WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday night, becoming only the third American chief executive to be formally charged under the Constitution’s ultimate remedy for high crimes and misdemeanors.

Charge One: The 45th president abused the power of his office by enlisting a foreign government to investigate a political rival ahead of the 2020 election. 

Charge Two: The president obstructed Congress in its investigation.

How the votes went

The historic vote was split along party lines, much the way it has divided the nation.

CHARGE ONE:
For: 230
Against 197

CHARGE TWO:
For: 229
Against: 198

No Republicans voted for impeachment, and Democrats had only slight defections on their side.

Voting was conducted manually with ballots, to mark the moment.

On the first article, abuse of power, two Democrats, Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, who is considering switching parties to become a Republican, and Collin Peterson of Minnesota voted against impeaching Trump. 

On the second article, obstruction, those two and freshman Republican Jared Golden of Maine voted against.

Democratic Republican Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, who is running for president, voted “present” on both.

How it all started

The House impeachment resolution laid out in stark terms the articles of impeachment against Trump stemming from his July phone call when he asked the Ukrainian president for a “favor” — to announce he was investigating Democrats including potential 2020 rival Joe Biden.

At the time, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, new to politics and government, was seeking a coveted White House visit to show backing from the U.S. as he confronted a hostile Russia at his border.

He was also counting on US$391 million in military aid already approved by Congress.

The White House delayed the funds, but Trump eventually released the money once Congress intervened.

The president also allegedly refused to cooperate with the impeachment inquiry, withholding documentary evidence and barring his key aides from giving evidence.

President impeached, now what?

The articles of impeachment, the political equivalent of an indictment, now go to the Senate for trial.

If Trump is acquitted by the Republican-led chamber, as expected, he still would have to run for re-election carrying the enduring stain of impeachment on his purposely disruptive presidency.

“The president is impeached,” Pelosi declared after the vote. She called it “great day for the Constitution of the United States, a sad one for America that the president’s reckless activities necessitated us having to introduce articles of impeachment.”

Trump, who began Wednesday tweeting his anger at the proceedings, pumped his fist before an evening rally in Battle Creek, Michigan, boasting of “tremendous support” in the Republican Party and saying, “By the way it doesn’t feel like I’m being impeached.”

Democrats led Wednesday night’s voting, framed in what many said was their duty to protect the Constitution and uphold the nation’s system of checks and balances.

Republicans stood by their party’s leader, who has frequently tested the bounds of civic norms.

Trump called the whole affair a “witch hunt,” a “hoax” and a “sham,” and sometimes all three.

The trial is expected to begin in January in the Senate, where a vote of two-thirds is necessary for conviction.

While Democrats had the majority in the House to impeach Trump, Republicans control the Senate and few if any are expected to diverge from plans to acquit the president ahead of early state election-year primary voting.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, once reluctant to lead Democrats into a partisan impeachment, gavelled both votes closed, risking her majority and speakership to follow the effort to its House conclusion.

Narrow in scope but broad in its charges, the impeachment resolution said the president “betrayed the nation by abusing his high office to enlist a foreign power in corrupting democratic elections,” and then obstructing Congress’ oversight like “no president” in U.S. history.

“President Trump, by such conduct, has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to national security and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office,” it said.

Republicans argued that Democrats were impeaching Trump because they can’t beat him in 2020.

We want to hear from you! Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169, email us at editors@gleanerjm.com or onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com.