The sentence was repeated five times: "President Trump has placed his interests ahead of those of the country," said Jerry Nadler, the Democratic leader of the House of Representatives' Judicial Affairs Committee. It was he who presided over the extremely tense hearing that took place Monday, Dec. 9, in the United States Congress as part of the impeachment investigation against the president. Adding a little more electricity in the air, the elected to use his hammer multiple times to calm the incessant requests of Republicans.
They were determined to prove that not only the billionaire has nothing to reproach himself, but that he is the victim of a witch hunt that began at his inauguration. "You are trying to reverse the results" of the 2016 presidential election, so accused the Republican elected Matt Gaetz.
Abuse of power
In front of the members of the commission, lawyers from both parties came to present or challenge the findings of the investigation. On the Democratic side, Barry Berke claimed that Donald Trump had committed abuse of power, betrayed US interests and attempted to corrupt the 2020 elections by pressuring Kiev to investigate a political rival. . He urged Congress to act in order not to put the 2020 elections in jeopardy.
"President Trump has led a conspiracy for months to seek foreign aid in his re-election campaign in 2020," added another Democratic jurist, Daniel Goldman.
On the Republican side, jurist Stephen Castor said the Democrats' inquiry was primarily a "concerted effort to influence the election" of 2020. According to him, the abuse of power was not proven by the opposition. The reason why Donald Trump insisted on Kiev's investigations was simply a legitimate concern to fight corruption, he said. He took the opportunity to point out the Biden clan, accusing the former vice president of having fired a Ukrainian prosecutor who was investigating a gas company for which his son Hunter worked.
Obstruction
Among the charges that may be brought against Donald Trump, who has so far refused to cooperate with investigators, those of obstruction in Congress and obstruction of justice are regularly cited. But Republicans tried Monday to reverse roles by accusing Democrats of refusing to listen to some witnesses, such as Joe Biden or the whistleblower behind the case.
The charges against Donald Trump should be drafted and put to the vote in committee by the end of the week. The indictment (impeachment) of the 45th US president should be voted before Christmas, Democratic majority in the House requires. But the trial in the Senate should be more favorable to the head of state who still has a solid majority in the upper house. He still does not risk dismissal to date.
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