Groundwork for Trump's impeachment gets underway

The US House Committee on the Judiciary will vote this week on an impeachment investigation procedures related to the potential removal from office of President Donald Trump.

The House Judiciary Committee will vote on Thursday on a “resolution for investigative procedures” governing what Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) described as an “investigation to determine whether to recommend articles of impeachment.”

The resolution sets up procedures for the questioning of witnesses by committee staff and allows Judiciary subcommittees to be involved in the process, and it requires Trump’s lawyers to be allowed to respond in writing.

If the resolution is approved, it will signal an escalation of the committee’s long-existing probe into alleged obstruction of justice and corruption charges against Trump.

Fresh approach: Self-dealing Trump

In recent weeks senior Democrats have shifted their focus from the alleged Trump-Russia collusion towards reports that Trump is using his presidency to enrich himself, possibly in violation of the US Constitution.

Now, questions have been raised on a range of charges against Trump including campaign-finance crimes to abuses of power.

Nadler said that in addition to examining episodes of possible obstruction laid out by former special counsel Robert Mueller in the Russia case, his committee will look into accusations that Trump profited from government trips in which administration officials used taxpayer dollars to stay at his family-owned hotels and he also violated campaign finance laws by paying hush money to two women claiming they had affairs with him more than a decade ago.

“Trump’s crimes and corruption extend beyond what is detailed in the Mueller report. The President is in violation of the emoluments clauses of the Constitution as he works to enrich himself, putting the safety and security of our Nation at risk,” Nadler said in a statement on Monday.

Pro-impeachment Democrats are hoping that the fresh approach focused on Trump's alleged self-dealing and corruption will give their move to oust Trump the momentum required to succeed.

“The Mueller report has clearly been muddled ... and corruption is pretty easy to understand," noted Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky.).

In the meantime, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and other top Democratic leaders, while voicing support for Nadler's move, have stressed that the only way to move forward on impeachment efforts is to gain support from both the public and Republicans on Capitol Hill.

PressTV-Trump begging Democrats for impeachment: Pelosi

US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi says Donald Trump is begging the Democrats to launch impeachment proceedings against him.

When the House reconvened after a six-week summer recess on Monday, Pelosi sought to focus the public’s attention on the Democrats’ strategy in regard to Trump's impeachment.

“We’re legislating, we are investigating as we have been, and we are litigating,” she told reporters in the Capitol on Monday. “We are taking our information to court — that’s the path we are on and that’s the path we will continue to be on.”

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