Democrats lay out impeachment case against Trump

Democrats laid out their case Monday for the impeachment of Donald Trump, branding the US president a "clear and present danger" to national security as they prepared to issue formal charges against him.

Four months after a whistleblower sparked the investigation of Trump for seeking illicit political favours from Ukraine, Democrats said there was abundant evidence that he had committed bribery, abused his power and obstructed the investigation.

"President Trump's persistent and continuing effort to coerce a foreign country to help him cheat to win an election is a clear and present danger to our free and fair elections and to our national security," said Daniel Goldman, counsel for the Democrats.

Facing an almost certain vote in the coming weeks to make Trump the third American leader impeached and placed on trial, top Republican Doug Collins countered that the effort was simply "a good PR move" for Democrats ahead of next year's presidential elections.

"It's all political," Collins said.

"Where's the impeachable offense? Why are we here?"
The allegations came in a contentious House Judiciary Committee hearing in which Republicans repeatedly punched back, while Trump himself denounced the inquiry as a "disgrace" and "hoax."
Berke played videos of testimony by top US diplomats involved with Ukraine supporting the charges, and footage of Trump claiming he has "the right to do whatever I want as president."
"Democrats are obsessed with impeaching the president," he said, calling evidence from the transcript of a July 25 phone call between Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky "baloney."