Live political reporting continues on Friday’s blog:
Evening Summary
Here’s a recap of today:
- Congress voted to set rules for the public phase of the impeachment inquiry and formalize procedures.
- NSC official Tim Morrison testified before congress, affirming that Trump sought a quid pro quo, while insisting that there was nothing illegal about it. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers said they were vindicated by his testimony.
- A majority of Americans — 61% — say Trump violates democratic institutions and forms.
- Representative Katie Hill condemned the “double standard” that had forced her to resign while men who have been accused of sexual misconduct (including Trump) remain in power.
Trump changed his primary residence to Florida
Donald Trump has registered as a resident of Florida, the New York Times reports.
In late September, Mr. Trump changed his primary residence from Manhattan to Palm Beach, Fla., according to documents filed with the Palm Beach County Circuit Court. Melania Trump, the first lady, also changed her residence to Palm Beach in an identical document.
Each of the Trumps filed a “declaration of domicile” saying that the Mar-a-Lago Club, Mr. Trump’s resort in Palm Beach, will be their permanent residence.
“If I maintain another place or places of abode in some other state or states, I hereby declare that my above-described residence and abode in the State of Florida constitutes my predominant and principal home, and I intend to continue it permanently as such,” reads the document that Mr. Trump filed.
It’s unclear why the Trumps made this change. It could be for tax purposes, or because the president’s relationship with his hometown of New York has been deeply strained.
Updated
2020 Candidates divided on key issue: Candy corn
Unpopular opinion: Candy corn is actually underrated. pic.twitter.com/xmHgr4CYHb
— Steve Silberman (@stevesilberman) October 31, 2019
The 2020 Democratic presidential challengers agree on quite a lot. Broadly, they all want to improve Americans’ access to healthcare, develop policies to combat climate change and strengthen gun control laws.
But are they pro- or anti-candy corn, the most controversial of Halloween treats?
According to a New York Times poll, the candidates – much like the Guardian’s West Coast bureau – are deeply divided.
Amongst the candy corn haters are Kamala Harris, Andrew Yang and Michael Bennet. (Also, me). I’m also counting Beto O’Rourke, who said the worse Halloween candy is “anything without chocolate”. Everyone knows that candy corn is made of sugar and existential dread.
Amongst the candy corn lovers — John Delaney.
Republican candidates Joe Walsh and Tom Steyer are also reportedly candy corn lovers.
Front runners Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden stayed out of the fray, with Biden’s campaign refusing to even name a worst candy. Bernie Sanders didn’t respond to the Times.
Updated
Both Democrats and Republicans say they're vindicated by Morrison testimony
Democrats conducting the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump are emphasizing that NSC official Tim Morrison’s testimony today confirmed that Trump sought a quid pro quo from the Ukranian president.
Morrison served as a Republican staff member in Congress for 17 years. He was also proud to have helped the Trump Administration. But the facts are the facts. And the facts that Morrison confirmed are devastating to @realDonaldTrump and his GOP enablers.
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) October 31, 2019
No one is above the law. https://t.co/QVdPJSTZoX
Republican defenders of Trump are focusing instead on Morrison’s view that there was nothing illegal about the quid pro quo.
Morrison’s testimony today is devastating to the false Democrat narrative that anything illegal or improper happened on the July 25 Trump-Zelensky call. It’s also devastating to the credibility of certain other witnesses who have asserted there was anything illegal or improper.
— John Ratcliffe (@RepRatcliffe) October 31, 2019
As The Guardian’s Tom McCarthy reported:
Morrison, a former senior congressional aide, seemed to seek to exculpate Trump by suggesting the quid pro quo was all Sondland’s idea.
“I hoped that Ambassador Sondland’s strategy was exclusively his own and would not be considered by leaders in the administration and Congress, who understood the strategic importance of Ukraine to our national security,” Morrison said.
A lawyer for Sondland did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Lawyers for Sondland have said that he never mentioned the Bidens to the Ukrainians and suggested he was unaware of the Burisma-Biden tie.
Trump is rewarding senators who’re showing him support as he faces impeachment — with fundraising money. The president’s reelection campaign sent an appeal urging donors to contribute to three senators who support an anti-impeachment resolution.
According to a Politico report:
Trump is tapping his vast fundraising network for a handful of loyal senators facing tough reelection bids in 2020. Each of them has signed onto a Republican-backed resolution condemning the inquiry as “unprecedented and undemocratic.”
Conspicuously absent from the group is Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a politically vulnerable Republican who’s refused to support the resolution and avoided taking a stance on impeachment. With his new push, Trump is exerting leverage over a group he badly needs in his corner with an impeachment trial likely coming soon to the Senate — but that also needs him.
Republican senators on the ballot next year are lagging in fundraising, stoking uncertainty about the GOP’s hold on the chamber, and could use the fundraising might of the president. Trump’s political operation has raked in over $300 million this year.
On Wednesday, the Trump reelection campaign sent a fundraising appeal to its massive email list urging donors to provide a contribution that would be divided between the president and Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner, Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, and North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis. Each of the senators are supporting the anti-impeachment resolution despite being endangered in 2020.
