In an effort to more formally authorize procedures for the impeachment investigation against President Donald Trump, House Democrats on Tuesday unveiled an eight page plan setting out processes for public hearings, witness testimony, requests for witnesses from Republicans, transcripts, and other actions, readying for a Thursday House vote.
The resolution allows six different House committees "to continue their ongoing investigations as part of the existing House of Representatives inquiry into whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise its Constitutional power to impeach Donald John Trump, President of the United States of America."
The plan from Democrats makes the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee - Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) - the point man for the House, giving him the power to call hearings, and deal with requests by Republicans for their own witnesses as well.
At the end of the process, materials gathered by Schiff's panel and four others would be submitted to the Judiciary Committee, for work on any actual articles of impeachment.
The plan does not have any dates for when proceedings would begin or end, as top Democrats have said it's not clear if this investigation and impeachment effort will run into 2020.
“None of us came to Congress to impeach a president – but each of us took a solemn oath to protect and defend the Constitution,” said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), the chair of the House Rules Committee, which will vote on this plan on Wednesday.
After Republicans had called for weeks for the House to hold a formal vote on impeachment, GOP lawmakers gave this plan the quick back of the hand.
“This resolution is a bogus attempt to legitimize an “impeachment” effort that doesn’t offer real fairness, due process, or transparency,” said Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA), the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee.
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