House To Vote On Trump Impeachment Procedures For First Time On Thursday

The Democratic-led House of Representatives is set to move onto the next step in its impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump this week with a vote on procedures.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) said Monday that the chamber would vote for the first time on Thursday to officially determine the impeachment procedures given Trump’s pressure on Ukraine to probe his political rivals. House Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern (D-Massachusetts) announced he would present a resolution before his panel meets on Wednesday to “ensure transparency” and “provide a clear path forward” in the impeachment investigation.

The resolution McGovern is set to introduce is also reportedly intended to validate the ongoing impeachment inquiry. It would put in place processes for public testimonies, allow witness deposition transcripts to be released and explain the procedure for the House Intelligence Committee passing on evidence to the House Judiciary Committee, the panel expected to be responsible for drafting and approving articles of impeachment.

Some Democrats have repeatedly said a vote on the floor is unnecessary to begin the impeachment process, although GOP lawmakers and the White House have both insisted this method be used in conjunction with closed-door depositions and other testimonies. Pelosi explained to fellow House Democrats in a letter that a formal vote and resolution would also help combat the Trump administration’s repeated efforts to stop the impeachment inquiry in any way.

“We are taking this step to eliminate any doubt as to whether the Trump Administration may withhold documents, prevent witness testimony, disregard duly authorized subpoenas, or continue obstructing the House of Representatives,” Pelosi’s letter read.

As of Oct. 10, 228 House lawmakers have publicly said they support impeaching Trump. Should the House vote in favor of this effort, Trump would become the third U.S. president in history to be formally impeached after Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson.