Last best hope on earth. Fdr said on the eve of the second world war, democracy is not dying. Reagan said in the midst of the cold war, america is a shining city on a hill. What exactly will history say about us . Will we put principle over party . Will we put the constitution above corruption . Will we put democracy over demagoguery . What exactly will history say about us . I yield now to my distinguished colleague from the great state of texas, mrs. Escobar. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Brian williams here with you. Were watching in new york. Our live coverage continues. The republican talking points that theyve heard over and over and over again, especially for those americans who have been listening and watching all day. And instead go directly to the evidence yourself. Over 100 hours of testimony, testimony by some of americas greatest patriots. Over 250 text messages. Mick mulvaneys own words, mr. Mulvaney is the president s chief of staff. And finally, the president s own words. His own words inviting russia, ukraine, and china into our election. The republican colleagues that we have on this committee claim there is not enough evidence. Review it for yourself. And as to obstruction, we have given a number of examples about obstruction, but we have a living example that was released just tonight. And actually, before i talk about that example, if my colleagues, my republican colleagues think the president is so free from wrongdoing, i would ask them to join us in calling on President Trump to release it all. Release the witnesses. Release the documents. Let the American Public make up their own minds. Let them see it all. Call on transparency. Join us. But they wont because the obstruction is convenient. Tonight there was a victory. The center for Public Integrity sued in federal court for documents related to the ukraine scandal, and this is what theyve got. They won in court, but what they got were heavily redacted documents. Why . Because the president doesnt want these documents to see the light of day. I ask for unanimous consent, chairman to enter these documents into the record. Without objection. Along with the article Trump Administration resists ukraine disclosures ordered by court. Yield back. The time of the gentlelady has expired. What purpose does the Ranking Member, mr. Collins seek recognition . Move to strike the last word. Gentleman is recognized. Thank you. As were coming to the end here, it is amazing to me, especially from hearing from one of the my frankly either side of the aisle my closest friends on this dais, mr. Jeffries make a statement that said the only thing we had to offer was a process argument all day. He may have had to come in and out. Im not sure. But for the most part, for over 12 hours, we have ordered the fact and argue the facts that there is over and over and over again, that the aid was released. There was nothing done. And that has been argument. We have a process argument that goes the process argument has a lot to do with where were at right now. But the facts have been taken on and rebuffed every single hour of this day since 9 00. It is amazing to me also that the one thing my friend said as we look forward to this and going forward, it has to be said. This is basically the concerning part for many of us is this is a focus group impeachment. When he couldnt make as one of my colleagues mr. Richmond said quid pro quo is not something we all use, but bribery is something somebody understands. Extortion is what somebody understands. Doing something illegal is something understanding. What weve heard today from my colleagues is a lot of discussion about crimes they couldnt charge. Crimes that they wouldnt put in the articles of impeachment. If they were so set that he did all of these crimes that were always mentioned, then put them in the articles. But you cant. Thats the biggest flaw and struggle youre having right now. And i know we still have just a little bit of debate left, but that is just the issue were dealing with. You cant put him in there. And for those who have said that you will not defend the actions of this president , we are defending the president s action. We defend that there is nothing wrong. And i will do that right now. Again for someone who is not listening. The problem were having is this calendar clock impeachment. One of the things thats disturbed me the most, ive worked with this chairman now in the minority and minority in both ways, and it is amazing to me how little we have gotten in this. I wrote six letters to this chairman about issues of how were to actually conduct what has now become the real short rubber stamp version of impeachment, which we have tonight in the Judiciary Committee. I received an answer to none of those letters except one just the other night when it was rejected of any of our witnesses. Not a chance that we have any of our witnesses. So in some ways i turn it back on the democrats. What were you scared of . What were you afraid of that they might actually say . We summarily rejected them. So my question would be honest is what are you afraid of from the witnesses, some of which had already been called that we wanted to call . When were understanding the fact that we have now become a committee that unfortunately merited what the chairman said over 20 years ago. We have accepted the facts from other places and not checked them out ourselves. We have rejurj tated, thrown out, talked about other peoples work, but yet not having a chance to look at it ourselves, yes the rubber stamp. This is no longer the Judiciary Committee that actually is a trier of fact or a witness interrogator. It is a rubber stamp to where someone else, mr. Schiff in particular, has told us. And that is sad. Because thats not what this committee is about. Ive watched last congress as my friends who are now in the majority win the minor make passionate arguments for hours at a time on very little nothing including the rules of the committee. We went almost i think it was seven or eight hours on the rules of the committee. Passion. I understand that. Thats what this committee is about. But can you tell me honestly from the majoritys perspective that weve almost spent less hours percentagewise on impeachment of actually doing anything remotely related to a hearing as you did in the minority when you were arguing about the rules of the committee in the oversight . That should tell you a lot about what this is about. Because were spending more time in the minority arguing about things that really in the end of the day were not moving the needle, and were spending less time percentagewise arguing about what you have called the highest of all calls that youre doing and honoring the constitution and honoring the call that youve had as a commitment to serve in this body. I think its just not congruent with what youre doing. The other problem i have is its going to be never ending. In just a matter of a few week, whenever the senate finishes up what to whatever they do, then were back to this again. I know this because adam schiff has told me again. Theyll impeach him over and over again, investigate him over and over again. I guess im waiting for the Committee Hearing schedule in february to see what were investigating negotiation. I guess that will dominate us. But the one most disturbing thing of all today, at the end of the day, if you cant make that president zelensky felt threatened, then you attack president zelensky. I cannot believe in the last little bit here he was actually called a battered wife. President zelensky called a battered wife. The absolute destruction in compared to a battered wife is just amazing that this is where we stooped in this committee at this time during this important moment. Vote no on this impeachment debacle. I yield back. Move to strike the last word. Thank you so much, mr. Chairman. Just a couple of things i want to clear up right off the bat. I feel compelled to say that lieutenant Alexander Vindman is a hero because he received the purple heart for sustaining injuries in iraq. And i am extremely proud of him for his courage on and off the battlefield. Secondly, we can say this one more time. The Intelligence Committee did not subpoena the phone records of any member of congress or any member of the press. Abuse of power has been defined as official misconduct. Commission of an unlawful act done in an official capacity which affects the performance of official duties. President trump sought an announcement of political investigations in return for performing two official acts. Number one, he conditioned release of vital military assistance in ukraine on president zelenskys public announcement of the investigations. Now imagine if there was a mayor who withheld critical dollars from a police chief to fight terrorism until that chief went to a microphone and simply announced an investigation of the mayors political opponent. I do not believe any community anywhere would allow that. Number two, the president conditioned a head of state meeting at the white house on ukraine publicly announcing the investigations. And finally, President Trump acted corruptly throughout this course of conduct because he offered to perform these official acts in exchange for a private political benefit rather than because it was in the countrys interests. This last element, the president acting corruptly is perhaps the most important act, and it bears repeating, because it explains why this article is structured as an abuse of power. It has been suggested that its as simple as we hate the president. I dont hate the president. I attended President Trumps inauguration. I wanted to be there to watch the peaceful transfer of power. I felt it was my duty before coming to congress i have provided dignitary protection for a republican and democratic president s. I always considered it an honor. But President Trump with all that has been said with all of the excuses that we have heard today, President Trump used his office to serve himself. To serve his private benefit. And by doing so, he jeopardized Americas National security interests and the integrity of our precious elections. Every vote should count. And when allout to completely obstruct any investigation into his wrongdoing. Yes, weve heard it many times. Yes, the president was duly elected by the American People. We know that. And we take it very seriously. I want my vote to count, and everybody i believe who pressed their way to the polls want their vote to count. But are you suggesting that the American People will allow the president to do anything that he wants to do any time, any place, anywhere. To my republican colleagues, i reject what you are willing to settle for. We have a responsibility to hold the president accountable, and i plan on doing my constitutional duty. He shall be held accountable. And with that, mr. Chairman, i yield back. Gentlelady yields back. There being no further amendment, we have concluded debate in the amendment in the nature of a substitute. The question occur on the nature of a substitute. All those in favor respond by saying aye. Opposed no. No. In the opinion, the ayes have it. The amendment and nature of the substitute is agreed to. To be clear, the ayes have it. The amendment and nature of the substitute is agreed to. To be leer, the vote this Committee Just took was not a vote on final passage of the article. It was a procedural vote which precedes final passage of each of the articles. It has been a long two days of consideration of these articles, and it is now very late at night. I want the members on both sides of the aisle to think about what has happened over these last two days and to search their consciences before we cast our final votes. Therefore, the committee will now stand in recess until tomorrow morning at 10 00 a. M. , at which point i will move to divide the question so that each of us may have the opportunity to cast up or down vote s on eah of the articles of impeachment and let history be our judge. The committee