He accused me of of. Yes yes exactly I mean I thought and he's missing in that 6 page letter was a declaration of arrest and suspension of Congress. And that's a good point and also questioning Nancy Pelosi is it that she was crying for him I mean you know nothing is sacred with with Donald Trump nothing it's really even even when you think nothing could be more incredible Then he tweets and he writes letters and he makes statements just shamelessly I never seen anything quite like it Marjorie cons professor emeritus Thomas Jefferson School of Law San Diego former president National Lawyers Guild author of drones and targeted killing legal moral and geo political issues find her writings where she writes frequently homeowner e-mail list Marjorie Cohn dot com Marjorie Cohen we thank you. Thank you both I appreciate it and you're listening to k.p. Live coverage of the house for House debate on 2 articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump before we go back to the House floor I do want to thank everyone who had contributed to k.p. a Face end of the Year fun drive that we wrapped up yesterday at 7 pm we came up about $10000.00 short of our overall goal so almost there and each and every one of you helped get there if you appreciate our coverage of the impeachment process and how k. P.f.a. Informs entertains introduces new ideas and music please make your year end donation AK a p f a o r g your donation you know you're up to a certain point rules change will be want to make may look into it but. Could be tax deductible up till December 31st for a year 2009 teen You're listening to k.p. a Famed Berkeley b. And Berkeley K.F.C.'s in Fresno and online. Argy also 88.14 K.F.C.'s 97.54 k 248 p.r. In Santa Cruz we are going to go back to the House floor for which the debate is occurring right now again 2 hours into the 6 hour debate that has been scheduled about 4 hours from now we are anticipating those debates this is we're about to turn to Jerrold Nadler who is overseeing the democrats'. Portion of the debate and what he does is he makes his little comments and then frequently passes it on and he just introduced. Who is now speaking as we bring the sound up and as we look for the name. Or. Disgraceful day do things that actually matter I yield back the gentleman yells back gentleman from New York. Many speak right now you. Carolina Mr Price nice for one minute. Better Speaker David Price the moment our founders anticipated in establishing the power of impeachment has arrived the evidence is clear President Trump abused his power by asking a vulnerable foreign leader to investigate both his political rival and a baseless Russian conspiracy theory while withholding congressionally appropriated defense aid and a coveted White House visit he then blocked congressional investigation into these abuses these abuses threaten the integrity of our elections they corrupt our diplomacy and they undermine national security we sometimes regard constitutional checks and balances as the indestructible underpinnings of our democracy in fact they're not fixed they're not indestructible the president has demonstrated this beyond all doubt it's up to the Congress the 1st branch of government to apply the remedy that the Constitution for scribes because the threats to our democracy are real and present with this vote we affirm that no one including the president is above the law. Gentleman from Georgia thank you Madam Speaker I yield a minute I have to the gentleman from Kentucky that's come for demonstrating times for a minute half since the beginning of this impeachment inquiry it's been extremely troubling to see the partisan divisive way in which Democrats have carried out this entire process changed. Though they promised they don't see this president since the day he took his oath of office from the start. This is been a baseless attempt to undo the will of 63000000 Americans who voted for President Trump I can tell you the people I represent in Kentucky the very people who voted for this president to enact change and fight for this country are appalled at the charade they've seen in the House in recent months they are appalled at the actions from House Democrats who failed to even come close to proving their case I hope all of my congressional colleagues carefully consider the president they are setting by voting in favor of the sham process and these illegitimate articles of impeachment these articles were written and built on a report that was drafted with biased presumptions cherry picked witnesses and vastly disputed facts the president did not commit any impeachable offense and it's clear for all of us to see through the now a very well known transcript this rig process sets a concerning precedent for impeachable offenses moving forward and I wholeheartedly oppose these baseless articles of impeachment. And I yield back the. Gentleman from New York many speak right now you have one minute to the gentleman from California Mr Peters gentleman is recognized for one minute Thank you Madam Speaker many have lamented that this effort is not bipartisan but on my Republican colleagues Republicans have not sought the truth they have sought to avoid the truth they have demeaned and insulted witnesses Patriots warriors career diplomats diplomats who provided evidence against the president no House Republican has joined us to demand the documents and witnesses that President Trump has refused to produce and Senate Republican leaders this week have announced that President Trump himself can set the rules of his own trial and there will be no fact witnesses Republicans refuse to seek the truth and condemn the abuse of power or to work with us to prevent this ongoing behavior in the future and that's the tragedy of today's events in our nation's history thousands of Americans have gone into battle without reservation to fight for our republic as they still do today many have been gravely injured and some have made the ultimate sacrifice but today in contrast for fear of losing an election my colleagues will not speak up for the rule of law or against presidential abuse of power voters may give them a pass but history will judge them harshly I will vote for the articles of impeachment I yield back to John and from Georgia thank you Madam Speaker it is a privilege out of you to men and I have to the general from Georgia missed a lot of Germans recognize for a minute how. Things in all the water George and friend Mr Collins is Madam Speaker I rise today in opposition not only to these articles of impeachment but in strong opposition to the process that has