Trump taps North Korea-envoy as second-in-command at State Department
Trump nominated Stephen Beigun, the US special envoy to North Korea, to the second-in-command position at the State Department.
Beigun would take over from John Sullivan at the State Department, who has been nominated to serve as the next ambassador to Russia.
The nomination comes amidst speculation over the future of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and turmoil at the State Department, which is entangled in the impeachment case against Trump.
The Trump administration is considering adding more countries to the travel ban list, according to CNN, which cites unnamed officials.
An inter-agency discussion about imposing travel restrictions on countries that are not compliant with electronic documents and information sharing -- a key focus of the administration -- is underway, according to a senior administration official. Fewer than five countries are under consideration, the official said.
The goal, the official said, is to “bring governments into compliance by using the power of access to the United States.” The travel restrictions would be tailored to the countries, if they’re added, and not impose a ban on them altogether, the official noted.
The Guardian has not independently verified this reporting.
Majority of Americans say Trump doesn't respect democratic norms
An AP-NORC poll found that 61% of Americans think Donald Trump doesn’t respect democratic institutions and norms. This includes 26% of Republicans.
But the majority of Republicans — 85% — approve of Trump’s performance as president. Only 7% of Democrats agree. His approval overall stands at about 42%, according to the poll of 1,075 adults conducted Oct. 24-28.
Does Charles Kupperman need to testify? We may not know for a while.
A district court judge will hear oral arguments on December 10 on whether or not Charles Kupperman, the former deputy national security adviser who defied a congressional subpoena and did not turn up at this scheduled deposition this week, will be forced to testify.
Kupperman, who served as deputy national security adviser until last month, was listening in the infamous July phone call between Donald Trump and the Ukrainian president. The White House blocked him from testifying in the impeachment inquiry, claiming executive privilege.
No decision in the Kupperman case for at least a month, NBC's Pete Williams reports.
— Geoff Bennett (@GeoffRBennett) October 31, 2019
Judge Richard Leon today set schedule for lawyers to file their written briefs:
Defendant's motion to dismiss: 11/14
Plaintiff's response: 11/27
Defendant's reply: 12/ 4
Oral arguments: 12/10
Another judge is ruling on whether former White House counsel Don McGahn must appear before Congress.
That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours.
Here’s where the day stands so far:
- The House passed its impeachment resolution, clearing the way for public hearings and the release of transcripts from closed-door depositions. However, senior House Democrats did not provide a concrete timeline on when they would take those steps.
- House Republicans pointed to the nearly party-line vote on the resolution — all but two Democrats supported it, while every Republican opposed it — as evidence that the investigation is allegedly too partisan.
- Tim Morrison, Trump’s top official on Russia, testified in the impeachment inquiry. The national security council official, who intends to soon leave the administration, affirmed Bill Taylor’s account of a quid pro quo while claiming that he saw nothing illegal about Trump’s call with the Ukrainian president.
- A federal judge appeared skeptical of the White House’s argument that executive privilege exempted former administration officials from having to comply with congressional subpoenas in a case that could have major implications for the impeachment inquiry.
- Representative Katie Hill delivered her final floor speech, in which she apologized to her supporters and condemned the “double standard” that had forced her to resign while men who have been accused of sexual misconduct (including Trump) remain in positions of power. (Hill announced her resignation Sunday following the publication of nude photos of her and allegations that she had a relationship with one of her staffers.)
Maanvi will have plenty more on the news of the day, so stay tuned.
House Republicans appeared pleased with what Tim Morrison told impeachment investigators in his closed-door deposition, saying they look forward to the transcript of the interview being made public.
GOP Rep Jordan on Morrison’s deposition: Today’s deposition was really positive. I look forward to this transcript becoming public pic.twitter.com/h0WCTfGG1K
— Alex Moe (@AlexNBCNews) October 31, 2019
According to Morrison’s opening statement, the national security council official affirmed Bill Taylor’s account of a quid pro quo but said he did not think there was anything illegal about Trump’s call with the Ukrainian president.
The president’s allies celebrated Morrison’s testimony as a victory for Trump, an assessment that the Democratic chairman of the House foreign affairs committee called “absurd.”
Responding to Rep. Mark Meadows who argued that Morrison testimony today undercut the Democrats’ narrative, House Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel called such an argument “ridiculous.”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 31, 2019
He didn’t get into more details as aides prevented him from answering questions
Morrison concludes his testimony
Tim Morrison has concluded his testimony in the impeachment inquiry after spending about eight hours talking to House investigators.
According to his opening statement, the national security council official affirmed Bill Taylor’s account of a quid pro quo while insisting he did not see anything illegal about Trump’s call with the Ukrainian president.
Morrison, who is soon leaving his NSC post, claimed he flagged the call for White House lawyers simply because he was worried about a “polarized” political reaction to Trump’s comments.
Federal judge expresses doubts about White House blocking congressional testimony
A federal judge in Washington appeared skeptical today of arguments from the White House that executive privilege exempts former Trump administration officials from having to comply with congressional subpoenas.
“We don’t live in a world where your status as a former executive branch official somehow shields you or prevents you from giving information,” judge Ketanji Brown Jackson said.
The specific case Jackson is ruling on concerns whether Trump’s former White House counsel, Don McGahn, must appear before House members for an interview. But the case could have sweeping implications on the impeachment inquiry, given that the White House has used similar arguments to block administration officials from speaking to House investigators.
Updated
Morrison affirms Taylor's quid pro quo account and implicates Sondland
Earlier today we flagged reporting indicating that Tim Morrison, the national security council official testifying currently before the impeachment committees, would back up ambassador Bill Taylor’s account of ambassador Gordon Sondland trying to strike a deal with Ukraine exchanging military aid for an announcement of investigations into Joe Biden and 2016 election tampering.
Morrison did explicitly corroborate Taylor’s account, according to Morrison’s opening statement, posted online by CBS News: “I can confirm that the substance of his statement, as it relates to conversations he and I had, is accurate,” Morrison testified.
But Morrison does not emerge as a particularly threatening witness for Trump; instead, his testimony threads multiple needles that seem designed to defend Trump in the Ukrainian affair.
Morrison suggests that military aid to Ukraine was withheld owing in part to Trump’s concern about corruption in Ukraine and about Europe not contributing enough. And Morrison suggests that the possibility of a quid pro quo involving military aid with Ukraine was diminished by his perception that Ukraine did not know military aid had been suspended until late August.
Morrison’s perception in this regard does not seem accurate. The New York Times has reported that the Ukrainians were aware of the suspension of aid in early August. In any case, Sondland was explicitly dangling aid to try to extract investigations in early September, in a bilateral meeting in Warsaw, according to Morrison’s own testimony.
Then Morrison floats quite a contention to exculpate the president – that maybe this was all Sondland’s idea? The official said: “I hoped that Ambassador Sondland’s strategy was exclusively his own and would not be considered by leaders in the Administration and Congress, who understood the strategic importance of Ukraine to our national security.”
Sondland has said through a lawyer that he never mentioned “Biden” in conversations with Ukrainian officials, but instead spoke of Burisma, the gas company that formerly employed Hunter Biden. He has not responded to the notion that the quid pro quo strategy was “exclusively his own.”
Morrison also testified that public summaries of a 25 July call between Trump and the Ukrainian president, which Morrison listened in on, were accurate. He says he went to NSC lawyers after the call, but he says he was not concerned that what Trump said was illegal: instead, Morrison says, he was worried about a “polarized” political reaction, possible confusion in Congress and “how it would affect the Ukrainian perceptions of the U.S.-Ukraine relationship”.
(Morrison was worried that reporting about a call that Ukrainians were on would affect their perceptions of the US-Ukraine relationship? Weren’t those perceptions rather shaped by... being on the call?)
Anyway, Morrison concludes, “I want to be clear, I was not concerned that anything illegal was discussed.”
A publicity stunt by the National Republican Congressional Committee went terribly wrong when Capitol Police mistook boxes from the group as suspicious packages.
Apparently no one at the NRCC took a second to think whether sending congressional offices suspicious looking packages was a sound idea, which sounds about right.
— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) October 31, 2019
House Republicans’ campaign arm sent “moving boxes” to vulnerable Democrats who voted for the impeachment resolution, creating some very understandable confusion and brief alarm on Capitol Hill. Luckily, the situation appears to have been quickly cleared up.
While speaking to conservative British commentator Nigel Farage earlier today, Trump offered some disparaging comments about three of the frontrunners in the Democratic presidential primary.
Trump dismissed the notion that he would pressure Ukraine to announce an investigation into Joe Biden — even though the evidence is mounting that he did — because he claimed he does not view the former vice president as a threat.
Trump said: “Also, would I use Ukraine to beat sleepy Joe Biden? Sleepy Joe, I call him one percent Joe too. One percent, the guy never came out of these things with one percent and he’s heading down rapidly now. I mean, I don’t view him as a very difficult, difficult guy to beat.”
Asked for his prediction on who would win the Democratic nomination, Trump said: “It would look like Elizabeth Warren is picking up steam. She’s picking up a little steam. I thought she was gonzo. ... So, it could be her, it could be Bernie Sanders, I guess. Maybe, I dunno. Bernie looks like he’s shot, but it could be one of them.”
Federal prosecutors hesitant about pursuing Giuliani charges
Federal prosecutors in New York are reportedly hesitant about the possibility of charging Rudy Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer, for violating foreign lobbying laws.
CNN reports:
New York federal prosecutors examining Rudy Giuliani’s Ukranian business dealings are mindful of both the approaching 2020 presidential election and of the difficulty of prosecuting foreign lobbying violations as they move forward in their investigation, according to people familiar with the matter.
These people say charges against President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer aren’t certain or imminent, but that Giuliani has come into prosecutors’ crosshairs as a central focus during the months-long inquiry.
In recent days, Giuliani has been in advanced discussions to hire Daniel L. Stein, a white-collar criminal defense attorney who is a veteran of the Manhattan US Attorney’s office, to represent him in the investigation, sources say.
