‘trials have witnesses’

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Speaking to reporters in the cabinet room at the White House, Trump said Rudy Giuliani, his personal lawyer, had not shared “too much” with him after returning from Ukraine.

Hmm...Asked what Giuliani shared with him upon his return from Ukraine, Trump says, "Not too much. But he’s a very great crime fighter…He’s a great person who loves our country. And he does this out of love, believe me. " Giuliani told WSJ he had more than Trump could imagine.

According to a newly released poll, Trump’s approval rating has edged up a bit and opposition to impeachment has slightly decreased since the start of the public impeachment hearings.

The Quinnipiac poll found 43 percent of registered voters approve of Trump’s job performance, compared to 38 percent in an Oct. 23 poll.

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House committee votes to advance Trump articles of impeachment – live

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Judiciary committee approved two articles on party lines, setting up vote for full House next week

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There’s a workers’ strike at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, the location of next week’s Democratic debate - which has prompted, at this point, six of the seven candidates who’ve qualified to participate, to threaten to boycott the event.

They say they’ll refuse to cross the picket line. Out of Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Tom Steyer, Andrew Yang and Amy Klobuchar, who are the seven who’ve qualified for the debate, all but Klobuchar are saying this afternoon that they stand in solidarity with the workers and won’t cross their picket line. Warren was first to announce her decision.

.@UniteHere11 is fighting for better wages and benefits—and I stand with them. The DNC should find a solution that lives up to our party's commitment to fight for working people. I will not cross the union's picket line even if it means missing the debate.

I take the debate stage to stand up for workers’ rights, not to undermine them.

I stand in solidarity with the workers of @UNITEHERE11 at Loyola Marymount University and I will not cross their picket line.

Representative Ilhan Omar is out campaigning with Bernie Sanders in New Hampshire today, per her Twitter account. They’re doing a town hall together.

In New Hampshire today with the one and only @BernieSanders!

Follow along on my Instagram story (@ilhanmn). pic.twitter.com/JsglilSDWn

A Green New Deal is the only plan bold enough to confront the climate crisis.

The political establishment may not understand that, but the young people of the @sunrisemvmt do.

Their leadership is going to save the planet. pic.twitter.com/88RJxxBDiB

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House committee votes to advance articles of impeachment against Trump

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Judiciary committee voted on Friday morning to approve two articles on a straight party-line vote

On a straight party-line vote, the House judiciary committee voted on Friday morning to move two articles of impeachment against Donald Trump to the House floor, in a crucial final stage before impeachment itself.

A full House vote on whether to impeach the president was expected to be taken as early as Wednesday. Trump would be the third president in American history to be impeached.

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Democrats prepare to advance articles of impeachment amid marathon debate

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Lawmakers spend hours sparring over proposed amendments to the two counts against Donald Trump

The House judiciary committee prepared to advance articles of impeachment against Donald Trump on Thursday, following a marathon and at times meandering debate that stretched late into the night.

Democratic and Republican members had spent the day sparring over several proposed amendments to the two articles, which charge the president with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Following their expected approval, the articles will be delivered to the House floor, where the full chamber could vote on whether to impeach Trump next week.

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Trump impeachment: House prepares for crucial vote amid whistleblower row – as it happened

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Fury erupts over Republican naming the alleged whistleblower who triggered the congressional investigation into Trump and Ukraine

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Today’s markup has gone on for 12 hours at this point.

Related: Trump impeachment vote nears as Democrats prepare to deliver articles to House floor

Speaking on Fox News, Senate leader Mitch McConnell said he’s “going to coordinate with the president’s lawyers”.

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‘Solemn step’: Democrats unveil articles of impeachment against Trump

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Democratic congressional leaders have unveiled articles of impeachment against Donald Trump, a historic move set in motion by a whistleblower complaint warning the president was using the power of his office to solicit foreign interference in a US election.

Related: Democrats unveil articles of impeachment against Trump – live

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Impeachment inquiry: Nadler may add Mueller counts against Trump

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The Democratic chairman of the House judiciary committee, Jerry Nadler, has not ruled out including evidence from the Mueller report in articles of impeachment against Donald Trump that could be published as early as next week.

On Sunday, Nadler told CNN’s State of the Union evidence showed the president’s conduct in the Ukraine scandal was part of “a pattern”, indicating “that the president put himself above this country several times”.

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Trump impeachment inquiry: House judiciary committee releases report

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The House judiciary committee released a report on the constitutional grounds for impeachment on Saturday. Shortly after that, Donald Trump once again insisted the whole thing was a “witch hunt” and “a total hoax”.

Related: White House dismisses invitation to take part in key impeachment hearing

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White House dismisses invitation to take part in key impeachment hearing

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Calling the impeachment proceedings “completely baseless”, the White House on Friday dismissed a Democratic invitation for Donald Trump to participate in hearings in the House of Representatives, which the president has framed as a partisan escapade.

Related: Pressure builds for Giuliani as associate enters talks over potential plea deal

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John Kerry endorses Joe Biden in 2020 Democratic presidential race – live

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The former secretary of state under Obama said Biden’s ‘decency and the experiences that he brings to the table are critical to the moment’

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House speaker Nancy Pelosi has pressed ahead with impeachment, saying: “The President leaves us no choice but to act … Our democracy is what is at stake.” The stakes could not be higher: has the US constitution, the basis of US democracy, been violated by Donald Trump? If so, can both the constitution and the president survive?

In a fractured, poisonous political climate, the Guardian will steer an independent, fact-based path through the impeachment hearings. The need for rigorous, robust reporting has never been greater.

As 2020 approaches, we’re asking our US readers to help us raise $1.5m by early January to support our journalism in the new year. We hope you’ll consider making a year-end gift.

We also want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported the Guardian in 2019. You provide us with the motivation and financial support to keep doing what we do.

Bernie Sanders will join youth climate protesters planning sit-ins around the country tomorrow “at the offices of establishment Democrats who have yet to back the Green New Deal,” according to a press release from the Sunrise Movement.

We are the climate campaign.

Our Green New Deal is the only proposal put forth by any candidate that is bold enough to take on the crisis we face.

Thank you to @sunrisemvmt for your leadership! https://t.co/gAptQcEMm8

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Pelosi asks committee to proceed with articles of impeachment against Trump

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House speaker said inquiry revealed a failure by president to uphold the law and his actions are a ‘violation of the public trust’

Quoting from the Declaration of Independence and the founding fathers about the danger of a president one day betraying the country’s trust to foreign powers, the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, announced on Thursday that she was directing the judiciary committee to draft articles of impeachment against Donald Trump.

“The president leaves us no choice but to act,” Pelosi said. “Sadly, but with confidence and humility, with allegiance to our founders and a heart full of love for America, today I am asking our chairman to proceed with articles of impeachment.”

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Impeachment hearing joke draws angry response from Melania Trump – and lays bare America’s divide

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Pamela Karlan’s reference to Trump’s son Barron offered Republicans a chance to claim righteous outrage

Finally, a smoking pun. A simple play on words told us everything about the impeachment inquiry, the current mindset in Congress and the state of the nation.

The witness Pamela Karlan cracked a joke that delighted liberals and infuriated conservatives. Or rather, it delighted conservatives because it gave them a talking point to whip up outrage.

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