Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced on Tuesday a formal impeachment inquiry into President Trump following a rapid and seismic eruption by House and Senate Democrats seeking to defend the Constitution and challenge the president, despite political risks. "The actions of the Trump presidency have revealed the dishonorable fact of the president's betrayal of his oath of office, betrayal of our national security and betrayal of the integrity of our elections," Pelosi said in her remarks. "Therefore, today, I am announcing the House of Representatives is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry." Pelosi's announcement came after months of infighting on the topic within the caucus, which split largely between those in safe districts and those who helped hand the House to the Democrats in November, with Pelosi siding with the latter group throughout. However, north of two dozen House Democrats have come out in support of an inquiry since news emerged that Trump allegedly pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden (The Hill). Her announcement also came shortly after Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) announced his support for the impeachment effort, a sign that Pelosi was likely to follow shortly after. Pelosi's remarks came on the heels of a caucus meeting in the basement of the Capitol, where she announced the decision to wide support among members. Multiple lawmakers present described the meeting as a unifying event for a conference plagued for months by intraparty battles. "The American public is going to get an education about this president," said Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) "The most important part to me in this is a president who's never been held accountable to anything he's done wrong in his life. This is that first opportunity to be held accountable." In her prepared remarks, Pelosi said the six committee chairmen investigating the president will continue under the umbrella of an impeachment inquiry, posing a new question: What's different now? According to lawmakers, it's a "big step forward," as Quigley put it. "If you want to put a name to it, call it 'Phase 2,'" said Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) "I think it has an imprimatur … that we didn't have before." Democratic lawmakers said there was no concrete timeline laid out for the impeachment inquiry, although Pelosi wants it completed expeditiously. Some said it could move ahead within weeks. Others said it might continue to next year's election. While nearly 200 House lawmakers support Pelosi's move to open the inquiry, some remain skeptical and view it as a risky move. When asked by reporters whether he supports the push, Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.), a Blue Dog Democrat, said he is "still trying to figure that out." Rep. Jefferson Van Drew (D-N.J.), who represents a South Jersey district won by Trump in 2016, disagreed with Pelosi's step forward, arguing that the country still isn't behind impeachment. According to a Monmouth University poll taken in August, 59 percent of voters were against impeaching Trump, with 35 percent in favor of doing so. However, the poll was taken well before the Ukraine information came to light and in the aftermath of former special counsel Robert Mueller's testimony in late July. Reuters poll: Interest in impeachment drops, 37 percent support inquiry, 47 percent against. 44 percent say they have heard little or nothing about the Ukraine story. Opening an inquiry was as far as Pelosi would go on Tuesday. According to three House Democrats, she would not promise a floor vote on impeachment, a step some House Democrats have sought. The swirl of anticipation and Pelosi's eventual historic announcement electrified the Capitol on Tuesday as lawmakers and communicators prepared for a no-holds-barred political war. Depending on next steps in the House, Trump could be ushered into a small club in American history. The House impeached former President Andrew Johnson and former President Clinton (both were acquitted by the Senate) and had been marching down that path with former President Nixon when he decided to resign. Many lawmakers are preparing for Thursday, when the House and Senate Intelligence committees expect to hear from acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire and the intelligence community's inspector general. The State Department also faces a Thursday deadline to produce related documents and information tied to the president, his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and contacts with Ukraine. Across the Capitol, the Senate passed a resolution by unanimous consent to demand the whistleblower's complaint from the executive branch for examination by the intelligence committees. The White House is expected to release requested documents to Congress by the end of the week (The Hill). The New York Times: White House seeks deal for whistleblower testimony to Congress and redacted release of whistleblower's complaint. Trump also announced he will send lawmakers today the "complete, fully declassified and unredacted transcript" of his July 25 phone call with Zelensky, although it is likely to be a summary drawn from official notes (Reuters). The Hill: Senate Democrats hesitant to go all-in on impeachment probe. The Hill: Senate GOP vows to quash impeachment articles. Niall Stanage: Democrats plunge into politics of impeachment. Peter Baker: Trump makes clear he's ready for a fight he has long anticipated. Trump, who juggled a full schedule at the United Nations on Tuesday as the impeachment controversy gripped the Capitol, escalated both his protests of innocence and evolving assurances of cooperation with Congress. The president protested that he had every right to discuss the issue of corruption with the president of Ukraine and had temporarily held back on sending $400 million in foreign assistance to Ukraine because "other countries should also pay because, frankly, it affects them more." Trump accused House Democrats of opening an impeachment inquiry as a political maneuver that he predicted would boomerang to his benefit in next year's election. "Our country's doing the best it's ever done and they're going to lose the election and they figured this is a thing to do," he told reporters trailing after him in New York. "It's the craziest thing anybody's seen," he added. Trump is scheduled to hold a news conference this afternoon at the conclusion of the U.N. General Assembly. The president's campaign manager issued a statement asserting that "Democrats can't beat President Trump on his policies" so they are "trying to turn a Joe Biden scandal into a Trump problem." Brad Parscale predicted the president's supporters would instead mobilize to ensure Trump's reelection. Reuters: Explainer: What it would take for Congress to impeach Trump. The Washington Post Fact-Checker: Trump's claims about Biden, Ukraine and polls (four Pinocchios). The New York Times: During calls with foreign leaders, few in the Trump administration have access to what is said. The Washington Post: Giuliani pursued shadow Ukraine agenda as key foreign policy officials were sidelined. The Hill: GOP campaign chief: Backing impeachment will cost House Dems their majority in 2020. The New York Times: The List - Where House members stand on the impeachment inquiry. 
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