Whether or not Speaker Pelosi votes. Its tradition the speaker doesnt often votes but on a day like today i would think she would want to lead from the front. Well see. It seems like unprecedented times. Hagar, felipe, congressman, thank you so much. Well hand off to ari melber. Good morning. Im ari melber reporting live from nbc headquarters with coverage of todays events on msnbc. The breaking news coming out of capitol hill, lawmakers in the house about to take their first ever formal votes on how to proceed with the Impeachment Inquiry of president donald trump. This new resolution maps out the blueprint and rules of the road
for what democrats say is the next public phase in this impeachment probe. Now many are expecting a Party Line Vote today. Lawmakers will vote on these ground rules which includes moving the closed door depositions of all of these key witnesses into public hearings. Weve seen squabbling over this process. Were expecting in our special coverage to hear from Speaker Nancy Pelosi. That could be as soon as within the next 15 to 20 minutes. For weeks she has said this formal vote is not legally or constitutionally required but thats true and she changed course in part after much pressure from republicans and the president about the process. Pelosi and democrats launched their investigation after the whistleblower sounded an alarm about a july phone call about President Trump and the president of ukraine. House democrats are focused on trumps efforts to push ukraine into what they say is an unconstitutional abuse of power. The investigation of domestic political opponents and conditioning it all on military
aid. The president and his allies insisting nothing wrong with that call and there wasnt a quid pro quo or whatever happened is typical Foreign Policy. Because this is our special coverage im thrilled to tell you about some of the people and experts leading us off this morning. Nbc chief White House CorrespondentHallie Jackson. Msnbcs Garrett Haake on capitol hill. Nbc news correspondent Heidi Presswhat in washington. Jeremy bash, former chief of staff at the cia and department of defense. John meech m, president ial historian. Bob costa, reporter and msnbc analyst who has been leading coverage of this has been reverberating in the past hour. Joining me here at our headquarters former u. S. Senator chair mccaskill, Pulitzer Prize winner Eugene Robinson from the Washington Post and Barrett Burger a prosecutor in the Southern District of new york. Good morning to everyone. Thrilled to have you here. Feels like a big prime time evening as well. I want to go right to the hill,
garrett, what are we going to see next. Were going to continue to see this debate play out over the next hour or so and could see extended remarks from Speaker Pelosi and House Minority leader Kevin Mccarthy as we refer to as magic minutes one minute of time afforded to the leaders that can stretch on as long as they see fit and then i expect to see a largely partyline vote this morning. Democrats have managed to bring some wayward democrats who had not yet supported the Impeachment Effort back into the fold on this, in part by playing up the idea that this is, in fact, a process vote, not a conviction, not a vote on a specific article of impeachment. Just the next step on the road. Several democrats who opposed or not supported the inquiry have come out in favor in part by saying they are in favor of opening this up and see this process open up to the public. Republicans by and large have remained in lockstep on this saying this does not go far enough to expand rights for them
and the minority and the president of the United States. If i had to place a bet my analysis on this is that youre more likely to see perhaps one or two democrats vote with republicans against this resolution, than you are to see republicans cross the line and vote for it at this stage. Democrats will at some point make a moral argument, make a patriotic argument perhaps to get republicans to vote for whatever they produce in this process, but on this Pure Process Vote here, i expect to see both parties largely staying within their lanes. How many votes will we see . This is i think a threevote series. Usually the second vote will be the main vote on the actual resolution here and then a motion to recommit. You could see some other Process Votes take place here as republicans might try to gum up the works and delay this. Given that everyone ive talked to at least on both parties expect this resolution to pass, republicans could slow this down but it may not be worthwhile to throw up a bunch of procedural roadblocks when the house is scheduled to go out today and
nothing clarifies the mind of lawmakers like the prospect of going home early on a thursday. Garrett, youve given us some of the numbers and some of the rules. My last question for you briefly, is the vibe. Does it feel heavy, significant, momentous there today or does it feel like any other day on the hill . It has a bit of a unique vibe to it, i will say. The debate is just getting started. Theres still more empty seats than full ones in the house chamber. I was over there a few minutes ago. Theres a lot of additional media and lawmakers kind of loitering around waiting for their moment. It does feel like were on the cusp of something unusual here. Fascinating to get your ground view and please stay near the floor and your camera we will be Coming Back To You throughout the special coverage. We turn to the white house, where chief correspondent Hallie Jackson is reporting for nbc and msnbc news. What are you hearing . So different vibe. Its interesting ari, hearing you and garrett talk about the vibt on the hill with the
