DONALD TRUMP FACES becoming only the third US leader ever to be impeached today. The House of Representatives is set for a historic vote that would trigger his trial in the Senate.
On the eve of the vote, Trump said he was being subjected to an “attempted coup” and a witch trial.
In an angry six-page letter, the president told Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the Democratic-led House of Representatives, that “history will judge you harshly”.
The letter came just minutes before Pelosi announced that the House would vote on Wednesday.
“The House of Representatives will exercise one of the most solemn powers granted to us by the Constitution as we vote to approve two articles of impeachment against the president of the United States,” Pelosi said in a letter to Democratic colleagues yesterday.
“During this very prayerful moment in our nation’s history, we must honor our oath to support and defend our constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic,” she added.
Trump is accused of attempting to force Ukraine into investigating a main 2020 reelection rival, Joe Biden.
He is also accused of obstructing Congress by refusing to cooperate with the impeachment investigation, barring staff from testifying and holding back documentary evidence.
The two articles of impeachment are certain to pass in the House, where Democrats hold a firm majority.
That will send the case to the Senate, where a trial of Trump is expected to open in January, and his acquittal is equally expected, given the Republicans’ control there.
‘Declaring open war’
In his letter to Pelosi, Trump defended his record and attacked Democrats.
The letter accused the veteran Democratic politician of “breaking your allegiance to the Constitution” and “declaring open war on American Democracy”.
It repeated his claim that the entire case against him is a “hoax” and a “colossal injustice” and said Democrats were being driven in impeachment “by your most deranged and radical representatives of the far left”.
Pelosi dismissed the letter as “really sick”.
Today’s debate will last six hours, with a vote expected in late afternoon or evening.
While the debate occurs, Trump will fly to Battle Creek, a city in the swing state of Michigan to host a rally on Wednesday evening.
With the exception of just two, the 235 Democrat members in Congress appeared to be united in voting through the formal impeachment charges.
Protests
Protests in support of impeachment broke out in several cities including New York, Boston, New Orleans and Los Angeles.
Demonstrators waved signs urging Congress to “Dump Trump” and “Protect our Democracy”.
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