Articles of impeachment against President Trump unveiled

By Meg Wagner, Mike Hayes and Veronica Rocha, CNN

Updated 9:01 p.m. ET, December 10, 2019
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1:44 p.m. ET, December 10, 2019

Sen. Cornyn says Christmas impeachment trial is "highly unlikely"

From CNN's Ted Barrett

GOP Sen. John Cornyn said, “I think it is highly unlikely” that a Senate trial would begin over the holiday.

Instead, he predicted it would begin, “January 6 or some reasonable time."

Senators on both sides have downplayed the idea of being here Christmas week. 

1:38 p.m. ET, December 10, 2019

Attorney General says he doesn't consider Trump's direction to defy subpoenas obstruction of justice

Speaking at a Wall Street Journal event today, Attorney General Bill Barr was asked specifically about the second article of impeachment — obstruction of Congress — and whether he considers Trump's direction to White House staffers to defy subpoenas and not testify during the impeachment inquiry an obstruction.

"I don't consider that obstruction," Barr said.

He added:

"I don't believe it's the case that where somebody, including a branch of government, is asserting a legal privilege that they have under the law that that constitutes obstruction," Barr said.
12:59 p.m. ET, December 10, 2019

2020 Democratic presidential candidates come out in support of House's articles of impeachment

Several Democratic presidential candidates who are also sitting Senators — and may have to act as jurors if impeachment moves to a Senate trial — reacted to the news that the House introduced articles of impeachment this morning. Here's what they said:

Sen. Michael Bennet:

“The President has made it very difficult for Congress to do the oversight that the Constitution requires and that the American people demand,” Sen. Bennet said. “He’s obstructed and stonewalled at every step of the way, and today’s announcement reflects that.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders:

“Let me be clear: while the announcement of articles of impeachment is not a moment for celebration, I strongly believe they are appropriate and necessary,” Sanders said. “And I call on the full House of Representatives to pass them.”

Sen. Cory Booker:

“This is a sad, sobering moment for our country. This president violated his oath to the American people,” Booker said. “Now, those of us who swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution have a duty to follow ours.”
12:21 p.m. ET, December 10, 2019

Pelosi rejects idea that USMCA deal gives Trump "a win" on the same day the House announces articles of impeachment

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pushed back on the suggestion that the USMCA trade deal she announced just an hour after unveiling the articles gives Trump "a win" just as the Democrats are pushing forward with impeachment.

"If we have an opportunity to do the right thing by the American people — that we should walk away from it because of him? It's just not worth it, in my view," Pelosi said.

She added that the deal she believes is "so far away from the proposal" that Trump put forth, calling it "a triumph for American workers."

12:18 p.m. ET, December 10, 2019

There's a growing divide between Trump and McConnell over impeachment trial

From CNN's Kaitlan Collins and Phil Mattingly

President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell are both looking ahead to the Senate impeachment trial, but there is a growing divide between the two over what that trial should look like, CNN has learned. 

In conversations with the White House, the Kentucky Republican has made clear he hopes to end the trial as soon as he can, an effort to both get impeachment off his lap and protect his conference from potentially damaging votes should the process break out into partisan warfare.

That will include a continuous whip count until McConnell feels he has the votes to acquit the President and end the show. He has even floated a 10-day minimum during these talks, one person said. 

But the show is exactly what Trump wants. He's made clear to advisers privately that rather than end the trial as quickly as possible, he is hoping for a dramatic event, according to two people familiar with his thinking.

He wants Hunter Biden, Rep. Adam Schiff and the whistleblower to testify. He wants the witnesses to be live, not clips of taped depositions. And he's hoping to turn it into a spectacle, which he thinks is his best chance to hurt Democrats in the election.

People close to the President say this is because he has been sitting back and watching as current and former aides testified for hours before lawmakers about his behavior that they described as inappropriate, problematic and potentially dangerous.

Infuriated, Trump has been told he will have his day to defend himself soon, one person said.

Both the White House and McConnell's office declined to comment. Read more here.

12:15 p.m. ET, December 10, 2019

Pelosi: Impeachment "isn't about elections, it's about the Constitution"

Asked if she's concerned about how impeachment might put the Democrats' House majority at risk, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said "it has nothing to do with it."

"If we believe that our Constitution is being violated, that our very democracy is at stake, that as Franklin told us, a republic if you can keep it, and this very person is jeopardizing that, what are we there for? Just to continue to have a job? We take an oath to protect and defend. If we did not do that, we would be, again, delinquent in our duties." 

She added: "This isn't about elections, it's about the constitution. 

12:14 p.m. ET, December 10, 2019

Pelosi on why they didn't include obstruction of justice in articles

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was asked at an event today about not putting obstruction of justice in the articles of impeachment.

Here's how she responded:

"Our members are six committees who have been having legislation, investigation, litigation for a long time. Everyone came to the conclusion that this was it. I wish we were just focusing on what we are bringing forward, because they're very serious violations of our constitution. Undermining the national security of the United States, jeopardizing the integrity of our elections, and again, going right at the heart of a system of checks and balances honoring the oath of office. So this isn't talking about what it isn't, this is talking about what is, and that's how we're going forward."

Watch:

11:58 a.m. ET, December 10, 2019

White House spokesperson says "it's pretty clear the President wants a trial"

From CNN's Allie Malloy

White House Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley told reporters this morning that he isn't "aware" of any conversations between Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Trump regarding plans for hearings.

However, Gidley said, it’s "pretty clear the President wants a trial."

Here's what Gidley said:

"I know our teams are in constant contact with members of the Senate. It’s pretty clear the President wants a trial… in fact, he’s even talked about some of the witnesses we want to call whether it be Adam Schiff, the whistleblower, Hunter Biden or Joe Biden. He wants to move forward and we’ll see what form that takes in the near future I’m sure."

When asked about the idea that the Senate trial would happen immediately, Gidley wouldn’t confirm.

"The President wants it sooner rather than later. I think that’s pretty obvious as well. But again, in what form that takes, time will tell," he said.

Gidley was also asked about whether the President wants his aides — including acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney — to testify.

"The President always is encouraged or wants the administration to testify because the President’s done nothing wrong. He has nothing to hide." But he added that "the rules have to be fair." 

Gidley was also asked if there is any concern Republicans could turn against the President in the Senate. He responded: “Not at this point."

5:06 p.m. ET, December 10, 2019

House GOP leader: "This is not a day that America will be proud about"

From CNN's Ali Zaslav 

Win McNamee/Getty Images
Win McNamee/Getty Images

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said in a news conference this morning, responding to the articles of impeachment against President Trump, said Democrats “changed the course of Congress to take away due process.” 

He continued: “I just hope no Congress, regardless of who is in the majority, will ever take us down this path again… to have wasted a majority on this is an embarrassment to this Congress.” McCarthy added, “This is not a day that America will be proud about.”

Asked if he agrees that Trump’s famous July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was “perfect,” McCarthy dodged the question and said the articles won’t be about whether the call is “perfect.”

"Nothing on that phone call is wrong” he said, adding that it is absolutely “not impeachable.”

On the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) McCarthy said Speaker Nancy Pelosi only announced it this morning because of the “unpopularity of impeachment itself.” And when asked if Speaker Pelosi has done President Trump a favor for agreeing to the trade deal, McCarthy replied, “Agreeing to it, is doing her job. Waiting a year, she has weakened America.”

Watch: