Donald Trump was faced on Wednesday with becoming the third impeached president in US history as a bitterly divided House of Representatives headed for a vote on whether he abused his power.
The 73-year-old Trump accused Democrats of waging an “assault on America” as lawmakers delivered impassioned floor speeches for and against impeaching the president.
The House, where Democrats hold 233 seats to the Republicans’ 197, is expected to approve two articles of impeachment — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — after debate lasting much of the day.
That would set up a January trial in the Senate, where Trump’s Republicans hold a 53-47 seat edge, making his removal from office unlikely.
The stark partisan split over impeaching the convention-wrecking chief executive was on display from the very start of the solemn proceedings on the House floor.
“It is tragic that the president’s reckless actions make impeachment necessary,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in her opening remarks, which were greeted with applause by fellow Democrats. “He gave us no choice,” Pelosi said. “The president is an ongoing threat to our national security, and the integrity of our elections, the basis of our democracy.”
Source: AFP
