Mitch McConnell Says He’d ‘Have No Choice’ But To Hold Senate Trial If Trump Is Impeached By House

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), who has resisted calls to hold Trump accountable for his official actions, said on Monday that “I would have no choice but to take it up” when asked about a potential impeachment vote in the House. 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi‘s (D-Calif.) announced formal impeachment proceedings against the president last week.  

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Under the U.S. Constitution, Article II section 4, Congress can impeach the president, vice president, and all civil officers before the end of their terms, if enough lawmakers vote and agree that treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors have been committed. 

Democratic House members are concentrating impeachment proceedings on the White House released transcript of a July 25 telephone call in which President Donald Trump coerced the Ukrainian president to target former Vice President Joe Biden and his son for investigation.

The Constitution grants the House sole power to impeach Trump and delegates the Senate as the exclusive court for the process. If the House passes articles of impeachment against Trump, the Senate is required under its own rules to take some action.

The majority vote of the full House for an article impeachment, requires the official stand trial in the Senate. If two-thirds of the Senate votes to convict Trump, he automatically will be removed from office. It may also prevent him from holding future government office. 

Six House committees are currently investigating Trump and submitting their most substantial cases to the Judiciary Committee.