Winners and losers from impeachment and acquittal of Donald Trump

The White House said on Wednesday it was confident the US Senate would exonerate President Donald Trump in a trial after the House of Representatives voted to impeach him for abusing his power and obstructing Congress, reported news agency Reuters.

The White House said on Wednesday it was confident the US Senate would exonerate President Donald Trump in a trial after the House of Representatives voted to impeach him for abusing his power and obstructing Congress, reported news agency Reuters. "Today marks the culmination in the House of one of the most shameful political episodes in the history of our nation. Without receiving a single Republican vote, and without providing any proof of wrongdoing, Democrats pushed illegitimate articles of impeachment against the president through the House of Representatives," the report added quoting a statement from the White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham. "The president is confident the Senate will restore regular order, fairness, and due process, all of which were ignored in the House proceedings. He is prepared for the next steps and confident that he will be fully exonerated," she added. (With inputs from Reuters)

White House says it is confident President Trump will be exonerated after impeachment 

US President Donald Trump on Thursday blasted the Democrats and said that the party is "consumed with hatred" after he was impeached Wednesday for abuse of power and obstructing Congress.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday blasted the Democrats and said that the party is "consumed with hatred" after he was impeached Wednesday for abuse of power and obstructing Congress. "While we're creating jobs and fighting for Michigan, the radical Left in Congress is consumed with envy and hatred and rage, you see what's going on," the Republican leader said at a campaign rally in the state. "These people are crazy," he added. × Trump accused the Democratic Party, which controls the House of Representatives where the votes took place, of "trying to nullify the ballots of tens of millions of patriotic Americans." "This lawless, partisan impeachment is a political suicide march for the Democrat Party," Trump told a rollicking rally for his re-election campaign in Michigan just as the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives voted to impeach him. He said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democrats had given themselves an "eternal mark of shame" and that tens of millions of people will show up next year to overturn Democratic control of the House and "vote Pelosi the hell out of office." "They're the ones who should be impeached, every one of them," he said of Democrats. (With inputs from agencies)

Impeached US President Trump says Democrats 'consumed with hatred'

Democrats in the US House of Representatives were expected to unveil two articles of impeachment against Republican President Donald Trump on Tuesday, a senior Democratic aide said, setting the stage for a possible vote this week on impeachment.

Democrats in the US House of Representatives were expected to unveil two articles of impeachment against Republican President Donald Trump on Tuesday, a senior Democratic aide said, setting the stage for a possible vote this week on impeachment. The House aide spoke on condition of anonymity on Monday night and declined to give any details. Democrats were expected to draft articles of impeachment on abuse of power and on obstruction of Congress, the aide told. The Washington Post first reported the expected articles, citing three unidentified officials. Democratic committee leaders met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi after the last scheduled impeachment hearing concluded on Monday evening. Pelosi's office announced later that the House Committee officials will hold a press conference on Tuesday morning to announce the next steps in the impeachment inquiry. Trump is accused of pressuring Ukraine to initiate a probe of a Democratic political rival and then of obstructing Congress' efforts to investigate his actions. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel said Democratic lawmakers planned to make an announcement on articles of impeachment on Tuesday morning. He would not elaborate as he left Pelosi's office. Jerrold Nadler, the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, closed the nine-hour hearing on Monday with a condemnation of Trump's actions soliciting help from Ukraine against Democratic 2020 US presidential rival Joe Biden. Democrats described Trump's actions as a "clear and present danger" to national security and the upcoming US election. "The facts are clear. The danger to our democracy is clear and our duty is clear," Nadler said in his closing statement. The Judiciary panel could vote this week on whether to send formal charges, known as articles of impeachment, to the full Democratic-led House. If the House approves the articles, as expected, the Republican-controlled Senate would hold a trial to decide whether to remove the president from office. A conviction is considered unlikely. Trump denies wrongdoing and has called the impeachment probe a hoax. 'Desperate' Monday's hearing was punctuated by shouting and recriminations from Trump's fellow Republicans, unhappy with the process they said was unfair. Republicans accused Democrats of embarking on a politically driven mission to oust Trump from office without direct evidence he had abused his power, obstructed Congress or committed other impeachable offences. "They're desperate to have an impeachment vote on this president," said Representative Doug Collins, the top Republican on the panel. Republicans said there was no proof Trump improperly pressured Ukraine to investigate Biden. They also argued there was no first-hand evidence Trump withheld $391 million in military aid or a White House meeting to get his Ukrainian counterpart to investigate Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, as well as a debunked theory that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 U.S. election. Republicans repeatedly called for testimony by Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, whose panel led the investigation and held five days of hearings last month. Nadler rejected Republicans' request to call Schiff as a witness, so Republicans put up a poster with his picture on a milk carton under the word, "Missing." The White House has refused to participate in the hearings in the House because it says the process is unfair. Nadler denied Republicans' request for eight witnesses to appear before the inquiry, saying they were either not necessary for Monday's hearing or beyond the scope of the inquiry. 'Help our country' Democrats accuse Trump of abusing his power by withholding aid to Ukraine, vulnerable as it faced Russian aggression, as well as dangling a possible White House meeting to get Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to launch the probes. They appeared to back away from basing one of the articles of impeachment on former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election. The report identified multiple contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia but did not establish there was collusion to sway the election. Daniel Goldman, the majority counsel for the House Intelligence Committee, picked up on Democrats' argument that leaving Trump in office would hurt the country. "Trump's persistent and continuing effort to coerce a foreign country to help him cheat to win an election is a clear and present danger to our free and fair elections and to our national security," Goldman said during Monday's hearing. Stephen Castor, a Republican lawyer, said facts that Democrats have presented as damning could be explained in other ways. He told the panel that Trump asked Zelenskiy for the investigations in a July 25 call not to serve his own political interests but to "help our country move forward from the divisiveness of the Russia collusion investigation." Separately, the US Justice Department's internal watchdog said on Monday it found numerous errors but no evidence of political bias by the FBI in opening a probe into contacts between Trump's presidential campaign and Russia in 2016.

US Democrats expected to unveil two articles of impeachment against Trump

Democrats in the US&nbsp;House of Representatives will spend the weekend on Capitol Hill preparing for what could be the final week of their months-old impeachment inquiry that has imperiled <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-win-impeachment-fight-us-president-donald-trump-266504">Donald Trump's presidency</a>.

The House Judiciary Committee's Democratic lawmakers are due to meet on Saturday and Sunday behind closed doors to sift through evidence against the Republican president and draft formal charges, known as articles of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-has-abused-power-us-house-to-draft-impeachment-charges-against-him-nancy-pelosi-266490">impeachment</a>, that the panel could recommend for a full House vote as early as Thursday.

On Friday, the White House told committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler it would not take part in the panel's hearings and condemned the inquiry as "completely baseless."

Nadler expressed disappointment in a statement: "The American people deserve answers from President Trump."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi directed the committee to draw up the charges on Thursday after weeks of investigation into Trump's request that Ukraine investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading contender for the Democratic nomination to face the president in the 2020 US&nbsp;election.

Passage of formal charges in the Democratic-led House, now seen as all but certain, would lead to a trial in the Senate on whether to remove Trump from office. The Republicans who control the Senate have shown little sign of supporting Trump's removal.

While Trump has refused to cooperate with the House probe, he has made clear his lawyers will mount a defense in a Senate trial, where he believes he will prevail.

The Judiciary Committee is focused on two possible articles of impeachment that would accuse the president of abuse of power in his dealings with Ukraine and obstruction of Congress for refusing to cooperate with investigating committees.

Democrats also need to settle the question of whether to draft a third article alleging obstruction of justice based on former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on the federal investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

"That's something that we'll decide this weekend," Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell told reporters on Friday.

The probe has focused on a July 25 telephone call in which Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to open an investigation into Biden and his son Hunter, and into a discredited theory promoted by Trump and his allies that Ukraine, not Russia, meddled in the 2016 election.

Hunter Biden joined the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma while his father was vice president. Trump has accused the Bidens of corruption. They have denied wrongdoing and the allegations have not been substantiated.

Democrats also have accused Trump of abusing his power by withholding $391 million in security aid to Ukraine - a vulnerable US&nbsp;ally facing Russian aggression - and holding back a coveted White House meeting with Zelenskiy as leverage to pressure Kiev into investigating the Bidens.

The Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing on Monday. Republicans have also called for a full day of proceedings to examine their own evidence, including a 110-page report saying the inquiry had found no evidence of an impeachable offense.

They have presented their own list of requested witnesses, including Hunter Biden and the anonymous whistleblower whose complaint sparked the impeachment inquiry. Nadler is considered unlikely to call them to testify.

Trump is the fourth US&nbsp;president to face impeachment proceedings. None were removed from office, although Richard Nixon resigned as he faced almost certain impeachment in 1974 over the Watergate scandal. 
&nbsp;

Democrats in the US House of Representatives will spend the weekend on Capitol Hill preparing for what could be the final week of their months-old impeachment inquiry that has imperiled Donald Trump's presidency.

Democrats in the US House of Representatives will spend the weekend on Capitol Hill preparing for what could be the final week of their months-old impeachment inquiry that has imperiled Donald Trump's presidency. The House Judiciary Committee's Democratic lawmakers are due to meet on Saturday and Sunday behind closed doors to sift through evidence against the Republican president and draft formal charges, known as articles of impeachment, that the panel could recommend for a full House vote as early as Thursday. On Friday, the White House told committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler it would not take part in the panel's hearings and condemned the inquiry as "completely baseless." Nadler expressed disappointment in a statement: "The American people deserve answers from President Trump." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi directed the committee to draw up the charges on Thursday after weeks of investigation into Trump's request that Ukraine investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading contender for the Democratic nomination to face the president in the 2020 US election. Passage of formal charges in the Democratic-led House, now seen as all but certain, would lead to a trial in the Senate on whether to remove Trump from office. The Republicans who control the Senate have shown little sign of supporting Trump's removal. While Trump has refused to cooperate with the House probe, he has made clear his lawyers will mount a defense in a Senate trial, where he believes he will prevail. The Judiciary Committee is focused on two possible articles of impeachment that would accuse the president of abuse of power in his dealings with Ukraine and obstruction of Congress for refusing to cooperate with investigating committees. Democrats also need to settle the question of whether to draft a third article alleging obstruction of justice based on former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on the federal investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. "That's something that we'll decide this weekend," Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell told reporters on Friday. The probe has focused on a July 25 telephone call in which Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to open an investigation into Biden and his son Hunter, and into a discredited theory promoted by Trump and his allies that Ukraine, not Russia, meddled in the 2016 election. Hunter Biden joined the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma while his father was vice president. Trump has accused the Bidens of corruption. They have denied wrongdoing and the allegations have not been substantiated. Democrats also have accused Trump of abusing his power by withholding $391 million in security aid to Ukraine - a vulnerable US ally facing Russian aggression - and holding back a coveted White House meeting with Zelenskiy as leverage to pressure Kiev into investigating the Bidens. The Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing on Monday. Republicans have also called for a full day of proceedings to examine their own evidence, including a 110-page report saying the inquiry had found no evidence of an impeachable offense. They have presented their own list of requested witnesses, including Hunter Biden and the anonymous whistleblower whose complaint sparked the impeachment inquiry. Nadler is considered unlikely to call them to testify. Trump is the fourth US president to face impeachment proceedings. None were removed from office, although Richard Nixon resigned as he faced almost certain impeachment in 1974 over the Watergate scandal.

Democrats to spend weekend drafting impeachment charges against Donald Trump

A US congressional panel on Friday gave President Donald Trump one week to say whether his legal counsel intends to introduce evidence and call witnesses in upcoming impeachment proceedings that could lead to formal charges of misconduct within a few weeks.

The Democratic-led House Judiciary Committee, which is due to begin weighing possible articles of impeachment against Trump next week, sent a two-page letter to the president setting a deadline of 5 pm EDT (2200 GMT) on December&nbsp;6 for the president's counsel to specify intended actions under the committee's impeachment procedures.

The procedures set out rules by which the president can call witnesses, introduce evidence and make presentations.

Panel Democratic Chairman Jerrold Nadler set the same deadline for Republican lawmakers on the committee to notify him about intended witnesses and evidence and scheduled a December 9 meeting to consider the matter.

The Judiciary panel is expected to hold a series of impeachment proceedings, including an initial hearing on Wednesday at which legal experts are due to testify about the constitutional grounds for impeachment. The committee invited Trump to participate in the hearing and gave him until 6 pm EST (2300 GMT) on Sunday to say whether he or his legal team would attend.

The impeachment probe is looking into whether Trump abused his power to pressure Ukraine to launch investigations of political rival Joe Biden and a discredited conspiracy theory promoted by Trump that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 US presidential election.

After weeks of closed-door witness depositions and televised hearings, three investigating panels led by the House Intelligence Committee are due to release a formal report soon after lawmakers return to Congress on Tuesday from a Thanksgiving recess. The report will outline evidence gathered by lawmakers on the panel, along with those on the Foreign Affairs and Oversight committees.

After Wednesday, the Judiciary panel, which could recommend a full House impeachment vote before Christmas, is expected to hold a hearing to examine the evidence report and further proceedings to consider formal articles of impeachment.

House Democrats aim to resolve the question of Trump's impeachment by Christmas. If the House impeaches him, the Republican-controlled Senate would hold a trial to determine whether he should be convicted and removed from office.

Political analysts say the ultimate verdict will come in next year's US elections for president and Congress, and candidates from both parties have used the impeachment issue to ramp up their campaigns.

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who launched the impeachment inquiry on Sept. 24, on Friday asked supporters in an email from her campaign committee to condemn Trump's actions.

"President Trump used taxpayer money to bribe foreign countries to influence the 2020 elections for his own political gain," she said in the email which asked recipients to register their disapproval on her campaign website.

A US congressional panel on Friday gave President Donald Trump one week to say whether his legal counsel intends to introduce evidence and call witnesses in upcoming impeachment proceedings that could lead to formal charges of misconduct within a few weeks.

A US congressional panel on Friday gave President Donald Trump one week to say whether his legal counsel intends to introduce evidence and call witnesses in upcoming impeachment proceedings that could lead to formal charges of misconduct within a few weeks. The Democratic-led House Judiciary Committee, which is due to begin weighing possible articles of impeachment against Trump next week, sent a two-page letter to the president setting a deadline of 5 pm EDT (2200 GMT) on December 6 for the president's counsel to specify intended actions under the committee's impeachment procedures. The procedures set out rules by which the president can call witnesses, introduce evidence and make presentations. Panel Democratic Chairman Jerrold Nadler set the same deadline for Republican lawmakers on the committee to notify him about intended witnesses and evidence and scheduled a December 9 meeting to consider the matter. The Judiciary panel is expected to hold a series of impeachment proceedings, including an initial hearing on Wednesday at which legal experts are due to testify about the constitutional grounds for impeachment. The committee invited Trump to participate in the hearing and gave him until 6 pm EST (2300 GMT) on Sunday to say whether he or his legal team would attend. The impeachment probe is looking into whether Trump abused his power to pressure Ukraine to launch investigations of political rival Joe Biden and a discredited conspiracy theory promoted by Trump that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 US presidential election. After weeks of closed-door witness depositions and televised hearings, three investigating panels led by the House Intelligence Committee are due to release a formal report soon after lawmakers return to Congress on Tuesday from a Thanksgiving recess. The report will outline evidence gathered by lawmakers on the panel, along with those on the Foreign Affairs and Oversight committees. After Wednesday, the Judiciary panel, which could recommend a full House impeachment vote before Christmas, is expected to hold a hearing to examine the evidence report and further proceedings to consider formal articles of impeachment. House Democrats aim to resolve the question of Trump's impeachment by Christmas. If the House impeaches him, the Republican-controlled Senate would hold a trial to determine whether he should be convicted and removed from office. Political analysts say the ultimate verdict will come in next year's US elections for president and Congress, and candidates from both parties have used the impeachment issue to ramp up their campaigns. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who launched the impeachment inquiry on Sept. 24, on Friday asked supporters in an email from her campaign committee to condemn Trump's actions. "President Trump used taxpayer money to bribe foreign countries to influence the 2020 elections for his own political gain," she said in the email which asked recipients to register their disapproval on her campaign website.