Giuliani is also on the cover of this week’s Time magazine. Speaking to reporters about his relationship with Trump, the former New York mayor expressed confidence that the president would stand by him. Giuliani said: “He’s 100% in my corner and loyal to me as I am to him.”
A stunning trajectory in two TIME covers, 18 years apart.
— Vera Bergengruen (@VeraMBergen) October 31, 2019
December 2001: TIME Person of the Year, "Tower of Strength," "Mayor of the World"
October 2019: "My Rudy," whose actions as Donald Trump's attack dog-in-chief may lead to the historic impeachment of a president pic.twitter.com/MqTtLaBmCy
Biden says House is doing its 'constitutional duty' after impeachment vote
Joe Biden has issued a statement on the House’s passage of the impeachment resolution, expressing support for lawmakers performing their “constitutional duty.”
Congress must do its duty to ensure that Donald Trump's assault on the Constitution does not seep beyond his presidency, with a lasting and devastating impact on our democracy. pic.twitter.com/6zBWnwEpxI
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 31, 2019
The statement accuses Trump of having “weaponized the institutions of our government for political purposes, subverting our national security for his own political gain.”
Biden’s statement continues: “Donald Trump is testing the institutions of our democracy every day. But they are holding. Today, the House did its constitutional duty to proceed with a solemn investigation of unprecedented wrongdoing.
“Members of Congress take an oath of loyalty to the Constitution when they are sworn in, not an oath to their party or to the president. Congress must do its duty to ensure that Donald Trump’s assault on the Constitution does not seep beyond his presidency, with a lasting and devastating impact on our democracy.”
Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the national security council official who told impeachment investigators about his concerns after hearing Trump’s Ukraine call, is reportedly willing to testify publicly.
ABC News reports:
Vindman, the first current White House official to cooperate with House impeachment investigators and appear on Capitol Hill for a closed-door deposition, is willing to testify publicly in the next phase of the inquiry, according to a source familiar with his thinking. ...
Vindman, the first witness to appear on Capitol Hill with firsthand knowledge of the call, has not yet been formally contacted by House impeachment investigators about testifying in public, the source said.
Bill Taylor has reportedly also expressed openness to testifying publicly. With today’s passage of the impeachment resolution clearing the way toward public hearings, Americans may soon get to hear directly from Trump administration officials about the alleged quid pro quo the president has repeatedly denied.
Trump slams impeachment vote as 'desperate' move
Speaking to conservative British commentator Nigel Farage, Trump slammed the vote approving the impeachment resolution as a “desperate” move by House Democrats.
.@realDonaldTrump is speaking with @Nigel_Farage in an interview today and giving his first reaction to impeachment process vote. "The Democrats are desperate. They have nothing...they'll try to win the election this way because they cant win it the fair way."
— Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) October 31, 2019
In her final floor speech as a congresswoman, Katie Hill accused Trump of abusing his power — including his power over women.
Katie Hill: "Today, as my final act, I voted to move forward with the impeachment of Donald Trump on behalf of the women of the United States of America. We will not stand down. We will not be broken...We will rise." https://t.co/DoCWQlvt2i pic.twitter.com/4WWAY8Rt8t
— ABC News (@ABC) October 31, 2019
The freshman representative, who is resigning following the publication of nude photos of her and allegations that she had a relationship with one of her staffers, vowed that women would not be scared into silence.
Hill said: “We will not stand down. We will not be broken. We will not be silenced. We will rise, and we will make tomorrow better than today.”
Hill calls out Trump in her final floor speech
In her final floor speech as a congresswoman, Katie Hill said that the publication of nude photos of her had made her go to “the darkest places that a mind can go.”
The California Democrat lambasted the “dirtiest gutter politics that I’ve ever seen,” which had forced her to step down.
Outgoing Rep. Katie Hill: "The mistakes I made and the people I've hurt that led to this moment will haunt me for the rest of my life and I have to come to terms with that. Ever since those images first came out, I've barely left my bed." https://t.co/7YcEFnFAdz pic.twitter.com/gia8xyb4gc
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) October 31, 2019
Hill has acknowledged she had a relationship with a campaign staffer, but she condemned the “double standard” that had pressured her to leave Congress even as “we have men who have been credibly accused of intentional acts of sexual violence and remain in boardrooms, on the Supreme Court, in this very body, and worst of all, in the Oval Office.”
The freshman representative detailed the dozens of sexual assault allegations against Trump and expressed pride that her final vote as a congresswoman was in support of the impeachment inquiry.
Hill concluded: “Thank you, and I will yield the balance of my time — for now but not forever.”
Updated
Hill delivers final floor speech after announcing resignation
Representative Katie Hill is now delivering her final floor speech as a congresswoman. The California Democrat announced her resignation on Sunday following the publication of nude photos of her and allegations that she engaged in a relationship with one of her staffers.
The freshman congresswoman said she was still grappling with her decision to leave sooner than expected. “I thought I could make a difference here,” Hill said.
The California Democrat repeatedly apologized to her supporters, her volunteers and her colleagues. “I am so, so sorry,” Hill said. “And to every little girl who looked up to me, I hope that one day you can forgive me.”
