The United States House of Representatives has impeached President Donald Trump.
He was impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of congress.
This followed several hours of fierce debate and vote on two articles of impeachment against the American President on Wednesday after weeks of testimony related to his dealings with Ukraine.
In the early hours of Thursday, the House voted 230-197 to impeach Trump for abusing his power in the dealings.
The representatives voted 229-198 for obstruction of justice. Both articles of impeachment were passed.
Both votes fell along party lines with nearly all Democrats (but two) voting for the charges and all Republicans against.
House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, while kicking off formal impeachment debate on Wednesday in a lengthy speech called impeachment “one of the most solemn powers this body can take.”
“No member, regardless of political or party, comes to congress to impeach a president,” she said.
Pelosi noted that Trump had pursued an “improper personal benefit” at “the expense of our national security,” which “gave us no choice” but to impeach.
“If we do not act now, we would be derelict in our duties,” she added.
The top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, Doug Collins, however accused Democrats of conducting an unfair and illegitimate inquiry.
“This is an impeachment based on presumption. This is a poll-tested impeachment about what actually sells to the American people,” Collins said.
Trump was alleged to have blocked the payment of a congressionally mandated $400 million military aid package to obtain quid pro quo cooperation from, Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky. He later released the aid package.
He allegedly pressured Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter over Hunter’s involvement with the Ukrainian natural-gas company Burisma Holdings. Trump also allegedly asked Zelensky to look into the conspiracy theory alleging Ukrainian interference in the 2016 U.S. election.
Trump repeatedly denied wrongdoing, noting that his interest in launching the investigations was legitimate because he wanted to eradicate corruption. He described the impeachment inquiry as “sham” and “hoax”.
On Wednesday, he again denied any wrongdoing, tweeting: “I DID NOTHING WRONG”
“Can you believe that I will be impeached today by the Radical left, Do Nothing Democrats, AND I DID NOTHING WRONG! A terrible Thing. Read the transcripts. This should never happen to another President again. Say a PRAYER!” Trump said via his official Twitter handle.
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
Can you believe that I will be impeached today by the Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats, AND I DID NOTHING WRONG! A terrible Thing. Read the Transcripts. This should never happen to another President again. Say a PRAYER!
The battle will now move to the U.S. Senate where there would be a trial on whether to remove him from office or not.
Trump will remain in office until he is tried and convicted by the Senate.
It appears the Senate will acquit him as Republicans have more seats there. Trump is a Republican.
Setting the tone for the Senate impeachment trial, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, on Tuesday, bluntly acknowledged that he was “not impartial about this at all.”
“I’m not an impartial juror. This is a political process. There is not anything judicial about it. Impeachment is a political decision,” he said.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, said he was “utterly amazed” McConnell would describe himself as not impartial.
“Mitch McConnell said proudly he is not an impartial juror. The American people want Mitch McConnell to be an impartial juror in this situation,” Schumer said, challenging other Republican senators to pledge to be impartial as well.
During a press conference after Thursday’s votes, Pelosi also demanded for a fair trial at the Senate.