House impeaches Donald Trump on both articles

House impeaches Donald Trump on both articles

President Donald Trump was impeached by the US House of Representatives on Wednesday night, becoming only the third American chief executive to be formally charged under the Constitution’s ultimate remedy for high crimes and misdemeanours.



The historic vote split along party lines, much the way it has divided the nation, over the charges that the 45th president abused the power of his office by enlisting a foreign government to investigate a political rival ahead of the 2020 election. Th House then approved a second charge, that he obstructed Congress in its investigation.



The articles of impeachment, the political equivalent of an indictment, now go to the Senate for trial. If Trump is acquitted by the Republican-led chamber, as expected, he would have to run for reelection carrying the enduring mark of impeachment on his purposely disruptive presidency.



Democrats led Wednesday night’s voting, framed in what many said was their duty to protect the Constitution and uphold the nation’s system of checks and balances. Republicans stood by their party’s leader, who has frequently tested the bounds of civic norms. Trump called the whole affair a “witch hunt,” a “hoax” and a “sham", and sometimes all three.



The trial is expected to begin in January in the Senate, where a vote of two-thirds is necessary for conviction. While Democrats had the majority in the House to impeach Trump, Republicans control the Senate and few if any are expected to diverge from plans to acquit the president ahead of early state election-year primary voting.



Pelosi, once reluctant to lead Democrats into a partisan impeachment, now risks her majority and speakership to hold the president accountable.



"Today we are here to defend democracy for the people,” Pelosi said opening debate.



Trump, who began the day by tweeting his anger at the proceedings, scheduled an evening rally in Battle Creek, Michigan.



He pumped his fist before an enthusiastic crowd, boasted of “tremendous support” in the Republican Party and said, “By the way it doesn't feel like I'm being impeached.”



"The Democrats are declaring their deep hatred and disdain for the American voter," Trump said to boos and cheers.



"They've been trying to impeach me from day one. They've been trying to impeach me from before I ran," he said.



What Pelosi called a sad and solemn moment for the country, coming in the first year that Democrats swept control of the House, unfolded in a caustic daylong session that showcased the nation’s divisions – not only along party lines, but also by region, race and culture.



The House impeachment resolution laid out in stark terms the two articles of impeachment against Trump stemming from his July phone call when he asked the Ukraine president for a “favour” – to announce it was investigating Democrats ahead of the 2020 election.



He also pushed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to probe unsubstantiated corruption allegations against Joe Biden, the former vice president and 2020 White House contender.



Republicans argued that Democrats are impeaching Trump because they can’t beat him in 2020.



“This vote is about one thing, and one thing only: They hate this president,” said Representative Chris Stewart. "They want to take away my vote and throw it in the trash."



But Democrats warned the country cannot wait for the next election to decide whether Trump should remain in office because he has shown a pattern of behavior, particularly toward Russia, and will try to corrupt US elections in 2020. (AP)