Trump impeachment gains momentum

WASHINGTON: Democrats in the House of Representatives are drafting articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump and the Judiciary Committee may hold a vote this week, the panel’s chairman said on Sunday.

US House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler told CNN’s “State of the Union” his committee will not decide on the charges against the Republican president until after a hearing on Monday (today) to consider evidence gathered by the House Intelligence Committee that led the investigation, says a UK-based wire agency.

The impeachment inquiry that threatens Trump’s presidency focuses on his request that Ukraine investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading contender for the Democratic nomination to face Trump in the November 2020 election.

“There are possible drafts that various people are writing,” Nadler said.

“But the fact is we’re not going to make any decision as to how broad the articles should be - as to what they contain, what the wording is - until after the hearing tomorrow.”

Judiciary Committee Democrats worked through the weekend poring over information from the Intelligence Committee and constitutional law scholars who testified on Wednesday.

The panel is considering articles of impeachment that would accuse Trump of abuse of power in his dealings with Ukraine and obstruction of Congress for refusing to cooperate with Congress. Democrats need to settle the question of whether to draft a third article alleging obstruction of justice based on former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Asked about Mueller being included in the charges, Nadler cautioned not to draw conclusions.

“It is part of the pattern which is why I bring it up,” he said on CNN. “It’s part of a pattern of misconduct which stresses the urgency of making sure that we deal with this so that the 2020 election is carried on honestly with integrity.”