Impeachment to become major stumbling block in Pres. Trump’s reelection

U.S. President Donald Trump was impeached on Wednesday by the U.S. House of Representatives over the Ukraine scandal, dishonorably becoming the third U.S. president to be impeached by the representatives. President Trump is likely to be acquitted by the Republican-led Senate, but the aftermath of the impeachment will shake up the U.S. politics with the upcoming presidential election in 2020.

After 11 hours of discussions, the House of Representatives impeached President Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress in relation to the Ukraine scandal by a majority vote. The votes were 230 for impeachment, 197 against, and one abstention for the first count; and 229 for, 198 against, and one abstention for the second. Among the Democrats, two and three voted against impeachment respectively for the first and second charge while all 197 Republicans voted against showing its unity.

“The radical left in Congress is consumed with envy and hatred and rage,” said President Trump as the voting took place on Wednesday during his campaign rally in Battle Creek, Michigan, calling the impeachment illegal and partisan. “It's a political suicide march for the Democratic party,” Trump said, adding that the Democratic party showed “deep hatred and disdain for the American voter” and would pay for it in the 2020 election.

“Today marks the culmination in the House of one of the most shameful political episodes in the history of our Nation,” the White House also said in a statement released immediately after the impeachment decision. “The President is confident the Senate will restore regular order, fairness, and due process.”


lightee@donga.com