Trump says Corbyn would be 'so bad' for Britain
Trump has just wrapped up an interview with Nigel Farage, a conservative radio host and vocal supporter of Brexit.
In it, the US president warned that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn would be “so bad” for the UK and said the country has “tremendous potential.”
Trump tells UK conservative radio that Jeremy Corbyn would be "so bad for your country and would "take you into such bad places."
— Kevin Liptak (@Kevinliptakcnn) October 31, 2019
In interview with Nigel Farage, he says the United Kingdom has "tremendous potential."
Trump’s comments come just two days after MPs voted to hold a general election on Dec. 12, allowing the British public to once again weigh in on the UK’s separation from the EU.
The blog is going to briefly interrupt impeachment coverage to share the story of how Rudy Giuliani locked himself out of his iPhone shortly after being named Trump’s cybersecurity adviser.
NBC News reports:
Less than a month after he was named President Donald Trump’s cybersecurity adviser in 2017, Rudy Giuliani walked into an Apple store in downtown San Francisco.
He wasn’t looking for a new gadget. Giuliani was looking for help.
He was locked out of his iPhone because he had forgotten the passcode and entered the wrong one at least 10 times, according to two people familiar with the matter and a photo of an internal Apple store memo obtained by NBC News.
‘Very sloppy,’ said one of the people, a former Apple store employee who was there on the day that Giuliani stopped by in February 2017.
‘Trump had just named him as an informal adviser on cybersecurity and here, he couldn’t even master the fundamentals of securing your own device.’
This report follows another from NBC News last week that Giuliani repeatedly butt-dialed a reporter in recent weeks and was overheard trashing Joe Biden and discussing his need for cash.
In their press conference after the passage of the impeachment resolution, senior House Democrats provided little clarity on when they might release transcripts from their closed-door depositions or move to public hearings in the investigation.
Top Democrats have stressed that today's vote will finally let the public see the evidence against Trump.
— Sarah Ferris (@sarahnferris) October 31, 2019
Still, key chairmen - including Schiff and Nadler - offered zero guidance today on when we might see transcripts or public hearings.
Here’s where the day stands so far:
- The House passed its impeachment resolution outlining next steps in the inquiry as Democratic leaders advance toward public hearings.
- The nearly party-line vote on the resolution — all but two House Democrats voted for it, while every House Republican opposed it — sparked complaints from the White House and Trump’s allies that the investigation was allegedly too partisan.
- Tim Morrison, the national security council official who is stepping down from his post, is testifying to impeachment investigators and reportedly verified much of Bill Taylor’s account of a quid pro quo in the delaying of military aid to Ukraine.
The blog will have plenty more coming up, so stay tuned.
Representative Lee Zeldin, one of Trump’s congressional allies, is calling on the House intelligence committee to release the transcripts from closed-door depositions in the impeachment inquiry so that lawmakers can debate the “substance” of the allegations against the president.
Wow, now Lee Zeldin is getting HEATED as he rips the media, rips Adam Schiff & rips Biden.
— Melanie Zanona (@MZanona) October 31, 2019
“Release the damn transcripts! ... Bring it on about substance!”
Colleagues keep cheering for him.
However, Republicans have so far been fairly hesitant to discuss the substance of the accusations as more witnesses come forward with damning testimony pointing to a quid pro quo in the delaying of military aid to Ukraine.
House Republicans and Democrats are holding separate press conferences now in the wake of the impeachment resolution’s passage.
Republican leadership unsurprisingly pointed to the nearly party-line vote as evidence that the investigtion is allegedly highly partisan and unfair to Trump.
Big show of unity from the House GOP after the vote on impeachment procedures.
— Melanie Zanona (@MZanona) October 31, 2019
McCarthy bringing up Pelosi’s insistence earlier this year that impeachment be bipartisan.
Yet today, it was two Dems who crossed party lines — to vote AGAINST the resolution. pic.twitter.com/OnfA0aFlcR
However, it’s worth noting that seemingly none of the Republican messaging against impeachment actually touches on the serious allegations facing the president.
As the inquiry moves to public hearings, Republicans may be increasingly asked to weigh in on the accusations, and they’ll need to come up with an answer.
The nearly party-line vote on the impeachment resolution marks a departure from how Bill Clinton’s impeachment was handled in the House, per an NBC News correspondent.
Far fewer cross-overs today than in the last impeachment inquiry vote in the House. In Oct. '98, 31 D's voted with R's to launch an inquiry of Clinton (with no R's voting No). Today, no R's voted with D's and 2 D's voted with R's.
— Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) October 31, 2019
House Republicans will likely cite the final vote count as evidence that the inquiry is highly partisan and unfair to Trump.
However, the vote still marks a momentous development in Trump’s presidency and US history, as a PBS NewsHour reporter pointed out.
Democrats say this is a formal vote affirming the impeachment inquiry.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) October 31, 2019
Republicans say this is a vote to continue a process that is robbing the president of due process.
