The process to impeach US President Donald Trump through a vote in the House and the Senate will now officially begin. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced on Thursday that Trump's actions left her with no choice but to act, asking the House Judiciary Committee to proceed with articles of impeachment against the president.
Pelosi's move confirms the Democrats intentions to carry out a vote of impeachment against Trump, with the period until now having been about investigating Trump's alleged misdemeanours.
Under the process, an impeachment vote will likely take place before Christmas as the House is scheduled to recess on December 20.
According to AP, Pelosi met with the Democratic Caucus on Wednesday to gauge the mood before possible impeachment proceedings. When she asked, "Are you ready", the room responded with a resounding "Yes!".
On Wednesday, four legal scholars, three chosen by Democrats and one chosen by Republicans, testified before the House on the grounds for and against the impeachment of Trump. All three who were nominated by Democrats said that there were significant grounds for impeachment, with the Republican nominee saying that the House inquiry had not satisfactorily made his case—calling for a repeat of the investigation.
Trump tweeted an hour before Pelosi's announcement saying, "If you're going to impeach me, do it now so we can have a fair trial in the senate."
