Nancy Pelosi announced Tuesday that the House will vote Wednesday to send impeachment articles to the Senate.
The House speaker was expected to also announce on Tuesday the lawmakers who will prosecute Donald Trump in the Senate impeachment trial following her meeting with the caucus earlier in the morning.
She did not name any impeachment managers Tuesday.
Two Democrats thought to be included as managers in the trial could be Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, who led the impeachment inquiry in the House, and Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, whose committee approved the impeachment articles – abuse of power and obstruction of Congress – in December.
Pelosi met with the Democratic caucus Tuesday morning to decide a path forward regarding impeachment after holding the articles hostage in the House for a month. The caucus decided to vote Wednesday to finally hand over the two articles.
Some speculate the vote was scheduled for Wednesday to hold off as three Democratic senators – Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobucahr – participate in the first Democratic primary debate of 2020 Tuesday night.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Tuesday that the House will vote Wednesday to send impeachment articles to the Senate. She did not name the Democrats who would serve as impeachment managers for the trial
Some speculate two of the impeachment managers could be House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (left) and House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (right)
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has still not said if the Senate will host witnesses in the trial, but claims they will hold a vote after opening arguments on if they should call individuals to testify
Senators Sanders of Vermont, Warren of Massachusetts and Klobuchar of Minnesota all made the stage for January’s primary debate – but the three candidates could face being taken off the campaign trail as the impeachment trial moves to their chamber this week.
After the two articles are formally sent to the Senate, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is expected to kick off the trial next week.
It isn’t clear yet how long the trial will last, with some Republicans, like Senator Lindsey Graham, pushing for a no-witness trial and quick acquittal and others claiming they want to hear from witnesses.
McConnell is readying a resolution to set out the rules of the impeachment trial and claims after opening statements there will be a vote to decide if the Republican majority chamber wants to call individuals to testify.
Pelosi claims the House held impeachment articles for so long because they wanted to make the case to the American people that there was a need for witnesses in the trial.
The California Democrats has requested McConnell provide her with the planned rules for the trial before she hands over the impeachment articles, but the Majority leader would not comply with that request, claiming Pelosi would not dictate the Senate trial.
Republican Senators Susan Collins (left) and Mitt Romney (right) have said they will likely vote to hear from witnesses after opening arguments. They also foiled the White House’s plan to request a resolution to dismiss the case, claiming they would not vote to approve
There are a handful of Republicans who disagree with McConnell and Graham’s approach for a speedy trial, and claim they want to hear from witnesses.
‘I have been working for and advocating that we follow that model. And that we have language in the governing [rules] setting up the parameters of the trial that would allow for a vote on whether or not we should have witnesses subpoenaed and documented provided,’ moderate Republican Senator Susan Collins told reporters Monday evening.
Tennessee GOP Senator Lamar Alexander says he might vote to hear witnesses
‘I might not. Or I might,’ the senator, who is retiring at the end of the year, said.
‘My view is we should hear the case, ask our questions and then have a vote on whether we need to hear additional witnesses or call for additional documents,’ Alexander said. ‘It’s important to have a vote on whether we have witnesses or not.’
Senator Rand Paul warned his colleagues that they can’t be selective on witnesses if they approve to hear from them.
‘Don’t think you can just vote for Bolton and not the witnesses Trump wants,’ Paul told senators at a party lunch last week, two attendees told Politico.
Senators Elizabeth Warren (top), Bernie Sanders (bottom left) and Amy Klobuchar (bottom right) will likely be taking time off the 2020 campaign trail as they participate in the Senate impeachment trial
‘I’m not going to be voting for witnesses prior to the opening arguments. But I presume I’ll be voting for that after,’ another moderate Republican, Senator Mitt Romney, told reporters.
Romney has publicly feuded with Trump in the past.
The White House is also preparing its defense of Trump with White House Counsel Pat Cipollone and Trump’s personal lawyer Jay Sekulow expected to hold speaking roles in the trial.
Trump’s counsel is also pushing for the Senate to include in the rules of its impeachment resolution an option that would swiftly dismiss the charges against the president. The motion would require 51 votes and, if passed, would end the trial.
Both Collins and Romney claim they will not vote to immediately dismiss the trial – and since Republicans have 53 seats and 51 are required to approve motions, the resolution will not pass.