What’s clear: This impeachment inquiry vote will be marked in history and Trump now needs a future strategy
One of the two House Democrats who voted against the impeachment resolution, Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, said in a statement that he feared the nearly party-line decision would “further divide the country.”
However, the freshman congressman left open the possibility of eventually backing Trump’s impeachment depending on where the evidence led investigators.
In a statement, @CongressmanJVD says his “no” vote on the resolution doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll vote no on impeachment — he’ll make a “judgment call based on all the evidence presented by these investigations” —> pic.twitter.com/Hr1AwOfeJx
— Rebecca Kaplan (@RebeccaRKaplan) October 31, 2019
Democratic presidential candidates voiced support for House Democrats after they passed a resolution outlining next steps in the impeachment inquiry.
This president took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution. So did every member of Congress. This president violated that oath, betraying our country and leaving our representatives with no choice but to uphold their own. Congress must move forward with impeachment.
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) October 31, 2019
Reminder: no one is above the law, including the president of the United States.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) October 31, 2019
Trump may have betrayed his oath of office, but we will honor ours. Proud of House Democrats for putting partisan politics aside and setting up a process that builds consensus by ensuring the American people see the damning evidence.
— Gory BOOker 👻 (@CoryBooker) October 31, 2019
Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter and senior adviser, weighed in on the impeachment vote by quoting Thomas Jefferson’s dour reflections on Washington.
“…surrounded by enemies and spies catching and perverting every word that falls from my lips or flows from my pen, and inventing where facts fail them.” -Thomas Jefferson’s reflections on Washington, D.C. in a letter to his daughter Martha.
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) October 31, 2019
Some things never change, dad!
Nancy Pelosi made the rather unusual decision to cast a vote on the impeachment resolution, marking a departure from House speakers’ general tendency to refrain from weighing in.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) voted aye on the impeachment resolution. It is rare for House Speakers to vote. After the vote, Pelosi told me today “is sad.” Said “we will have a prayerful moment.”
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) October 31, 2019
Four House members — three Republicans and one Democrat — were unable to vote on the impeachment resolution due to absences.
The 4 members not voting today due to absence per whips office:
— Alex Moe (@AlexNBCNews) October 31, 2019
Hice (R-GA)
McEachin (D-VA)
John Rose (R-TN)
Timmons (R-SC)
White House slams 'unconstitutional' impeachment resolution
Trump’s press secretary has now issued a statement slamming Democrats’ “unhinged obsession with this illegitimate impeachment proceeding” in the wake of the resolution’s passage.
Stephanie Grisham said in the statement: “The President has done nothing wrong, and the Democrats know it. Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats’ unhinged obsession with this illegitimate impeachment proceeding does not hurt President Trump; it hurts the American people. ...
“With today’s vote, Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats have done nothing more than enshrine unacceptable violations of due process into House rules. ... The Democrats want to render a verdict without giving the Administration a chance to mount a defense. That is unfair, unconstitutional, and fundamentally un-American.”
Speaking at her press briefing this morning, Pelosi said that the rules outlined in the resolution were “fairer than anything that have gone before in terms of an impeachment proceeding.”
"These rules are fairer than anything that have gone before in terms of an impeachment proceeding," Speaker Nancy Pelosi tells ABC News' @maryKbruce when asked about Republican criticism that the impeachment inquiry rules are unfair https://t.co/tMBaXA7dn3 pic.twitter.com/5MtgrRS4TQ
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) October 31, 2019
A bit of chaos has broken out on the House floor following the passage of the impeachment resolution, with Republicans shouting “objection” and Democrats calling for order.
Republicans drowning out the clerk on the House floor, as dozens of members shouting, "regular order!" and "we have rules!"
— Sarah Ferris (@sarahnferris) October 31, 2019
Pelosi is shaking her head.
The vote has concluded on the impeachment resolution, and it has officially passed the House with a vote of 232-196.
Two Democrats, Colin Peterson of Minnesota and Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, voted against the resolution, while every House Republican opposed the measure.
One independent lawmaker, former Republican Justin Amash, joined the vast majority of Democrats in supporting the resolution.
Impeachment resolution passes the House
The impeachment resolution has reached a majority level of support, receiving at least least 228 “yea” votes, and it will clear the way for public hearings.
Collin Peterson, a Democratic congressman from an overwhelmingly Trump district in Minnesota, voted with Republicans on the procedural vote for the impeachment resolution.
There were widespread suspicions that Peterson would not join his Democratic colleagues in backing the resolution, given the political breakdown of his district.
Representative Jeff Van Drew also voted against the procedural motion, but the Democratic congressman had previously signaled his opposition.
Justin Amash, the Michigan congressman who left the Republican Party over opposition to Trump, has confirmed that he intends to vote for the impeachment resolution.
In a morning tweet, Amash encouraged his Republican colleagues to “step outside your media and social bubble” and consider the historic ramifications of their decision to stand by Trump.
This president will be in power for only a short time, but excusing his misbehavior will forever tarnish your name. To my Republican colleagues: Step outside your media and social bubble. History will not look kindly on disingenuous, frivolous, and false defenses of this man.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) October 31, 2019
House members are currently taking a procedural vote on the impeachment resolution. The vote on the resolution itself will likely begin in about 15 minutes and conclude around 11.30am ET.
