Nadler schedules vote on procedures for impeachment probe

The head of the House Judiciary Committee announced Monday that the panel will vote this week to adopt procedures for hearings as it seeks to determine whether to introduce articles of impeachment against President Trump.

Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said the committee will vote Thursday on a resolution that would solidify several key policies, including that the panel’s staff be allowed to question witnesses for an additional hour — split equally between the majority and minority — after each committee member goes through their five-minute line of questioning. 

{mosads}Judiciary’s subcommittees would also be able to hold hearings as part of the probe, paving a way for Nadler to punt less-important witnesses down the line and save time.

The Democrats would also allow Trump’s legal counsel to respond in writing to evidence and testimony presented to the committee.

“The adoption of these additional procedures is the next step in that process and will help ensure our impeachment hearings are informative to Congress and the public, while providing the President with the ability to respond to evidence presented against him,” Nadler said in a statement. “We will not allow Trump’s continued obstruction to stop us from delivering the truth to the American people.”

The announcement comes as Nadler and his committee are quickly expanding their probe beyond former special counsel Robert Mueller’s report to include a series of new areas, including reports Trump dangled pardons to border and law enforcement officials, hush money payments made to women alleging affairs with the president and whether Trump profited from government spending as administration officials stayed at his family-owned properties during work trips. 

“Trump’s crimes and corruption extend beyond what is detailed in the Mueller report,” Nadler said. “The President is in violation of the emoluments clauses of the Constitution as he works to enrich himself, putting the safety and security of our Nation at risk. He has dangled pardons, been involved in campaign finance violations and stonewalled Congress across the board, noting that he will defy all subpoenas.”