House

House opens debate on articles of impeachment against Trump

by Juliegrace Brufke - 12/18/19 12:24 PM ET

The House is moving forward with debate on articles of impeachment against President Trump.

House Democrats easily passed a rule allowing for six hours of debate on the articles on Wednesday, overcoming a necessary procedural step to allow the measure to come to the floor for a full House vote later in the day.

The rule passed in a 228-137 vote largely along party lines.

Two Democrats, Reps. Collin Peterson (Minn.) and Jeff Van Drew (N.J.), who is expected to change party affiliations in coming days, bucked party lines and voted with Republicans. Both members also voted against a measure laying out the impeachment procedures in October. Rep. Justin Amash (I-Mich.), who left the Republican Party last summer, voted with Democrats to move forward with debate.

The rule’s passage comes after Republicans utilized multiple procedural tactics to delay the process, though Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.) said GOP lawmakers “don’t look at it as stalling, we just look at it that we are going to hold the ground until the very end.”

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) kicked off the procedural maneuvers with a motion to adjourn which was ultimately voted down. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) followed with another procedural motion condemning how House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) conducted the impeachment probe. Democrats moved to table the motion.

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the No. 3 Republican in the House, followed shortly after with an unsuccessful push for the roll call votes to be taken on the articles. And House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) raised a point of order against the rule for the two articles of impeachment against Trump, arguing the minority did not receive a hearing while proceedings were taking place in the House Judiciary Committee. It was ultimately ruled out of order.

The articles of impeachment charging Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — which were unveiled last week — passed out of the House Rules Committee on Tuesday evening. The House Judiciary Committee held a marathon markup before approving the articles last week.

The articles are expected to pass with minimal Democrat defections on Tuesday evening.