The United States 435-member House of Representatives on Wednesday, December 18, 2019 impeached the country’s 45th President, Mr. Donald Trump.
Mr. Trump was impeached by the Democratic-controlled lower legislative chamber for “abuse of power” and “obstruction of congress”, reports Igbere TV.
He became the third American president to be impeached after former presidents Andrew Johnson (1868) and Bill Clinton (1998).
Under the first charge, Trump was accused of using his powers to pressure Ukraine’s government to announce investigations that could discredit his major political rival in the 2020 poll, Joe Biden. The House voted 230-197 to impeach him under this offence.
Under the second charge, Trump was accused of directing government officials not to comply with Congress summons. Several officials subsequently refused to testify during impeachment proceedings. The House voted 229-198 to impeach him under this offence.
What Next?
Trump will face a trial in the Republican-controlled Senate, where he’s likely to be acquitted. The Senate has 100 seats, with his party boasting of 53 seats.
The Senate will hold a trial on whether to convict Trump of the two offences and remove him from office, likely in January. A two-thirds (67) vote is required to convict, so far not one Republican senator has signaled they will vote to convict Trump.
How Conviction Is Done?
The House will pick a group of impeachment managers, who will make the case before the Senate that Trump should be removed from office. White House lawyers will serve as defense counsel. Senators play the role of jury while Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts will oversee the trial as judge.
What Does This Mean For Trump?
The good news for Trump is that Republicans have a majority in the Senate and will likely protect him. The bad news for him is that the party of every President who faced impeachment lost the next presidential election.
This is a developing story. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
