- Title: Trump asks for prayer via tweet ahead of House impeachment vote
- Date: 18th December 2019
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 18, 2019) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF THE U.S. CAPITOL CLOSE UP OF FLAG WAVING OUTSIDE CAPITOL
- Embargoed: 1st January 2020 13:42
- Keywords: House beauty Trump tweet impeachment tweet
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES / INTERNET
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES / INTERNET
- Country: USA
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001BAI6YX3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:The U.S. House of Representatives is set to take a momentous and deeply polarizing vote on Wednesday (December 18) when it is likely to impeach President Donald Trump on charges of abusing his office and obstructing a congressional probe.
The vote in the Democratic-controlled House is expected to fall almost entirely along party lines, underscoring the deep divide in Congress over Trump's conduct - and the larger political schism within the nation itself.
Trump would become only the third U.S. president to be impeached, an extraordinary check on presidential power spelled out in the U.S. Constitution for executives who commit "high crimes and misdemeanors." No president has ever been removed from office under its terms.
The vote, expected in the afternoon or early evening, would result in a trial next month in the U.S. Senate in which House members would act as prosecutors. That chamber is controlled by Republicans, who have shown little interest in removing Trump from office.
House Democrats accuse Trump of abusing his power by asking Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden, a former U.S. vice president and a leading Democratic contender in the 2020 election. Trump is also accused of obstructing the congressional investigation into the matter.
Trump has called the impeachment process "a total sham," and sent a tweet on Wednesday saying: "Can you believe that I will be impeached today by the Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats, AND I DID NOTHING WRONG! A terrible Thing. Read the Transcripts. This should never happen to another President again. Say a PRAYER!"
The president has denounced the probe as an "attempted coup" and has argued Democrats are trying to undo the results of the 2016 election in which he defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton.
(Production: Gershon Peaks, Kia Johnson) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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