New Delhi: On the eve of the impeachment vote in the United States (US) House of Representatives, President Donald Trump made his official defence in an unconventional letter addressed to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The letter blames Pelosi for declaring an “open war on American democracy” and goes on to call the entire impeachment procedure an “election-nullification scheme”.
A report in Politico noted that the letter was “replete with grammatical errors, odd capitalizations and language rarely seen in official White House documents.”
What does the letter say?
The six-page letter was used by Trump to denounce the two articles of impeachment — on misdemeanor and contempt of Congress (parliament) — which have been drafted against him by the House Judiciary Committee.
Trump is accused of pressurising Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden, to boost his chances of re-election.
“The Articles of Impeachment introduced by the House Judiciary Committee are not recognizable under any standard of Constitutional theory, interpretation, or jurisprudence,” noted Trump’s letter. “They include no crimes, no misdemeanors, and no offenses whatsoever. You have cheapened the importance of the very ugly word, impeachment!”
He also mentioned that he was forced to write the letter “for the purpose of history” and to put his thoughts on “a permanent and indelible record”.
This is the first time Trump has used an official channel to respond to the proceedings. In the past, his reactions were limited to Twitter and statements to the media.
Even during the Congressional hearings, Trump refrained from giving his testimony and also attempted to prevent key White House aides from testifying.
What happens next in impeachment procedure?
The House of Representatives is set to vote on the impeachment articles against Trump Wednesday. A simple majority of 51 per cent is needed to impeach him.
Since Democrats have a majority in the House, it is widely believed that Trump will be impeached.Once this process is over, the Senate, which is the upper house, will hold a trial against the president.
After the trial is completed, a vote will be held at the Senate where a two-thirds majority is required to convict and remove the president.
The Democrats are in minority at the Senate and thus, Trump is expected to retain office.