potential for this moment. President trump is Behind Closed Doors and unless something changes that is where he is going to stay. Nothing on his public schedule. White house officials have been cagey on what he is up to and how closely he is watching. Based on what ive seen from this president over last three years we know he will turn in today the whip counter in chief, watching closely if any republicans to the point that you were making with garrett end up flipping over and voting with democrats here, despite the fact that it seems unlikely. Thank you. Im going to come back to you shortly. Congressman adam schiff who has been the leading face on the Intelligence Committee for this probe is speaking. Lets listen in. As evident in the july 25 call record and the events that preceded and followed that call, that work has necessarily occurred Behind Closed Doors because we have had the task of finding the facts ourselves, without the benefit of the investigation that the Justice Department declined to
undertake. Despite attempts to obstruct, we have interviewed numerous witnesses, we have provided important testimony about the efforts to secure political favors from ukraine, who have provided important testimony about the efforts to secure political favors from ukraine. With we have reviewed Text Messages among key players which show how securing political investigations was placed at the forefront of our Foreign Policy towards ukraine. This resolution sets the stage for the next phase of our investigation, one in which the American People will have the opportunity to hear from the witnesses firsthand. We will continue to conduct this inquiry with the seriousness of purpose that our task deserves because it is our duty and because no one is above the law. Madame speaker, i urge passage of the resolution and yield back. Gentleman from oklahoma. Thank you, madam speaker. We have been listening to the beginning of this debate today
on the first ever House Floor Vote on a resolution to provide for rules for the potential impeachment of the sitting president donald j. Trump. That was adam schiff making a brief but forceful case. Were going to keep an eye and bring you into the room as soon and whefb never we see a significant action. I want to bring back our panel. Speaking with Hallie Jackson from the white house who nimbly stepped aside as we went to the house floor and let you continue your thought and give yours view of how the white house is dealing with what continues even as this public floor vote goes on today, there are key people who typically work in the building youre in that are reporting to private depositions. Right including tim morrison on capitol hill today. He is the outgoing top adviser to the president on issues related to russia and this is going to be a significant deposition different that morrison is somebody on that phone call between President Trump and the ukrainen leader, only the Second Person who has a firsthand account, firsthand
knowledge of that conversation who is going to be talking with the house investigators. You have the prospect of somebody else coming in, john bolton, the former National Security adviser who might have quite a bit to say. He and the president butted heads over issues not just this one, with other witnesses testifying that bolton repeatedly raised concerns about Rudy Giulianis interactions with ukraine. His lawyer told nbc news he does not want to voluntarily testify but that left the door open to, a subpoena, which these other witnesses have had, have been brought before congress under subpoena. Were still waiting to see questions on that. You asked about how the white house is handling this. I have to tell you same as they ever were is the answer. Before this vote went down and we knew that Speaker Pelosi would take the vote to formalize the rules i have been asking democrats, the white house is telling me, sources are saying to me hey, and saying it publicly too, we believe toss it back to you. I see Speaker Pelosi on the floor. Tranquilly provides to the common defense, promote the
general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and to our prosperity do ordain and establish this constitution of the United States. It goes on to immediately establish article i, the legislative branch, article ii, article iii the judiciary. The genius of the constitution, a separation of powers, three coequal branches of government, to be a check and balance on each other. Its that that we take the oath of office, we gather here on that opening day with our families gathered around, to proudly raise our hand to protect and defend the constitution of the United States. And that is exactly what we are doing today. Sadly, this is not any cause for
any glee or comfort. This is something that is solemn, something prayerful. And that we had to gather so much information to take us to this next step. Again, this is a solemn occasion. Nobody, i doubt anybody in this place or anybody that you know, comes to congress to take the oath of office, comes to congress to impeaches the president of the United States. Unless his actions are jeopardizing our honoring our oath of office. So im grateful to our Committee Chairs for all of the careful and thoughtful investigation they have been doing as this inquiry has proceeded. Today, the house takes the next step forward as we establish the procedures for Open Hearings conducted by the house Intelligence Committee so that
