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Congressional Democrats Plan Formal Vote On Trump Impeachment Probe

By RFE/RL October 29, 2019

The U.S. House of Representatives will on October 31 formally vote to authorize the Democrat-led impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.

Aside from affirming the investigation, which aims to muffle complaints from Trump and his Republican allies that the process has been illegitimate and unfair, the House resolution would lay the foundation by setting rules for public hearings and outline the potential process of pressing formal charges, or articles of impeachment against the president.

While announcing this week's vote on October 28, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi insisted that Democrats were not bowing to pressure from Republicans, noting that a federal judge last week ruled to agree with them that the inquiry requires an authorizing vote.

Her announcement came hours after a former White House national security advisor failed to appear for questioning before three House panels that are determining whether Trump has pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate a political rival.

Charles Kupperman, who served as deputy national-security adviser, ignored the subpoena, said Congressman Adam Schiff (Democrat-California), chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee.

Trump has asserted testimonial immunity for Kupperman, who has subsequently filed a federal lawsuit to let a judge determine whether he must comply with the House subpoena.

Schiff said Kupperman's lawsuit has "no basis in law" and claimed that the White House is seeking to obstruct Congress and prevent the adviser from possibly giving "incriminating" testimony.

Kupperman will comply with the subpoena if the court rules in the House's favor, his lawyer Charles Cooper said in an October 27 letter to the senior investigative counsel for the House's select committee on intelligence.

The House launched their investigation last month after an unnamed whistle-blower said Trump pressured Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a July 25 phone call to investigate the activities of former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.

With reporting by CNN, AP, and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/congressional- democrats-plan-formal-vote-on-trump- impeachment-probe/30241507.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.