US panel sets deadline for Trump to decide participation in impeachment hearings

Democratic US lawmakers have begun the next step in the impeachment enquiry into President Donald Trump - writing a report on their findings - but still could take more testimony and hold additional hearings, the chairman of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee said on Sunday.

Democratic US lawmakers have begun the next step in the impeachment enquiry into President Donald Trump - writing a report on their findings - but still could take more testimony and hold additional hearings, the chairman of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee said on Sunday. Representative Adam Schiff, whose committee is leading the inquiry that threatens Trump's presidency, said the panel has started work on the report after two weeks of public hearings with testimony from current and former US officials. The panel has held five public hearings and has no more scheduled. The report is an important step toward a possible vote in the Democratic-led House on articles of impeachment - formal charges - against the Republican president. If those are approved, the Senate, controlled by Republicans, would then hold a trial on whether to convict Trump and remove him from office. Republicans have shown little inclination toward removing Trump, who is seeking re-election in 2020. The inquiry centres on a July 25 phone call in which Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate political rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden as well as a discredited conspiracy theory promoted by Trump that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 US presidential election. Hunter Biden had worked for Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company. "We don't foreclose the possibility of more depositions, more hearings. We are in the process of getting more documents all the time. So that investigative work is being done," Schiff said on CNN's "State of the Union." "What we're not prepared to do is wait months and months while the administration plays a game of 'rope a dope' in an effort to try to stall. We're not willing to go down that road." Schiff said. Democrats have accused Trump of abusing his power by pressuring a vulnerable US ally to interfere in an American election by digging up dirt on his domestic political opponents. Biden is a leading contender for the Democratic nomination to face Trump in the November 2020 election. With the first party nominating contests set for February, "there's an urgency to make sure the election and the ballot box have integrity," Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell, an Intelligence Committee member, told the "Fox News Sunday" program. Trump's administration has refused to provide documents requested by House Democrats and blocked witnesses from testifying, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former national security adviser John Bolton and acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. The president's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, also has refused to cooperate. Bolton and other officials have sought court rulings on whether they should comply with a congressional subpoena or honour the Trump administration's order not to testify, a process that could take months. Republicans defend Trump Trump has said he did nothing wrong and dismisses the inquiry as politically motivated. Many Republicans in Congress have rallied to his defence and assailed the Democrats leading the inquiry. There were "no impeachable offences" and no direct evidence against the president, Representative Elise Stefanik, a Republican Intelligence Committee member, told the Fox News program "Sunday Morning Futures." Schiff said the committee is learning more every day but the evidence already collected is so "overwhelming and uncontested" that Democratic lawmakers decided to begin writing a report on the findings for transmission to the House Judiciary Committee, which would draft any articles of impeachment. "Even as we compile this report, even as we submit evidence to the Judiciary Committee, we're going to continue our investigation," Schiff said on NBC's "Meet the Press" program. The Judiciary Committee could conduct more proceedings if needed, including hearings, that allow Trump and his counsel to participate. The panel would draft any articles of impeachment against Trump before they would go to the full House for a vote. Democrats also are looking into whether Trump's decision to withhold $391 million in security aid to Ukraine was intended to pressure Kiev into conducting the two investigations that could benefit Trump politically. The money - approved by the US Congress to help Ukraine combat Russia-backed separatists in the eastern part of the country - was later provided to Kiev in September after the controversy had spilt into public view. Schiff said his committee has been in touch with federal prosecutors in Manhattan about the possibility of getting witness testimony from Lev Parnas, an indicted Ukrainian-American businessman who has ties to Giuliani. Parnas, who has already been subpoenaed for documents, had worked with Giuliani at a time when Trump's lawyer was pushing for Ukraine to conduct the two investigations. A lawyer for Parnas has said he would comply with the document request and is willing to appear before the House panel.

