Donald Trump impeachment trial could be SCRAPPED as panicking Democrats get cold feet about charges
THE impeachment trial of Donald Trump could be scrapped amid doubts in the Democratic Party over its chances of success.
The president is currently facing accusations that he abused his office by pressuring Ukraine to launch an investigation into the son of Joe Biden, his likely 2020 election rival.
Congress is hearing evidence from witnesses to the alleged activity, but a new has shown public support for the process unchanged since it began.
It found that 50 percent in favour of Mr Trump's removal from office compared to 43 percent against, the same levels as when the inquiry got underway last month.
Supporters of impeachment have argued that the poll still shows Americans overall in favour, but it has added to concerns that impeachment is unlikely to receive the necessary support in the Republican-controlled Senate.
Impeachment will be expected to be backed by the House of Representatives, where the Democrats currently hold 233 of 435 seats, but would require a two-thirds majority in the Senate, where Trump's Republicans hold 53 of 100 seats.
The two-thirds rule means that at least 20 Republicans, as well as all Democrats and the Senate's two independents, would have to back impeachment.
Public impeachment inquiry so far
- US President Trump is accused of trying to press Ukraine into investigating political rival Joe Biden
- American diplomat Bill Taylor alleges Trump's personal lawyer handled a "highly irregular" foreign policy back channel in Ukraine
- Republicans mocked "star witness" Taylor for having no personal contact with the president
- Trump said he was not watching the hearings, calling them a "witch hunt" and "a hoax"
- Democrats defeat motion to make "whistleblower" testify to the hearing
- Republican Devin Nunes accused Democrats of trying to obtain nude pictures of Trump
- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Trump's actions with Ukraine amounted to bribery
- A memo of a conversation between Trump and the Ukrainian president was released
- Tweets by Trump attacking a witness, ex-diplomat Marie Yovanovitch brings hearing to halt
- November poll shows 50 percent of Americans in favour of impeachment and 43 percent against, unchanged since inquiry began in October
Adam Schiff, the Democrat chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, is due to send a report outlining potential articles of impeachment - the equivalent to charges in a criminal case - to the House Judiciary Committee, which will approve the articles to be put to a vote.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the investigation in September after a whistleblower alleged Trump threatened to withhold military aid from Ukraine during a phone call with president Volodymyr Zelensky in July.
Pelosi is yet to confirm that House Democrats will go through with a vote to send the case to the Senate, though is facing calls to instead pursue a so-called motion of censure.
A motion of censure is a device Congress can use to express strong disapproval of the behaviour or conduct of a public official.
It has no direct implications for the validity of the presidency, nor any other legal consequences, and so would be more likely to attract bipartisan support.
What is impeachment and how does it work?
IMPEACHMENT is a formal charge of serious wrongdoing against a holder of public office in the United States.
It is one of the few ways a sitting president can be kicked out of the White House before an election.
The US Constitution states a president "shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanours".
The "sole power of impeachment" is held by the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Congress.
A simple majority is required - i.e. more than half of Representatives must vote to impeach the president.
Then the case would be tried by the Senate, the upper chamber of Congress, where a two-thirds majority is needed.
While the Senate is still controlled by the Republicans, with 53 of the 100 seats, the Democrats have control of the House of Representatives, with 235 of the 435 seats.
This means that it's possible for the House of Representatives to pass a vote to impeach the president.
However, a two-thirds majority of 67 Senators voting to impeach Trump would still be needed in the Senate when it is tried.
Speaking on Sunday, Brenda Lawrence, a Democratic congresswoman from Michigan, said: “I want to censure.
"I want it on the record that the House of Representatives did their job and they told this president and any president coming behind him that this is unacceptable behaviour and, under our constitution, we will not allow it.
"We are so close to an election. I will tell you, sitting here knowing how divided this country is, I don’t see the value of taking him out of office."
Her office followed up the interview, however, with a statement making clear that she still backed impeachment.
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The president has repeatedly sought to discredit the process, tweeting yesterday that it was a "Democrat Scam that is going nowhere", adding: "What has happened to me should never happen to another president!"
Speaking as a rally in Florida, he also called the inquiry a "witch hunt" and claimed that Americans knew the case against him was "bulls**t".
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