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Adam Schiff at House debate: if Trump's conduct isn't impeachable, 'nothing is' – live Adam Schiff at House debate: if Trump's conduct isn't impeachable, 'nothing is' – live
(32 minutes later)
The intelligence committee chairman detailed the allegations against Trump ahead of a vote that is all but certain to impeach the presidentThe intelligence committee chairman detailed the allegations against Trump ahead of a vote that is all but certain to impeach the president
Congressman Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the House intelligence committee, accused Democrats of cooking up baseless allegations against Trump to make up for their loss in the 2016 election.
“The only thing that Donald Trump is guilty of is beating Hillary Clinton,” the California Republican said.
Nunes went on to slam his Democratic colleagues for “ripping the country apart ... in their lust for power.”
Echoing dozens of his colleagues, congressman Jim Jordan argued Democrats only pursued impeachment to punish Trump for his allaged success in office.
“When you drain the swamp, the swamp fights back,” the president’s House ally said.
It also appears congressman Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the House intelligence committee, will get the chance to weigh in on the floor.
After two more of Trump’s House allies, Mark Meadows and John Ratcliffe, spoke in opposition to the impeachment resolution, Adam Schiff predicted history would remember his Republican colleagues poorly.
“I think when the history of this time is written, it will record that when my colleagues found that they lacked the courage to stand up to this unethical president, they consoled themselves by attacking those who did,” Schiff said.
This condemnation was met by audible groans on the Republican side of the aisle.
Congressman Lee Zeldin, a close House ally of Trump’s, was given three minutes to criticize the impeachment resolution, a relatively lengthy window given most of his colleagues who have spoken in this hour of the debate were only allowed 30 seconds.
Zeldin directed most of his ire at Adam Schiff, accusing the intelligence committee chairman of “cherry-picking” facts and “misleading” the American public.
He concluded by encouraging his colleagues to vote “no” on impeachment. “It’s a total Schiff show,” Zeldin concluded, appearing to prompt a chuckle from the Democratic chairman.
Adam Schiff interrupted the string of short floor speeches to argue his Republican colleagues are unable to address the accusations against Trump, claiming the president’s allies are only able to come up with “process” complaints about the impeachment inquiry.
Schiff’s comments prompted grumbling on the Republican side of the aisle. “Apparently, Madame Speaker, I’ve struck a nerve,” Schiff said.
He went on to say of Trump’s actions toward Ukraine, “They don’t want to defend that conduct. ... What they can’t say is that this president’s conduct was ethical.”
“Auntie Maxine” is now trending on Twitter after congresswoman Maxine Waters delivered her floor speech in favor of the impeachment resolution.“Auntie Maxine” is now trending on Twitter after congresswoman Maxine Waters delivered her floor speech in favor of the impeachment resolution.
“This day was not inevitable, but it was predictable,” Waters said, “because this president has shown himself time and time again to believe that he is above the law and he has no respect for our Constitution or our democracy.”“This day was not inevitable, but it was predictable,” Waters said, “because this president has shown himself time and time again to believe that he is above the law and he has no respect for our Constitution or our democracy.”
Time check: there is a little over an hour remaining in the impeachment debate, but Republicans have about 43 minutes left compared to the Democrats’ 29 minutes.Time check: there is a little over an hour remaining in the impeachment debate, but Republicans have about 43 minutes left compared to the Democrats’ 29 minutes.
Meanwhile, even reporters from Hawaiian outlets have been unable to determine whether one of their representatives, Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, will participate in tonight’s impeachment vote.Meanwhile, even reporters from Hawaiian outlets have been unable to determine whether one of their representatives, Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, will participate in tonight’s impeachment vote.
Gabbard was not present for this morning’s procedural votes, and the presidential candidate proposed yesterday that Democrats censure Trump rather than impeaching him.Gabbard was not present for this morning’s procedural votes, and the presidential candidate proposed yesterday that Democrats censure Trump rather than impeaching him.
