i don t know that we ve made the case for a formal impeachment inquiry yet. but i do want the committee digging into this. i think the facts we re seeing are alarming. but i d rather do it in a very thorough, conscientious way. the speaker s been clear if in fact we re the facts dictate and the constitution dictates that we go to an impeachment inquiry phase of the investigation we ll do that. and the advantage of when you get to that point is it s easier to get the information. if it s not accountability now for the highest office holder in the land, when is it going to be? at the end of the day he will be impeached. and remember, kaitlan, that speaker mccarthy cannot lose more than four republican votes on any party line vote, especially an impeachment vote. and with so many members in difficult races that will be complicated to do. so the longer this drags out, and if it goes into an election year, this makes his calculus even more complicated as he tries to hang on to h
Thought of when i heard this was what are moderate republicans that come from districts that president biden won think about this i mean, the idea that they think they could be forced to vote on this is probably not sitting well with them. yeah, they are squeamish at the moment, uncertain whether to go forward and. that is something that the speaker itself knows full well he will have to allow these members to get behind this effort, because ultimately, this could hurt them. some of them fear in their campaigns. one congressman, don bacon, told me they have not yet made the case to impeach, or at least open up an official impeachment inquiry against the president just yet. i don t know if we made the case for a formal impeachment inquiry. i do want to committee digging into this. i think the facts that we are seeing are alarming. but i d rather do it in a very thorough conscientious way. the speaker s been clear, if in fact we are the facts dictate, the constitution dictates that
Testimony in the impeachment hearings, house democrats are now preparing for the next critical phase. our congressional correspondent, phil mattingly is getting new information for us. what are you hearing from lawmakers about the next step forward? reporter: there s one thing lawmakers from both sides and inside the democratic caucus are sure of, there will be a vote to impeach donald trump. when will that happen? likely in a couple weeks. the public hearings in the impeachment inquiry phase are now complete. over the course of the next week the staff of the intelligence committee will be drafting a report laying out their findings. those findings will be transmitted to the house judiciary committee and where the actual impeachment hearings and articles of impeachment are expected to occur. should be some hearings during that process. bottom line, democrats are not waiting for administration officials or former administration officials they re willing to see to come testify. they sa
Affairs, financial services and ways and means, those six then send the strongest evidence that they can find to the judiciary committee. that s when the impeachment starts. that committee now headed by jerry nadler decides whether to approve the articles of impeachment for a vote in the full house. then the votes are on the charges. majority 218 is needed for this to pass articles of impeachment. that threshold could be close given that 225 democrats and one independent are in favor of at least the impeachment inquiry phase but not to pass articles of impeachment. if the house approves the articles, the president of the united states is officially considered impeached. if impeached, the next question is shall the president be essentially found guilty and removed based on the approved charges from the house? the senate decides on that.