Impeachment moves ahead to the Senate

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The House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump. The President was impeached on two articles. The first vote, 230-197, was to impeach him for abuse of power and was almost entirely on party lines; it was followed quickly by a second 229-198 vote that the president obstructed Congress.

The one-vote difference was Democrat Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, who voted yes on abuse of power and no on obstruction of Congress. One Democrat, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, who is running for president, voted “present” on both articles. No Republicans voted against Trump.

Early January

It is the third time in the nation’s history that a sitting president goes to an impeachment process. The trial in the GOP-controlled Senate on whether to remove the president will begin in early January. It is likely that Trump will be acquitted since a two-thirds majority is required for conviction and removal from office.

TRUMP’S RESPONSE

US President Donald Trump wrote a letter fiercely attacking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic opposition for destroying American democracy by attempting a coup against the American head of state. He said the whole inquiry against him is “declaring open war on American Democracy”.

The unusually bitter six-page letter charges head-on against the Democratic opposition. “You are the ones interfering in America’s elections. You are the ones subverting America’s democracy. You are the ones Obstructing Justice. You are the ones bringing pain and suffering to our Republic for your own selfish personal, political, and partisan gain,” he said.