If Gabbard does appear, it’s unclear how she will vote on the two articles of impeachment.If Gabbard does appear, it’s unclear how she will vote on the two articles of impeachment.
One Republican cingressman suggested the House should consider the removal of Nancy Pelosi, prompting a laugh from the speaker.One Republican cingressman suggested the House should consider the removal of Nancy Pelosi, prompting a laugh from the speaker.
While lawmakers on Capitol Hill are preoccupied with impeachment, a federal judge dropped a long-awaited decision on healthcare, ruling that the Obamacare mandate requiring Americans to buy coverage is unconstitutional but declining to rule on whether the entire Affordable Care Act is valid. The decision doesn’t have much immediate impact, because Congress already repealed the penalty for those who don’t buy insurance. But the court delayed any decision on whether the entire ACA is unconstitutional because of the mandate, leaving it to a district court to “provide additional analysis of the provisions of the ACA as they currently exist.”While lawmakers on Capitol Hill are preoccupied with impeachment, a federal judge dropped a long-awaited decision on healthcare, ruling that the Obamacare mandate requiring Americans to buy coverage is unconstitutional but declining to rule on whether the entire Affordable Care Act is valid. The decision doesn’t have much immediate impact, because Congress already repealed the penalty for those who don’t buy insurance. But the court delayed any decision on whether the entire ACA is unconstitutional because of the mandate, leaving it to a district court to “provide additional analysis of the provisions of the ACA as they currently exist.”
In 2018, a group of Republican-led states filed a lawsuit arguing that individual mandate repeal meant that the entire law should be town down. The Fifth Circut agreed, but the decision was appealed by Democratic state attorneys, including California.In 2018, a group of Republican-led states filed a lawsuit arguing that individual mandate repeal meant that the entire law should be town down. The Fifth Circut agreed, but the decision was appealed by Democratic state attorneys, including California.
California’s attorney general Xavier Becerra said he will challenge today’s ruling as well.California’s attorney general Xavier Becerra said he will challenge today’s ruling as well.
The ruling thrusts the debate of the Affordable Care Act, and its many provisions including protections for people with preexisting medical conditions, back into the national spotlight as the 2020 elections approach.The ruling thrusts the debate of the Affordable Care Act, and its many provisions including protections for people with preexisting medical conditions, back into the national spotlight as the 2020 elections approach.
Congresswoman Maxine Waters, the chairwoman of the House financial service committee, argued the impeachment resolution would allow “justice” to be served.Congresswoman Maxine Waters, the chairwoman of the House financial service committee, argued the impeachment resolution would allow “justice” to be served.
Quoting Maya Angelou, Waters said of the president, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”Quoting Maya Angelou, Waters said of the president, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”
Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, another Virginia Democrat whose district backed Trump in 2016, has also just taken the floor to explain her support for the impeachment resolution.Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, another Virginia Democrat whose district backed Trump in 2016, has also just taken the floor to explain her support for the impeachment resolution.
Spanberger and Elaine Luria, who spoke shortly before her, are two of the vulnerable freshman Democrats who signed a Washington Post op-ed in September asserting Trump’s alleged actions toward Ukraine constituted impeachable behavior.Spanberger and Elaine Luria, who spoke shortly before her, are two of the vulnerable freshman Democrats who signed a Washington Post op-ed in September asserting Trump’s alleged actions toward Ukraine constituted impeachable behavior.
Congresswoman Elaine Luria, a Virginia Democrat whose district backed Trump by 3 points in 2016, has just finished delivering her floor speech explaining her support for impeachment.Congresswoman Elaine Luria, a Virginia Democrat whose district backed Trump by 3 points in 2016, has just finished delivering her floor speech explaining her support for impeachment.
Luria said she spoke today “in support of our Constitution” and the oath she first took at 17, when she entered the naval academy.Luria said she spoke today “in support of our Constitution” and the oath she first took at 17, when she entered the naval academy.
