It all began just after midday with the following…<\/p>\n \u00a0“Today, as speaker of the House, I\u00a0solemnly and sadly\u00a0<\/strong>open the debate on the impeachment of the president of the United States,”\u00a0 Speaker Nancy Pelosi said from the House floor shortly after noon.<\/p>\n “It is\u00a0tragic\u00a0<\/strong>that the president’s\u00a0reckless\u00a0<\/strong>actions make impeachment necessary. He gave us\u00a0no choice<\/strong>.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n And ended just over eight hours later<\/p>\n House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy closes:\u00a0\u201cHe is president today, he\u2019ll be president tomorrow and he will be president when this impeachment over.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) closes:\u00a0“All of us feel a sense of loyalty to party. It’s what makes our two-party system function. But party loyalty must have its limits…it has become increasingly clear that the limits of partisanship have been reached and passed.”<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n And the result after 219 speakers from both sides of the aisle today, as most expected,\u00a0all Republicans<\/u>\u00a0voted against impeachment,\u00a0all Democrats except three<\/u>\u00a0voted for the first article of impeachment…<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Article 1 – Abuse Of Power<\/strong><\/u>\u00a0– vote 230 in favor, 197 opposed, 1 present:<\/p>\n All Republicans<\/u>\u00a0voted against impeachment,\u00a0all Democrats except four\u00a0<\/u>voted for the second article of impeachment…<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Article 2 – Obstruction<\/strong><\/u>\u00a0– vote:<\/p>\n Tulsi Gabbard voted “present”\u00a0<\/strong>while New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who\u2019s in the process of becoming a Republican; and Minnesota Rep. Collin Peterson, who represents what\u2019s considered the country\u2019s most conservative Democratic district, both\u00a0broke ranks and voted against impeachment.<\/strong><\/p>\n …and Michigan Rep. Justin Amash (the sole Independent member of the House) voted for impeachment.<\/p>\n The question now is simple – will Pelosi keep the articles to herself (to avoid the spectacle of utter defeat in the Senate)? Or pass them on for what McConnell has called a quick decision.<\/p>\n What the Constitution says about what happens next<\/strong><\/em><\/u><\/p>\n A president who has been impeached by the House can still serve as president. It\u2019s up to the Senate to hold a trial to decide whether to remove him from office. The two other presidents impeached by the House, Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson, were both acquitted by the Senate.<\/p>\n The Constitution only says that the Senate has to hold a trial, with the senators sitting as jurors, House lawmakers serving as prosecutors known as managers and the chief justice of the United States presiding over it. They must take a public vote, and two-thirds of senators present must agree on whether to convict the president and thus remove him from office. But the Constitution doesn\u2019t lay out exactly how to hold a trial.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.zerohedge.com\/s3\/files\/inline-images\/mrz121119-color-1-5mb_orig%20%283%29.jpg?itok=44AhCxhF\")
<\/picture><\/a><\/p>\n<\/picture><\/a><\/p>\n<\/picture><\/a><\/p>\n<\/picture><\/a><\/p>\n