Pelosi: Trump impeachment articles to be sent 'soon'

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - U.S. President Donald Trump's articles of impeachment will likely be transmitted "soon" to the Senate, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday.

The top House Democrat did not offer a more concrete timeline but said only that she would do so "when I'm ready."

"And that will probably be soon," she told reporters at the Capitol. "I’m not withholding them indefinitely."

Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have been at loggerheads on the matter with Pelosi and congressional Democrats demanding he lay out the rules for Trump's impeachment trial and agree to call witnesses during the proceedings before the articles are handed to the Senate.

"We want to see what they're willing to do, and the manner in which they will do it," Pelosi said.

McConnell has stridently brushed aside Democratic demands, saying this week there will be "no haggling" over the details of Trump's impeachment trial.

Trump became only the third president in U.S. history to be impeached when the House approved last month two articles of impeachment -- abuse of power and obstruction of Congress -- against him.

The abuse of power article is centered on Trump’s multiple requests to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to announce investigations into Democratic front-runner and former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, as well as claims it was Ukraine, not Russia, that meddled in the 2016 election. Obstruction of Congress stems from Trump's refusal to cooperate with the House proceedings and his insistence that his top officials do the same.

Trump has maintained his innocence.