US House of Representatives send the impeachment articles against Trump to the Senate
The U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi has signed on Wednesday copies of the articles against Trump alongside the team of Democratic lawmakers who will prosecute the case against Trump.
"This evening, the House’s Managers delivered articles of impeachment against President Trump to the U.S. Senate ahead of its upcoming trial," Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement on Twitter.
The impeachment vote in the House of Representatives, controlled by opposition Democrats, took place on December 18, 2019. The resolution passed along party lines by 228 votes to 193.
The Senate will decide whether to convict and remove him from office. Republicans hold sway in the Senate 53-47.
The proceedings will unfold in the form of a trial in the Senate, with each side having the right to call witnesses and perform cross- examinations. The House members, who are given the collective title of managers during the course of the trial, present the prosecution case, and the impeached official has the right to mount a defense with his or her own attorneys as well. Senators must also take an oath or affirmation that they will perform their duties honestly and with due diligence. After hearing the charges, the Senate usually deliberates in private. The Constitution requires a two-thirds supermajority to convict a person being impeached. The Senate enters judgment on its decision, whether that be to convict or acquit, and a copy of the judgment is filed with the Secretary of State. Upon conviction in the Senate, the official is automatically removed from office and may also be barred from holding future office.
The trial will begin on Tuesday. (ILKHA)