With this procedural vote starting at 10:55 am et...Fox estimates the VOTE ITSELF ON THE IMPEACHMENT RESOLUTION will begin at 11:20ish am Fox then estimates that the vote on the resolution. will conclude around 11:28 am
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) October 31, 2019
Updated
The House has concluded debate on the impeachment resolution and is moving on to the vote series that will determine whether members approve it.
Debate has now concluded on the impeachment resolution and the House is moving into the vote series currently taking a procedural vote and then the NEXT VOTE is the vote to adopt the resolution
— Alex Moe (@AlexNBCNews) October 31, 2019
House Republicans denounce impeachment resolution
House Republicans are now denouncing the impeachment resolution on the floor, with minority leader Kevin McCarthy accusing Democrats of ignoring other legislative priorities to focus on impeachment.
Republican leader McCarthy speaking now and the chamber just got a lot quieter. “We are not working for the American people” McCarthy said this Congress has issued more subpoenas than laws.
— Lauren Fox (@FoxReports) October 31, 2019
House minority whip Steve Scalise used a poster to repeat his claim that Democrats are pursuing “Soviet-style” tactics with their investigation.
The Republican pushback from members including @SteveScalise pic.twitter.com/h6e4Jy2PLe
— Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) October 31, 2019
However, a New Yorker writer and former Moscow bureau chief for the Washington Post contradicted that assessment of the inquiry.
Just in case anyone is unsure, Soviets did not have impeachment proceedings. They had the Gulag. https://t.co/kFfGn7jUZl
— Susan Glasser (@sbg1) October 31, 2019
During her press conference, Nancy Pelosi also touched on the subject of Katie Hill, the Democratic congresswoman who announced her resignation Sunday following the release of nude photos of her and allegations of a relationship with one of her staffers.
Pelosi praised her fellow California Democrat as an “absolutely outstanding young public servant” who was “respected by her colleagues.”
The House speaker noted that Hill made her own determination about whether and when to resign. “She made her decision and her timing, and I respect that,” Pelosi said.
The speaker also noted that she has warned her grandchildren that “appearances” on social media can be taken out of context and “come back to haunt you.”
Hill is expected to deliver her final floor speech this afternoon, after the vote on the impeachment resolution.
“This resolution sets the stage for the next phase of our investigation, one in which the American people have the opportunity to hear from the witnesses first-hand,” House intelligence chairman Adam Schiff said in a floor speech ahead of the vote. “We will continue to conduct this inquiry with the seriousness of purpose that our task deserves because it is our duty and because no one is above the law.”
Nancy Pelosi opened her remarks on the House floor by reading the “most beautiful lines in our country’s history” – the introduction to the US constitution.
The House speaker urged support for the resolution by citing a quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin, who, when asked if the Founders had created a republic or a monarchy, is believed to have responded: “A republic if you can keep it.”
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Nancy Pelosi is now talking to reporters in her weekly press conference, saying that it is a “sad day” when lawmakers have to vote on an impeachment measure.
The House speaker added that no decision had yet been made on whether members of her caucus would eventually support Trump’s impeachent.
"As the inquiry proceeds, we'll decide whether we'll go forward with impeachment. That decision has not yet been made," @SpeakerPelosi says at her weekly press conference ahead of a the vote on the impeachment resolution.
— Rebecca Kaplan (@RebeccaRKaplan) October 31, 2019
However, it seems highly likely that the Democratic-controlled House will soon vote to impeach the president.
Nancy Pelosi framed the impeachment resolution, and the inquiry more broadly, as a measure to defend the principles of the US constitution.
Pelosi: "This Constitution is the blueprint for our republic—and not a monarchy.
— ABC News (@ABC) October 31, 2019
"But when we have a president who says Article Two says I can do whatever I want, that is in defiance of the separation of powers. That's not what our Constitution says." https://t.co/OzrDAzDZ9Y pic.twitter.com/m5SeQoj7FA
The House speaker said: “What is at stake in all of this is nothing less than our democracy.”
Pelosi speaks on House floor before impeachment vote
Nancy Pelosi is now speaking on the House floor about the impeachment resolution, arguing the measure will enable lawmakers to find the truth about the allegations against Trump.
.@SpeakerPelosi addressing the House chamber and stressing the seriousness of the vote to move the impeachment inquiry to the next, more public phase. pic.twitter.com/UVK6fVhO6v
— Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) October 31, 2019
Standing beside an American flag poster, the House speaker said: “This is a solemn occasion. ... I doubt anybody in this place or anybody that you know ... comes to Congress to impeach the president of the United States unless his actions are jeopardizing honoring our oath of office.”
More impeachment depositions scheduled for Monday
House Democrats have scheduled four depositions on Monday as they look to wrap up the closed-door interviews in the impeachment inquiry and advance to public hearings.
