House Judiciary Committee grinds through Republican objections to impeachment articles against Donald Trump4Photo1Video© firstpost.com

House Judiciary Committee grinds through Republican objections to impeachment articles against Donald Trump

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Washington: The House Judiciary Committee trudged toward a historic impeachment vote Thursday, turning back Republican attempts to kill the charges that President Donald Trump abused his power and obstructed Congress.

Amid Republicans’ cries of outrage, Democrats were poised to approve along party lines an article of impeachment that accused Trump of abusing the powers of his office by pressuring Ukraine to announce investigations of his political rivals, using official acts as leverage as he sought advantage for his 2020 reelection campaign. They were also on track to adopt a second article of impeachment against Trump for obstructing Congress, based on an across-the-board defiance of their subpoenas that Democrats branded an attempt to conceal the Ukraine scheme.

Gathered in the Ways and Means Committee Room for the second consecutive day, lawmakers feuded for hours over the two articles of impeachment, their tempers flaring and patience wearing thin as debated dragged into the night on amendments proposed by the Republicans to gut the articles or embarrass Democrats. As the Republicans were rebuffed in one lopsided vote after another, the only question was when the president’s defenders would sheath their swords for the day and allow the final roll-call vote that would push the articles to full House.