The president poses a 'threat to our national security': Rep. Nadler - ABC News

The full House is expected to vote on articles of impeachment Wednesday.

December 15, 2019, 2:32 PM

4 min read

Two leading Democrats on Sunday defended the impeachment proceedings against President Trump, arguing that the action was necessary for future elections and national security.

"This president conspired, sought foreign interference in the 2016 election," House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said on ABC's "This Week." "He is openly seeking interference in the 2020 election and he poses a continuing threat to our national security and to the integrity of our elections to our democratic system itself. We cannot permit that to continue."

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said the recent trip to Ukraine by Rudy Giuliani, the president's personal lawyer, was troublesome.

"It's a clear and present danger, I think, to our democracy and not something we can turn away from because the Republicans in the House refuse to do their duty and continue to put the president above their constitutional obligation," he said.

In a historic vote, the House Judiciary Committee voted on Friday along party lines to approve two articles of impeachment, one on abuse of power and the other on obstruction of justice against President Donald Trump.

The articles of impeachment will be sent to the House Rules Committee, which will formalize the floor debate on the charges, and then to the full House of Representatives, with a vote expected Wednesday.

"Today is a solemn and sad day," Nadler said in brief remarks to reporters after the vote. "For the third time in a little over a century and a half, the House Judiciary Committee has voted articles of impeachment against the president for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The House will act expeditiously."

Trump called the impeachment vote a "witch hunt," "a sham" and a "hoax" on Friday.

"Nothing was done wrong. Zero was done wrong," he said. "I think it's a horrible thing to be using the tool of impeachment, which is supposed to be used in an emergency."

During Democrat's announcement of the articles of impeachment, Schiff echoed other lawmakers' comments on the solemnity of the moment and responded to criticism that Democrats rushed the impeachment inquiry.

"The argument -- why don't you just wait -- amounts to this: why don't you just let him cheat in one more election? Why not let him cheat just one more time? Why not let him have foreign help just one more time?" he said.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.