Donald Trump to face impeachment vote next week after key committee decision
Two articles of impeachment against Donald Trump have been passed by the congressional committee handling the issue, teeing up a historic vote next week in the full House of Representatives.
Articles accusing Mr Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress over his behaviour in the Ukraine scandal passed the House Judiciary Committee by 23 votes to 17 on Friday.
Not a single Republican on the committee voted for either article, not did any Democrat vote against them, underscoring how support for impeachment has been split down party lines.
Mr Trump is now widely expected to become only the third US president in history to be impeached when the House votes next week. The Democrats hold the majority in that body.
Ahead of the vote, Mr Trump tweeted: "How do you get Impeached when you have done NOTHING wrong (a perfect call), have created the best economy in the history of our Country... created Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, and soooo much more? Crazy!"
The US president had spent Thursday morning, when the vote was initially due, issuing more than 90 tweets as the committee debated his fate, sharing videos of Republican congressmen who were arguing his corner.
Democrats had unveiled their articles against Mr Trump earlier this week, deciding not to bring any over the Russian election meddling investigation and instead focusing on Ukraine.
The abuse of power article accused Mr Trump of "corruptly" soliciting Ukraine to launch investigations into his political rival Joe Biden and "discredited" claims of Ukrainian election meddling in 2016, while holding back almost $400 million in US military aid.
The obstruction of Congress article said Mr Trump had directed his administration's employees "without lawful cause or excuse" to not comply with subpoenas seeking testimony and documents as part of the investigation into his Ukraine conduct.
Both articles finished with the words: "President Trump thus warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States."
During a second day of debates on the articles on Thursday, Republicans on the committee issued fierce criticism of the argument for impeachment and the way the process has been handled.
Doug Collins, the Republican chairman, called the impeachment drive a "travesty" and a "sham from day one" which the American people would see through.
He said Democrats "should be hanging their heads in shame", dismissing their proposals as the "two weakest articles of impeachment in the history of this country".
But that narrative was flipped by the Democrats, who described a president willing to undermine the country's national security for his own personal gain.
Democratic committee member Eric Swalwell accused Mr Trump of trying to "cheat the election", saying: "The president committed the highest crime against the constitution by abusing his office."
Following the vote on Friday Brad Parscale, Mr Trump's campaign manager, said: “This committee vote is just another act in the Democrats’ political theater. The baseless, sham impeachment is just out-of-control partisan politics and the American people are rejecting it.”
Mr Trump is now likely to be impeached before Christmas, almost 21 years to the day after Bill Clinton received the same admonishment. Andrew Johnson is the only other US president to be impeached.
Richard Nixon resigned after the House Judiciary Committee voted for articles of impeachment when senior Republicans told him that congressmen of both parties believed he had to go.
If the House impeaches Mr Trump then the issue will move over to the US Senate, which will hold a trial deciding whether the president should be removed.
The chance of removal looks slim given 67 of the 100 senators will need to vote yes for it to pass - meaning at least 20 Republicans must rebel.
