Politics

Nancy Pelosi Names 7 Impeachment Managers to Prosecute Trump

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday named the impeachment managers, who will act as prosecutors in the Senate. 

Pelosi, a California Democrat, said in a press conference that the managers will be Reps. Adam Schiff of California, Jerry Nadler of New York, Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Zoe Lofgren of California, Val Demings of Florida, Jason Crow of Colorado and Sylvia Garcia of Texas.

Schiff, the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, and Nadler, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, oversaw the impeachment investigation in the House and were widely expected to be selected as managers.

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Noting the prosecutorial experience of the lawmakers, Pelosi said, “As you can see from these descriptions, the emphasis is on litigators.”

“The emphasis is on comfort level in the court room, the emphasis is on making the strongest possible case to protect and defend our constitution, to seek the truth for the American people,” she added.

“I’m very proud and honored that these seven members, distinguished members, have accepted this serious responsibility, again, to protect and defend for the people defending our democracy.”

The House in December voted to impeach Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The articles accuse him of pressuring Ukraine to open investigations against his political rivals, including by withholding military aid, and of impeding Congress’s investigation by preventing witnesses from testifying and defying subpoenas.

Pelosi withheld the articles of impeachment for nearly a month in a failed bid to influence the rules of the trial before finally relenting last Friday.

President Donald Trump responded moments after the impeachment managers were named with a tweet saying, “Here we go again, another Con Job by the Do Nothing Democrats.”

White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement that “the naming of these managers does not change a single thing.”

“President Trump has done nothing wrong,” she said. “He looks forward to having the due process rights in the Senate that Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats denied to him, and expects to be fully exonerated.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor that the House “rushed through the least thorough and most unfair impeachment inquiry in American history.”

He said Pelosi has “taken our nation down a dangerous road.”

What happens now that Pelosi has named the impeachment managers?

The Democratic-led House is scheduled to vote on the managers from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., after a 10-minute debate. Pelosi and the managers will hold an engrossment ceremony at 5 p.m., and the managers will immediately walk across the Capitol to deliver the charges.

According to Pelosi’s office, the impeachment managers will read the charges against Trump aloud on the Senate floor Thursday.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said the impeachment trial will likely start next Tuesday. Although Democrats have demanded the ability to call witnesses and subpoena documents, most Republicans favor a quick trial without hearing any new evidence.

Trump, who has recently called for the charges to be dismissed without a trial, will also pick a team to defend him. White House counsel Pat Cipollone is expected to lead the team. A Trump personal lawyer, Jay Sekulow, is also expected to join.

The Republican-controlled Senate has looked poised to acquit Trump.

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(This is a developing story. Please check here for updates.)

This post was last modified on January 15, 2020 11:18 am

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