The House Judiciary Committee voted 24-17 Thursday to approve a resolution defining the scope of a potential impeachment inquiry against President Trump.
“Some call this process an impeachment inquiry. Some call it an impeachment investigation. There is no legal difference between these terms, and I no longer care to argue about the nomenclature,” said House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler as he opened the meeting.
“But let me clear up any remaining doubt: The conduct under investigation poses a threat to our democracy. We have an obligation to respond to this threat. And we are doing so,” he continued.
Republicans argue that the House has never voted to open an official inquiry. Rep. Doug Collins, the top Republican on the committee, said, “My colleagues know very well they don’t have the votes to authorize impeachment proceedings on the House floor, but they want to impeach the president anyway. So, they are pretending to initiate impeachment.”