Washington: A Democratic Congressman has filed the first article of impeachment against President Donald Trump charging him with obstruction of justice in the probe into alleged Russian meddling in the US polls.
Democratic Congressman from California Brad Sherman introduced the article of impeachment against Trump for high crimes and misdemeanours. Democrat Al Green has signed on to the resolution introduced by Sherman.
This is for the first time that a US lawmaker has introduced an article of impeachment against Trump, who was sworn in as the 45th US President on January 20. However, the move is likely to be stalled in the Republican-controlled Congress.
The House of Representatives needs to pass it by a majority vote for the article to move forward. Trump's Republican party has an advantage of 46 votes in the current House of Representatives and it is unlikely that the Republican lawmakers would vote on such an impeachment move.
The White House dismissed Sherman's move with spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders saying, "I think that is utterly and completely ridiculous and a political game at its worst."
"Recent disclosures by Donald Trump Jr. indicate that Trump's campaign was eager to receive assistance from Russia. It now seems likely that the President had something to hide when he tried to curtail the investigation of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and the wider Russian probe," Sherman said after introducing the article of impeachment against Trump.
"I believe his conversations with, and subsequent firing of, FBI Director James Comey constitute Obstruction of Justice," he said.
Every day Democrats, Republicans, and the entire world are shocked by the latest example of America's "amateur President", he said, accusing Trump of being ignorant and refusing to learn.
"Lack of impulse control, accompanied by a refusal to have his staff control his impulses. We're no longer surprised by any action, no matter how far below the dignity of the office -- and no matter how dangerous to the country," Sherman said.
"But the Constitution does not provide for the removal of a President for impulsive, ignorant incompetence. It does provide for the removal of a President for High Crimes and Misdemeanours," he asserted.
As the investigations move forward, additional evidence supporting additional articles of impeachment may emerge, he noted.
"However, as to the Obstruction of Justice...the evidence we have is sufficient to move forward now. And the national interest requires that we do so," the Democratic lawmaker said.
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