the public can see the facts for themselves. This resolution ensures transparency, advancing Public Disclosure of deposition transcripts and outlining the procedures for the transfer of evidence to the Judiciary Committee to use in its proceedings. It enables effective public hearings, setting up procedures for the questioning of witnesses and continuing the precedent of giving the minority the same rights and questioning witnesses as the majority. Which has been true at every step of this inquiry, despite what you might hear there. It provides the president and his counsel opportunities to participate, including presenting his case, submitting requests for testimony, attending hearings, raising objections to testimony given, cross coming witnesses and more. And contrary to what you may have heard today, we give more
opportunity to the to his case than was given to other president s before. And thank you, mr. Chairman, for making that point so clearly. And these actions, this process, these Open Hearings, seeking the truth and making it available to the American People, will inform congress on the very difficult decisions we will have to make in the future as to whether to impeach the president. That decision has not been made. Thats what the inquiry will investigate and make the decision. Based on the truth. I dont know why the republicans are afraid of the truth. Every member should support allowing the American People to hear the facts for themselves. That is what this vote is about. What its about, is the truth. What is at stake, what is at stake in all of this is nothing
less than our democracy. I proudly stand next to the flag and i thank the gentleman from new york for providing this flag, so many have fought and died for this flag which stands for our democracy. When Benjamin Franklin came out of independence hall, we heard this over an over, on september 17th, 1787, the day our constitution was adopted, he came out of independence hall, people said to him, dr. Franklin, what do we have . He said, as you know, he said a republic, if we can keep it. If we can keep it. And this constitution is the blueprint for our republic and not a monarchy. When we have a president who says article ii says i can do
whatever i want, that is in defiance of the separation of powers thats not what our constitution says. So what is at stake . Our democracy. What are we fighting for . Defending our democracy for the people. You know that in the early days of our revolution, thomas payne said, the times have found us, the times found our founders, to declare independence from a monarchy, to fight a war of independence, when to write our founding documents and thank god they made them amendable so we could always be expanding freedom and the genius, again, the genius of that constitution was the separation of powers. Any usurping of that power is a violation of the of our oath of office. So proudly, you all, we all
raised our hand to protect and defend and support the constitution of the United States. Thats what this vote is about today. We think the times founders, the times have found others in the course of our history, to protect our democracy, to keep our country united, the times have found each and every one of us in this room and in our country to Pay Attention to how we protect and defend the constitution of the United States. Honoring the vision of our founders who established a country contrary to that principle, honoring the Men And Women In Uniform who fight for our flag and freedom and our democracy. And honoring the aspirations of our children so that no president , whoever he or she may be in the future, could decide that article ii says they can do whatever they want. Again, let us honor our oath of office, let us defend our democracy and let us have a good vote today and have clarity, clarity as to how we proceed, why we proceed, and again, doing so in a way that honors the constitution. We must honor the constitution and how we do this. We must respect the institution we serve. And we must heed the further words of our founders, eplur bus unum, from any one, they didnt know how different we would be but they knew that we needed to always be unifying. Hopefully as we go forward with the clarity of purpose, the clarity of procedure, a clarity of fact, a clarity of truth, its about the truth, its about the constitution. We will do so in a way that
brings people together that is healing, rather than dividing and that is how we will honor our oath of office. I urge an aye vote and yield back the balance of my time. [ applause ] gentle lady yields back. We have been listening to Speaker Nancy PelosiOn The House Floor speaking ahead of this floor vote creating the rules and blueprint for the potential impeachment of donald trump and the speaker we hear from often spoke in grandeur terms, quoting Benjamin Franklin, thomas payne, the founders saying it brings her no joy to do what the house is now on the precipes of doing. Historic day, certainly in the view of the woman in charge nancy pelosi. I want to turn to our panel, weve been hearing other comments from the house floor and Senator Mccaskill with me in
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