The congresswoman said she stood on the House floor with the “resolve to do what is right and not what is politically expedient.”The congresswoman said she stood on the House floor with the “resolve to do what is right and not what is politically expedient.”
Several House Republicans actually booed just now as Adam Schiff was challenging their defenses of the president, a first for this historic day in Congress.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi has announced she and the committe chairs who led the impeachment inquiry would hold a press conference tonight, following the expected passage of the articles of impeachment.
Before Trump departed the White House for his campaign rally in Michigan, some of his advisers -- including his daugher, Ivanka Trump -- were spotted in the Oval Office, sitting near a poster showing the 2016 election results by acreage.
Earlier today, a judge dismissed Paul Manafort’s state charges -- undermining New York prosecutors’ attempts to ensure jail time for Trump’s former campaign chair, despite a potential presidential pardon.
Manafort is currently serving a 7.5 year prison sentence after being convicted in federal court on charges stemming from special counsel Robert Mueller III’s Russia probe. The Manhattan district attorney additionally charged Manafort, 70, with mortgage fraud and more than a dozen other state felonies. Manafort’s lawyers argued that the state charges should be dismissed because they overlapped with his federal charges. A state judge in Manhattan agreed. “Basically, the law of double jeopardy in New York State provides a very narrow window for prosecution,” he said, before submitting his decision to dismiss the charges. Manafort, 70, did not appear in court. He was hospitalized last week after a cardiac health issue.
Congressman Matt Gaetz, one of the president’s closest House allies, has taken the floor, and he has come out swinging.
“This is not about Ukraine; this is about power,” the Florida Republican said. “Donald Trump has it, and Democrats want it.”
Gaetz accused the Democrats of “adhering to no sense of honor” in their handling of the impeachment inquiry, claiming his colleagues on the left have “plotted and planned” Trump’s removal since his inauguration.
Gaetz called the impeachment resolution a “slap in the face” to the Americans who voted for Trump and argued Democrats were merely looking for an “insurance policy” because they cannot defeat Trump.
“But we have an insurance policy, too,” Gaetz said. “It’s the next election, and we intend to win it.”
Time check: congresswoman Diana DeGette, who is presiding over the impeachment proceedings, said two hours remain in the impeachment debate.
Democrats and Republicans each have another hour to make their cases, although the Republican caucus has about six minutes more in their remaining time than their Democratic counterparts.
Trump is on his way to a campaign rally in Michigan, ignoring reporters’ questions about today’s impeachment proceedings as he left the White House.
The rally is scheduled to begin at 7pm ET, which means Trump could be speaking to his supporters when he becomes the third president in US history to be impeached.
Congressman Justin Amash, who left the Republican Party over his opposition to Trump, was given two minutes by the Democrats to make a floor speech in favor of impeachment.
“I come to this floor, not as a Republican, not as a Democrat, but as an American,” Amash said.
The Michigan lawmaker went on to argue House members have a duty to vote in favor of the impeachment resolution. “Impeachment is about maintaining the integrity of the office of the presidency,” Amash said.
Adam Schiff mocked a talking point from his Republican colleagues, who have repeatedly slammed the “secretive” nature of the impeachment inquiry.
Specifically, Republicans have complained about the House committees leading the inquiry holding meetings in a basement “bunker,” referring to the room in the Capitol where lawmakers receive classified information.
“This is apparently what they call depositions,” Schiff joked.
Congressman John Lewis, a civil rights icon who marched alongside Martin Luther King, called on his colleagues to support impeachment, arguing they have a “moral obligation to say something, to do something.”
“We didn’t ask for this,” Lewis said. “Our nation is founded on the principle that we do not have kings, we have presidents, and the Constituion is our compass.”
Lewis asserted the House had “a mission and a mandate to be on the right side of history.” The Georgia Democrat predicted future generations would ask this question: “What did you do?”