Senior Democrat says next step underway in Trump impeachment probe

The top US diplomat in Ukraine, in gripping public testimony at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/impeachment-witness-trumps-lawyer-rudy-guilliani-guided-irregular-ukraine-policy-channel-261903">historic impeachment hearing into President Donald Trump</a>, levelled a stark new accusation Wednesday about White House efforts to pressure Kiev to investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden.

William Taylor, the acting US ambassador to Ukraine, told the House Intelligence Committee, which is conducting the hearings, that he was told Trump cared more about the probe into his likely 2020 rival than he did about Ukraine.

Trump is accused by Democrats in the House of Representatives of abusing his power by using US military aid to pressure Kiev into opening an investigation into Biden and his son Hunter, who served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company.

Trump, who maintains he did nothing wrong, dismissed the impeachment inquiry as a "witch hunt" and said he was too busy to watch the first televised hearings.

Taylor, who testified in a closed hearing last month, said he had since become aware of a telephone call between Trump and Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, that was overheard by a member of Taylor's staff.

Taylor said the staff member heard Trump asking Sondland about the status of the investigations. He said the staff member asked Sondland after the call what Trump thought about Ukraine.

"Ambassador Sondland responded that President Trump cared more about the investigations of Biden," Taylor said.

In his opening statement, Taylor recalled his opposition to making US military aid to Ukraine contingent on Ukraine opening an investigation of the Bidens.

"Withholding security assistance in exchange for help with a domestic political campaign in the United States would be crazy," he said. "I believed that then and I believe it now."

Taylor said an "irregular policy channel" involving former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, Trump's personal attorney, was pushing for the Ukrainian probe into the Bidens.

'Scorched-earth war'

Democrats who control the House plan to prove over several weeks of hearings that Trump abused his office by asking Ukraine to investigate the Bidens.

The investigation threatens to make Trump only the third US president to be impeached, after Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998, although to be removed from office he would need to be convicted by the Republican-led Senate.

Neither Johnson or Clinton was convicted and removed. But in 1974 Richard Nixon resigned in the face of certain impeachment and removal from office for the Watergate scandal.

Opening the inquiry Wednesday morning, House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff, the California congressman overseeing the probe, said "there are few actions as consequential as the impeachment of a president."

"The questions presented by this impeachment inquiry are whether President Trump sought to exploit (Ukraine's) vulnerability and invite Ukraine's interference in our elections," Schiff said. "If this is not impeachable conduct, what is?"

Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee, hit back by accusing Democrats of waging a "scorched-earth war against President Trump" and a "carefully orchestrated media smear campaign."

"It's nothing more than an impeachment process in search of a crime," Nunes said.

Taylor and George Kent, deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, have already testified in private that Trump used US military aid to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to open an investigation into the Bidens.

"I do not believe the United States should ask other countries to engage in selective politically associated investigations or prosecutions against opponents of those in power because such selective actions undermine the rule of law regardless of the country," Kent said in his opening statement Wednesday.

Speaking minutes before the hearing, Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House, said the probe was necessary to show Trump he can't do "whatever he wants."

"That he is not above the law," Pelosi said. "And that he will be held accountable."&nbsp;

Slim majority favor impeachment

Coming just one year before national elections, the hearings carry great risks for both parties and no certain reward, with a divided US electorate weary of Washington infighting.

Polls show a slim majority of Americans favor impeaching the president.&nbsp;

But they also show that Trump's sizable voter base, which delivered his shock victory in 2016, rejects the allegations.

Republicans have sought, in closed door depositions over the last six weeks, to refocus attention on Biden's link, through his son, to Ukraine, and on the widely discredited theory Trump apparently believes that Ukraine assisted Democrats in the 2016 election.

Democrats have amassed evidence that Trump sought to leverage Zelensky's desire for a meeting between the two leaders and for some $391 million in aid to get Ukraine to find dirt on Biden, who could face Trump in next year's presidential election.