brought us to this point our Constitution and Bill of Rights are all about process our Founders knew that a government without constraints could accuse anyone of any crime at any time even without compelling evidence that's why the 5th in the 14th Amendment says stablished a bedrock principle of innocent until proven guilty beyond a. Reasonable doubt but on November the 14th Speaker Pelosi informed the press that the president should prove his innocence when she stated Mr President if you have anything that shows your incident innocence then he should make that known the Constitution also a guarantees that the accused can call witnesses to testify on their behalf but the Republicans or the president were continually denied that right throughout this process the 6th Amendment guarantees the right of the defendant to face their accuser but not only have the Democrats prohibited Republicans in the president from questioning the so-called whistleblower his identity has been kept secret before you take this historic vote today one week before Christmas I want you to keep this in mind when Jesus was falsely accused of treason Pontius Pilot gave Jesus the opportunity to face his accusers during that sham trial punchers pilot afforded more rights to Jesus than the Democrats have afforded this president and this process I yield back. The gentleman from New York. The president was given the opportunity to come in testify before the Judiciary Committee to send his counsel to question witnesses he declined to do so I now yield one minute to the gentleman from Michigan Mr Kildee killed in Michigan. Thank you Madam Speaker this is this is a sad day for our country and for our democracy the president has abused the powers of his office betrayed the public trust and undermined America's national security by pressuring or a foreign government to interfere in our elections for his own political gain. In this moment in our history the Constitution is clear the remedy for such misconduct for by a president is impeachment I didn't come here to Congress to impeach a president of the United States but sadly the president's misconduct leaves us no choice but to follow the Constitution I have 2 grandchildren I get my granddaughter Caitlin is 8 and my grandson Collin is 4 someday a long time from now they'll ask me about this day they'll ask about the time the president put himself above the law and they'll want to know what I did to stop him and I will have an answer for them. Today I vote to uphold the Constitution I will vote to impeach Donald Trump I yield back the gentleman from Georgia. Thank you Madam Speaker it is interesting that the present was supposedly given rise the juicer committee but maybe who would have asked questions of 3 law professors and a staff member not a lot of the process there with this I owe them in half the gentleman from Texas chairman's recognize from a minute half Madam Speaker we are here today because House Democrats have spent upwards of 30000000 dollars and 3 years trying to overturn the 2016 election of President Trump and come up with nothing Brian Bay because of their radical x. Wing Democrats are willing to make all future presidential elections invalid until judged worthy by the majority in the House of Representatives the president of the United States does not serve at the pleasure of the House of Representatives perhaps the greatest denial of reality regarding President Trump is acknowledging that under his policies things are actually going much better than they have in decades for working Americans we are a democratic constitutional republic in which power flows from We the People to our president and elected officials the Democrat majority thinks otherwise they believe that they are entitled to rule us even if they have to change the rules to invalidate the will in the votes of the people of America and that is why the absence of a case does not matter in this charade of impeachment and I believe that the American people recognize and share my urgency about what is its stake here Madam Speaker you and your majority may decide today but I have faith that the American people will decide otherwise next November thank you and I yield back and announce fact gentleman from New York and it's be going now you one minute to the gentle lady from Washington is that of any. News for one minute Democrat Washington. Thank you Madam Speaker I rise today in support of this resolution after carefully reviewing all of the evidence and the articles of impeachment before us it is clear that President Trump abused the power of the presidency and obstructed Congress I did not come to this conclusion lightly impeachment is an extremely serious matter but no president can be allowed to pressure a foreign country for personal and political gain no president is above the law his behavior has jeopardized the integrity of our elections put our national security at risk and placed his personal interests above those of the American people his obstruction has prevented the house from conducting its constitutional duty to of oversight of the executive branch by failing to uphold his oath of office President Trump forces each of us as members of the House of Representatives to up hold ours I urge my colleagues to do just that and defend our democracy I yield back the gentleman from Georgia thank you Ms madam speaker at this time of year the minute after the gentleman from Virginia was written chose to recognize for a minute and a half Thank you Madam Speaker representative dead or the management of public the articles of impeachment I represent the 5th district of Virginia which is just so many founding fathers whose vision shaped the great country we are living in today Thomas Jefferson and James Madison are not around to see what their creation has become but I don't think they would be pleased to see Congress subverting the will of democracy by holding an impeachment vote because the majority party simply cannot accept the 2016 election. And said of wasting the taxpayers' time and money on specious investigations we could have passed legislation to address surprise medical billing secure the border address the opioid epidemic reduce student debt and solve a litany of other issues that Americans actually care about tomorrow we might have a vote on the u.s. M.c.a. Which we should have passed months ago had it not been for the obstruction and delays from Democrats delays that are made farmers in my district and other districts suffer votes like the one we will take today the decisions that have led up to today's vote the nature and entire process of