Hoping that the article will pass the House on Wednesday, spokeswoman Nancy Pelosi is planning to send the impeachment article to the Senate next week, according to a source involved in the Democratic leadership’s deliberations.
That would leave the Senate with no choice but to proceed immediately to a trial. The timing will depend on whether majority leader Mitch McConnell decides to call the Senate back to the session early – which he said he would not do. Under Senate rules, the Senate cannot officially receive any message or bill or resolution from the House, unless the Senate is in session, and the House is not scheduled to return until January 19.
But in preparation for that time, Pelosi appointed nine members to serve as impeachment managers to discuss the Senate case to remove Trump from office because of his role in last week’s Capitol rebellion.
Congressman Jamie Raskin, D-Md., A former professor of constitutional law who co-authored the article and whose family was on Capitol Hill last Wednesday, the day after burying Raskin’s son who took his own life, will serve as the main Manager impeachment.
The other managers – one of the rarest appointments for a member of the House – are Democratic representatives. Diana DeGette, Colorado, David Cicilline, RI, Joaquin Castro, Texas, Eric Swalwell, California, Ted Lieu Calif., Joe Neguse, Colorado., Madeleine Dean, Pa., And Del. Stacey Plaskett, Virgin Islands.
“It is their constitutional and patriotic duty to present the case of impeachment and removal of the president. They will do so guided by their great love for the country, determination to protect our democracy and loyalty to our oath to the Constitution,” Pelosi said in a statement Tuesday night. .
Impeachment managers are different from those used by Pelosi a year ago for Trump’s first impeachment trial – then led by Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. During this effort, managers discussed the case to remove Trump for pressuring the president of Ukraine to promise to investigate Biden and his son, Hunter.
-ABC News’ Jonathan Karl and Chad Murray