House Democrats are reportedly considering multiple articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump that include charges of abuse of power and contempt of Congress, say sources familiar with the deliberations.
As impeachment inquiry proceedings are scheduled to go public on Wednesday, Democrats are reportedly considering the abuse of power charges for the president’s alleged effort to push Ukraine’s government to investigate former President Joe Biden and son Hunter Biden, in addition to alleged interference in the 2016 election, ABC News reported.
Also, a contempt of Congress charge is being considered as well because of the White House’s refusal to allow certain witnesses who have been subpoenaed by various congressional committees to testify as part of the impeachment probe.
The network’s sources also said Democrats are considering an obstruction of justice charge as well related to the president’s effort to obstruct former special counsel Robert Mueller’s ‘Russiagate’ investigation.
Sources said that any formal charges will stem from the ongoing impeachment inquiry.
In the past, Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton also faced multiple impeachment allegations, though Nixon resigned from office before he was formally charged over his role in ordering and covering up a break-in at the Democratic National Committee’s Watergate Hotel office.
Formal impeachment articles would be voted out of the House Judiciary Committee, which could happen after the panel reviews all information.
If they return articles of impeachment, those will then go to the full House for a vote. All that is needed to approve them is a majority; then, an impeachment trial would be held in the Senate.
“The focus is on what’s in front of us right now: making the public case about the president’s abuse of power and his actions to undermine the 2020 election,” a senior Democratic leadership aide told ABC News.