The House Judiciary Committee released a 658-page report detailing the impeachment case against President Trump early Monday morning, saying that "President Trump has realized the Framers' worst nightmare.”
The report highlights what it claims are two impeachable offenses: Trump's abuse of power and obstructing Congress during its investigation.
"Taken together, the articles charge that President Trump has placed his personal, political interests above our national security, our free and fair elections and our systems of checks and balances. He has engaged in a pattern of misconduct that will continue if left unchecked," the Judiciary Committee writes in the report. "Accordingly, President Trump should be impeached and removed from office."
The Democrats also argue that Trump committed crimes, even if they aren't explicitly outlined in the articles of impeachment.
"While there is no need for a crime to be proven in order for impeachment to be warranted, here, President Trump's scheme or course of conduct also encompassed other offenses, both constitutional and criminal in character, and it is appropriate for the Committee to recognize such offenses in assessing the question of impeachment," the report states. "President Trump's abuse of power encompassed both the constitutional offense of 'Bribery' and multiple federal crimes. He has betrayed the national interest, the people of this Nation, and should not be permitted to be above the law. It is therefore all the more vital that he be removed from office."
Republicans pushed back, with Ranking Member Doug Collins (R-GA) blasting Democrats for deciding to “pursue impeachment first and build a case second" based on hearsay and assumptions.
"The facts are contested, and, in many areas, the majority's claims are directly contradicted by the evidence," the minority wrote, adding that "not one of the criminal accusations leveled at the president over the past year—including bribery, extortion, collusion/conspiracy with foreign enemies, or obstruction of justice—has found a place in the articles. Some of these arguments are just holdovers from an earlier disingenuous attempt by the majority to weaponized the Russia collusion investigation for political gain."
The actions taken by the Democrats during their sham impeachment process were "unprecedented, unjustifiable, and will only dilute the significance of the dire recourse that is impeachment," the minority wrote.
The full House is expected to vote on the articles of impeachment this week.
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