The key evidence is the official White House transcript of a July 25 phone call showing Trump pressuring Zelensky to open investigations into Biden and the 2016 conspiracy theory.

The top US diplomat in Ukraine, in gripping public testimony at the historic impeachment hearing into President Donald Trump, levelled a stark new accusation Wednesday about White House efforts to pressure Kiev to investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden.

The top US diplomat in Ukraine, in gripping public testimony at the historic impeachment hearing into President Donald Trump, levelled a stark new accusation Wednesday about White House efforts to pressure Kiev to investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden. William Taylor, the acting US ambassador to Ukraine, told the House Intelligence Committee, which is conducting the hearings, that he was told Trump cared more about the probe into his likely 2020 rival than he did about Ukraine. Trump is accused by Democrats in the House of Representatives of abusing his power by using US military aid to pressure Kiev into opening an investigation into Biden and his son Hunter, who served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company. Trump, who maintains he did nothing wrong, dismissed the impeachment inquiry as a "witch hunt" and said he was too busy to watch the first televised hearings. Taylor, who testified in a closed hearing last month, said he had since become aware of a telephone call between Trump and Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, that was overheard by a member of Taylor's staff. Taylor said the staff member heard Trump asking Sondland about the status of the investigations. He said the staff member asked Sondland after the call what Trump thought about Ukraine. "Ambassador Sondland responded that President Trump cared more about the investigations of Biden," Taylor said. In his opening statement, Taylor recalled his opposition to making US military aid to Ukraine contingent on Ukraine opening an investigation of the Bidens. "Withholding security assistance in exchange for help with a domestic political campaign in the United States would be crazy," he said. "I believed that then and I believe it now." Taylor said an "irregular policy channel" involving former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, Trump's personal attorney, was pushing for the Ukrainian probe into the Bidens. 'Scorched-earth war' Democrats who control the House plan to prove over several weeks of hearings that Trump abused his office by asking Ukraine to investigate the Bidens. The investigation threatens to make Trump only the third US president to be impeached, after Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998, although to be removed from office he would need to be convicted by the Republican-led Senate. Neither Johnson or Clinton was convicted and removed. But in 1974 Richard Nixon resigned in the face of certain impeachment and removal from office for the Watergate scandal. Opening the inquiry Wednesday morning, House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff, the California congressman overseeing the probe, said "there are few actions as consequential as the impeachment of a president." "The questions presented by this impeachment inquiry are whether President Trump sought to exploit (Ukraine's) vulnerability and invite Ukraine's interference in our elections," Schiff said. "If this is not impeachable conduct, what is?" Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee, hit back by accusing Democrats of waging a "scorched-earth war against President Trump" and a "carefully orchestrated media smear campaign." "It's nothing more than an impeachment process in search of a crime," Nunes said. Taylor and George Kent, deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, have already testified in private that Trump used US military aid to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to open an investigation into the Bidens. "I do not believe the United States should ask other countries to engage in selective politically associated investigations or prosecutions against opponents of those in power because such selective actions undermine the rule of law regardless of the country," Kent said in his opening statement Wednesday. Speaking minutes before the hearing, Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House, said the probe was necessary to show Trump he can't do "whatever he wants." "That he is not above the law," Pelosi said. "And that he will be held accountable." Slim majority favor impeachment Coming just one year before national elections, the hearings carry great risks for both parties and no certain reward, with a divided US electorate weary of Washington infighting. Polls show a slim majority of Americans favor impeaching the president. But they also show that Trump's sizable voter base, which delivered his shock victory in 2016, rejects the allegations. Republicans have sought, in closed door depositions over the last six weeks, to refocus attention on Biden's link, through his son, to Ukraine, and on the widely discredited theory Trump apparently believes that Ukraine assisted Democrats in the 2016 election. Democrats have amassed evidence that Trump sought to leverage Zelensky's desire for a meeting between the two leaders and for some $391 million in aid to get Ukraine to find dirt on Biden, who could face Trump in next year's presidential election. The key evidence is the official White House transcript of a July 25 phone call showing Trump pressuring Zelensky to open investigations into Biden and the 2016 conspiracy theory.