Busy Monday before impeachment investigators
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 31, 2019
- John Eisenberg, National Security Council attorney
- Robert Blair, Mulvaney deputy
- Michael Ellis, Eisenberg deputy
- Brian McCormack, OMB official and former DOE chief
Uncertain if they will all definitely show
It remains unknown whether the officials will comply with the interview requests, given that the White House still refuses to cooperate with the investigation.
However, if the depositions were to occur, John Eisenberg’s testimony could prove particularly damaging for Trump. The White House lawyer was reportedly the person who proposed the unusual move of placing the transcript of the Ukraine call in a secure server.
The Washington Post reported yesterday:
Moments after President Trump ended his phone call with Ukraine’s president on July 25, an unsettled national security aide rushed to the office of White House lawyer John Eisenberg.
Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the top Ukraine adviser at the White House, had been listening to the call and was disturbed by the pressure Trump had applied to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate his political rivals, according to people familiar with Vindman’s testimony to lawmakers this week.
Vindman told Eisenberg, the White House’s legal adviser on national security issues, that what the president did was wrong, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation.
Scribbling notes on a yellow legal pad, Eisenberg proposed a step that other officials have said is at odds with long-standing White House protocol: moving a transcript of the call to a highly classified server and restricting access to it, according to two people familiar with Vindman’s account.
House Democrats appear largely unified in support of the resolution outlining next steps in the impeachment inquiry.
Only two members of the House Democratic caucus – Colin Peterson of Minnesota and Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey – were expected to vote against the resolution.
Dem leaders expect to lose just two votes: Colin Peterson (whose district went for Trump +30 in 2016) and Jeff Van Drew (Trump +5) https://t.co/Y0EXilCDCn
— Sarah Ferris (@sarahnferris) October 31, 2019
However, House Republicans were also expected to be unified in opposition to the resolution, so they will likely cite the vote’s outcome to bolster their argument that the investigation is highly partisan.
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Nancy Pelosi rather unusually presided over the House herself this morning as members began to debate the impeachment resolution.
.@SpeakerPelosi taking the unusual step of presiding over the House herself as they begin debate on the procedures for the impeachment inquiry going forward
— Jonathan Tamari (@JonathanTamari) October 31, 2019
The resolution, which outlines the procedures the House will follow as the inquiry advances to public hearings, will likely get a vote between 10.30am and 11.30am ET.
Pelosi is also expected to speak to reporters about the resolution at the House speaker’s press briefing in about 30 minutes.
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Morrison to reportedly confirm Taylor's account of quid pro quo
Tim Morrison, the national security council official currently testifying behind closed doors in the impeachment inquiry, reportedly intends to confirm Bill Taylor’s account that the White House held up Ukraine’s military assistance to push for public announcements of investigations into Joe Biden and the 2016 election.
The Washington Post reports:
Morrison is expected to tell impeachment investigators on Thursday that the account offered by Ambassador William B. Taylor Jr., is accurate, particularly that Morrison alerted him to the president’s and his deputies’ push to withhold security aid and a meeting with the Ukrainian president until Ukraine announced an investigation of the Bidens and 2016 election interference, the person said on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive discussions.
Morrison will also say that he did not necessarily view the president’s demands as improper or illegal, but rather problematic for U.S. policy in supporting an ally in the region, the person said.
House Democrats are hoping that Tim Morrison can provide the key link between Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU who has denied any quid pro quo in the delaying of military assistance to Ukraine, and Bill Taylor, who outlined such a scheme in his testimony to impeachment investigators.
However, despite Morrison’s imminent departure from the national security council, the official may not be looking to reveal everything he knows to the House committees this morning.
The Washington Post’s Josh Rogin writes:
Democrats might not want to pin their impeachment hopes on his testimony Thursday, because there are three things Morrison is not: a whistleblower, a Never Trumper or a potential member of the Resistance. ...
[Morrison] likely won’t give the Democrats the thing they want most, a full-throated endorsement of their characterization of the Ukraine scheme as a quid pro quo. Morrison will likely try to stick to the facts, be honest and not burn his bosses or the president in the process. That won’t be easy.
Morrison arrives for impeachment testimony
Good morning, live blog readers!
Today’s impeachment proceedings are underway, with Tim Morrison having already arrived for his closed-door testimony with the committees leading the inquiry.
AND Tim Morrison in the House for his closed door deposition pic.twitter.com/Ldozeg5DI1
— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) October 31, 2019
Morrison’s appearance was already highly anticipated, given Bill Taylor’s reported testimony last week that the national security council official told him about Gordon Sondland allegedly informing Ukrainian officials their US military aid was contingent on public announcements of investigations into Joe Biden and the 2016 election.
However, Morrison’s testimony is even more dramatic following last night’s reports that the official is stepping down from his post at the White House. It’s still unclear whether Morrison resigned voluntarily or was asked to leave, but the development puts even more weight on what he may tell impeachment investigators today.
Here’s what else the bog is keeping an eye on:
- Trump has no events on his public schedule today, so some impeachment-themed tweets seem likely.
- The House vote on the impeachment resolution will likely happen between 10.30am and 11.30am ET.
- Nancy Pelosi will brief reporters at 10.15am ET.
The blog will have plenty more coming up, so stay tuned.
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