The Epoch Times House Democrats said that President Donald Trump abused power and obstructed Congress, unveiling two articles of impeachment against him on Dec. 10.
House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said Trump tried concealing evidence from Congress and betrayed the public trust, endangering the Constitution and America’s national security.
Trump “solicited and pressured Ukraine to interfere in our 2020 election,” Nadler claimed.
Nadler said Trump “engaged in unprecedented, categorical, and indiscriminate defiance of the impeachment inquiry,” prompting the obstruction of Congress article.
“No one, not even the president, is above the law,” he said.
House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said that House Democrats couldn’t wait any longer while courts decided whether Trump aides need to comply with subpoenas.
“The argument ‘why don’t you just wait’ amounts to this: Why don’t you just let him cheat in one more election? Why not let him cheat just one more time? Why not let him have foreign help just one more time?” he said.
The announcement came about two-and-a-half months after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced an impeachment inquiry against Trump. She said it was triggered by a complaint filed by an anonymous person that focused on Trump’s phone call in July with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump and Zelensky have both denied the allegations.
Trump’s White House released a transcript of the call that same week.
Democrats say Trump abused the power of his office by reviewing congressionally-approved aid for Ukraine. Trump has said he reviewed the aid because of widespread concerns about corruption in Ukraine and his administration noted it was ultimately sent out on time.
Democrats have sought to connect the hold on aid with Trump’s request to Zelensky to “look into” allegations of corruption surrounding former Vice President Joe Biden and Biden’s son Hunter Biden, who worked for the Ukranian energy firm Burisma from 2014 to 2019.
Because Joe Biden is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, the party has claimed Trump’s request amounted to an attempt to interfere in the 2020 election.