US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi arrives to speaks about the
impeachment inquiry of US President Donald Trump at the US Capitol in
Washington, DC, on December 5, 2019. PHOTO | SAUL LOEB | AFP
US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday
said she has instructed the House Judiciary Committee to draft articles
of impeachment against President Donald Trump over his effort to
pressure Ukraine to investigate a political rival.
“The
facts are uncontested. The president abused his power for his own
personal political benefit at the expense of our national security by
withholding military aid and (a) crucial Oval Office meeting in exchange
for an announcement of an investigation into his political rival,”
Pelosi said in a televised statement.
“Sadly, but with
confidence and humility, with allegiance to our Founders and our hearts
full of love for America, today I am asking our chairman to proceed with
articles of impeachment,” she added, referring to House Judiciary
Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler
Pelosi made the
remarks a day after the Judiciary Committee held a hearing in which
three constitutional law experts called by Democratic lawmakers said
Trump had engaged in conduct that represents impeachable offenses under
the Constitution.
A fourth expert called by Republican lawmakers called the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry rushed and flawed.
The
House Intelligence Committee this week submitted findings from its
inquiry into Trump’s push for Kiev to launch an investigation related to
former US Vice President Joe Biden, a top contender for the 2020
Democratic presidential nomination.
Trump also wanted Ukraine to look into the discredited theory that Ukraine, not Russia, meddled in the 2016 US election.
Democrats
have accused Trump of abusing his power by withholding $391 million in
security aid to Ukraine - a US ally facing Russian aggression - to
pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to announce the
investigation.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing and called the impeachment investigation a hoax.
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