- The Washington Times - Tuesday, January 14, 2020

The House will vote on the resolution to transmit articles of impeachment against President Trump to the Senate on Wednesday.

“The American people deserve the truth, and the Constitution demands a trial,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, said in a statement. “The President and the Senators will be held accountable.”

Mrs. Pelosi did not, however, name the impeachment managers Tuesday morning.

Democrats are careful not to get ahead of the speaker on who and how many managers will be selected for the trial, but there are two members at the top of the list likely to be selected: House Intelligence Chairman Adam B. Schiff and Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler.

“I assume that whoever the speaker designates as managers … have been people who’ve had some significant involvement in the case,” Rep. Peter Welch, Vermont Democrat, said. “We know Adam has done a great job and Jerry has, too. So the expectation … is they’ll be our leaders and then there’ll be other supporting cast.”

Mr. Nadler has not released the text of the resolution, which will name the impeachment managers, but lawmakers expect it to be unveiled Wednesday.

The resolution will not only serve to transmit the articles, but also include an allocation of funds and the House’s evidence.

Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer expects the vote to take place sometime in the afternoon on Wednesday. It’s unclear when the formal procession to deliver the articles from the House to the Senate will be, but Mr. Hoyer expects that to either be on Wednesday or Thursday morning at the latest.

Mrs. Pelosi announced on Friday that the House would send over the two articles of impeachment, ending an unprecedented three-week standoff with the Senate.

Last month, the House impeached Mr. Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress last month.

Throughout the standoff, Democrats demanded guarantees from Republicans that witnesses and documents will be included in the Senate trial, but they folded as pressure mounted in the upper chamber.

However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell already has the votes for the trial to proceed with opening arguments and questions before senators decided on hearing from witnesses.

Despite their disadvantage, House Democrats are still demanding that the Senate call new witnesses such as former National Security Adviser John R. Bolton and acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney.

“You can’t have a trial without witnesses,” Mr. Nadler said.

Mrs. Pelosi also condemned Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for signing on to a resolution that would have moved to dismiss the trial altogether if the House did not transmit them by Friday.

“A dismissal is a cover-up. The American people will fully understand the Senate’s move to begin the trial without witnesses and documents as a pure political cover-up. Leader McConnell and the President are afraid of more facts coming to light,” she wrote.

• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.

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