this proceeding reeks of careers bureaucrats and politicians that put politics over people I was not elected to take political votes that attempt to overturn the will of the American people I ran for office to serve my constituents let's remember that's why we are here weaponize emotion is not the way to serve the United States of America and to my colleagues to do just that I offer a quote Thomas Payne wrote in a crisis to argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead thank you and I yield back the balance of my time gentleman yells back gentleman from New York this is big man a speaker I would remind the gentlemen that the House has passed over. Democrat $275.00 bipartisan bills driving down costs of health care in prescription drugs raising wages rebuilding infrastructure taking on corruption and self dealing in Washington 80 percent of these bills are languishing on Senator McConnell's desk I now yield one minute to the gentle lady from Ohio Ms Kaptur. Marcy Kaptur Democratic chairman for yielding on which to place on the record that members of Congress swear a sound most to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic and today we fulfill our oath by defending liberty the central figure. Testing America's resolve is not here in Washington today rather the closeted villain sits in mascot with the Kremlin Vladimir Putin has coordinated murders election acking propaganda the entrapment of willing fools and greedy underlings to put their own selfish interests over Liberty Putin seeks to sow disarray in destabilize democracies and the NATO alliance at Putin's direction Russia illegally invaded Ukraine in 2014 and has Ukraine defends Europe's eastern flank 14000 people have been killed at Putin's hand with over 2000000 displaced residents stand up to Putin President Trump and his minions aided Putin 1st in hastening Russian interference in our 2016 elections and then more recently withholding vital military aid from Ukraine to coordinate interference in our 2020 elections Mr Trump's personal gain time to expire might I end by saying on word liberty vote for the articles of impeachment gentleman from Georgia thank you Madam Speaker this time I yield a minute and a half to the general for North Carolina Baltimore for. Bettin Speaker I rise in opposition to these baseless articles of impeachment and the unprecedented process that's been used in this effort to impeach the duly elected president of the United States it is a mockery of American justice in $178081.00 of our founding fathers Alexander Hamilton wrote in The Federalist Papers in many cases impeachment will connect itself with the preexisting factions and in such cases there will always be the greatest danger that the decision will be regulated more than the comparable strength of parties majority and minority and then by real demonstrations of innocence or guilt what does this mean it means that the majority can exert its influence regardless of justice in this statement Hamilton warned us about the danger of mob rule Democrats have a criminal and have been searching for a crime for 3 years but this president has not committed a crime as a leader and to marry a foreigner follow the president has a constitutional obligation to root out corruption in countries to which we provide aid this is not an abuse of power it is his job one of the articles is obstruction of Congress the only thing that's been instructed is this president's right to due process I don't blame the president for refusing to fully participate in this guilty until proven innocent circus this is not how our founding fathers framed American justice this is a tragic day in our nation's history we have individuals that hate this president more than they love this country our country needs prayer and not this destructive partisanship Thank you I yield back tears are from New York. Madam Speaker the president's obstruction is unprecedented and categorical President Trump claims that the House cannot investigate his misconduct outside of an impeachment inquiry he defies lawful congressional subpoenas then and then he sues to block 3rd party things such to giving her a bottle even as he pursues his own interests in court his administration simultaneously argues that Congress is barred from obtaining judicial Foresman when executive branch officials disregarded subpoenas so when can the president be held accountable for his for his wrongdoing in his mind never in the Constitution however disagrees I now yield one minute to the general 80 from the District of Columbia Ms Holmes Norton general ladies recognized for one minute. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton she's delicate from. The district of Madam Speaker my words on my only remedy today in spite of the upcoming d.c. Statehood vote we expect to be successful the people of the District of Columbia have no vote on impeachment or on any other matter on this floor now I spoke on this floor on the impeachment of President Clinton 20 years ago unlike the Clinton impeachment on perjury concerning an affair with and in turn from some Pietschmann turns on sabotage of national security to get himself reelected Clinton repented Trump insists that he did nothing wrong that's a promise to continue his long pattern of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress impeachment is our only recourse I yield back general ideas back gentleman from Georgia thank you madam speaker at this time I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado member of the Jewish Committee Mr a gentleman is recognized for 2 minutes thank you Madam Speaker I thank the gentleman from Georgia today 7 that's in the bar Republican in Colorado under the standard a president can be impeached in the absence of a crime without due process and for certain a legally constitutionally recognized privilege history shows Democrat presidents have abused power to undermine democracy and win elections and yet they have not been impeached President Franklin Roosevelt used the i.r.s. To target his political opponents his son later admitted f.d.r. Used quote the i.r.s. As a weapon of political retribution president John f. Kennedy used the f.b.i. To wiretap and monitor political opponents including congressional staff he deported one of his mistresses to avoid scandal. President Lyndon Johnson spied on Goldwater's campaign signing off on wiretapping his opponent and Goldwater's airplane and using a CIA spy to obtain advanced copies of Goldwater's strategies and speeches President Barack Obama refused to provide documents to Congress related to Fast and Furious his unc