Lead House Impeachment Manager Congressman Adam Schiff of California claimed during closing arguments in the Senate impeachment trial Monday that President Donald Trump will sell a U.S. state to the Russian government if not removed from office.
If “abuse of power” was not impeachable, Schiff argued, “then a whole range of utterly unacceptable conduct in a president would now be beyond reach.”
“Trump could offer Alaska to the Russians in exchange for support in the next election, or decide to move to Mar-A-Lago permanently and leave Jared Kushner to run the country, delegating to him the decision whether they go to war.”
Adam Schiff:
Adam Schiff:
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) February 3, 2020
If Trump isn't removed he "could offer Alaska to the Russians in exchange for support in the next election or decide to move to Mar-a-Lago permanently and leave Jared Kushner to run the country, delegating to him the decision whether they go to war." pic.twitter.com/VBzkonqpmH
A vote on the president’s acquittal is now expected to come on Wednesday, exonerating the president of the three-and-a-half year impeachment effort launched by the Democrats even before Trump took office in 2017.
House Democrats launched an impeachment probe in September after an anonymous whistleblower complained that Trump was using the power of the Oval Office to extract concessions from foreign leaders, a common practice among American presidents.
The whistleblower complaint however, alleged Trump was conspiring with the Ukrainian president to interfere in the next election in exchange for nearly $400 million in military aid that was ultimately released to the Ukrainian government despite no investigations that Democrats have charged Trump with demanding.
Democrats however, rushed impeachment proceedings in the House to vote on two articles of impeachment the week of Christmas. By a partisan vote, the House voted to send two articles to the Senate accusing Trump of “abuse of power” and “obstruction of Congress,” with two Democrats joining Republicans united in opposition and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard voting present.
Now as the Senate impeachment trial finally concludes without new witnesses as Democrats begged, Trump’s acquittal this week is almost certain.