is in recess. Chairman, mr. Chairman, there was no consulting from the Ranking Member on your schedule for tomorrow and what you have just blown up schedules for everyone . You chose not to consult the Ranking Member on a schedule issue of this magnitude . So typical. This is the Kangaroo Court that were talking about. This is outrageous. Not even consult . Your stalinesque. Lets have a dictator. Its good to hear about that. Unbelievable. Well, good evening. Well continue to monitor this. We are together on witnessing this for the first time. Jerry nadler has thrown a surprise into the proceedings. Lets listen to whats still going on inside the hearing room, shall we . We didnt have any fact witnesses, but we had a threeday trial. Unbelievable. How about that . Well, it took them all but two nights to really show their true colors. This was a really sneaky move. None of us can do anything about this. We would never i think in part, we are genuinely surprised, all of us, that anything happened in the course of this hearing that was a genuine surprise, but this is it. You hear collins lets listen to collins. Well continue to talk what we just witnessed. With one side and the other doing our final comments like we did. And then to do that right there shows that chairman nadlers integrity is zero. His staff is zero. They have nothing that they can offer anymore except the Kangaroo Court we have seen the last few days. The giant rubber stamp you have just seen in this committee has made this committee irrelevant. The chairman has made himself irrelevant. That was the most bush league play ive ever seen in my life. They want to simply get it back on the cameras. Its after 11 00 tonight and they dont think enough people is watching. I have never seen anybody want to get in front of these cameras more than this group right here. They dont have anything they can impeach the president on, they dont have anything to move on except for bush league stuff like this. This just shows the American People why this right here is wrong. They should show this right now why this president has been attacked for three years, and tonight they showed it completely. Hearing by ambush. You heard the man. So nadler did not consult with the other side. Chairman nadler, it was kind of released earlier tonight. It was very important to him that all of the Republican Debate on amendments to these articles get heard. And so all day and all night we have heard various members in order as they went around the horn. There were votes. They all were up and down party line votes. Nadler suddenly came on and said well get back at this at 10 00 a. M. Our correspondent Garrett Haake is standing by. Garrett, first of all, as a matter of scheduling, how many of these members thought they were going to be on an airplane tonight out of andrews going to the commemoration, the 75th anniversary of the battle of the bulge in europe . Or did anyone on the Committee Count on going on that congressional delegation trip . There is only one democrat on that trip that im aware of, brian. And look, a beat reporter like myself hates to admit this, but this is a genuine surprise. This was not expected. Weve got i think we can actually show you. Doug collins is speaking right over here. Lets take him. The chairman just ambushed the entire committee, did not have any consultation with the Ranking Members. Were going have votes at 10 00 a. M. In the morning. I guess they didnt think enough today of spreading their very paperthin impeachment process for over 12 to 14 hours was enough. So tonight without consulting a Ranking Member, without consulting anyone, schedules of anybody be put out this, were scheduling this at 10 00 a. M. In the morning. I dont know. The integrity, the chairmans integrity is gone, his staff is gone. This was is most bush league thing i have ever ever. And if the American People wondered about this impeachment anymore that. Dont have to wonder anymore. They saw what happened here tonight. Because this committee is more concerned about getting on tv in the morning than it was finishing its job tonight and letting the members go home. Words cannot describe how inappropriate this was, how i had been saying for the whole year how this committee is just simply rim shooting the rules of this house and this proves it tonight. They do not care about rules. They have one thing. Their hatred of donald trump. And this showed it tonight because they want to shine into these cameras, get prettied up, and then vote and make it all happen. This was the im just beyond words at this point. But it shows their lack of integrity in this process and the lack of case that they have. For them to come out here to defend this is the most ludicrous thing in my life. Why does it really vote if you vote tonight or tomorrow . Jim sensenbrenner, the former chair of this committee complimented chairman nadler for how he conducted. I think Jim Sensenbrenner would comp him right now. Jim sensenbrenner left frustrated tonight. To finish up tonight. So we have members who have flights. We have members who are getting on trains. We have members who are going home because this was going to finish up tonight. But to not even consult the Ranking Member, to not even give us a heads up, this was all we heard. And we have been consulting back and forth on the last few minutes about who was going to speak and how we were going to end the speaking tonight. We had plenty of more amendments and things we could have offered tonight and been here all night. But we chose to say we said all we need to say. They said all they need to say and were finishing this up. That was the most lack of integrity thing ive ever seen by a member of congress, especially a chairman. Do you have members who are supposed to be on this codel . I have no idea. Just to clarify, before mr. Nadler announced that you had gotten nowhere . I think my expression right now would confirm that. That was the most shock. And to see the staff and the chairman have no comment and sor