U.S. House panel chair says articles of impeachment "presumably" to be introduced this week

Washington: U.S. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said Sunday that his panel, which is writing articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, will "presumably" present them this week.

Speaking during an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press," Nadler said they will "bring articles of impeachment presumably before the committee at some point later in the week."

The New York Democrat also said congressional leaders have not finalized many of the key details of what may be included in any articles of impeachment but claimed there was "overwhelming evidence" that Trump "put himself before the country."

"It's certainly abuse of power, it might be obstruction of Congress," Nadler said of Trump's alleged conduct. "He put himself above the country, he sought to get foreign interference against the integrity of our election."

Trump called the impeachment proceeding a "hoax" on Sunday, accusing Democrats of changing the guidelines "because the facts are not on their side."

"When you can't win the game, change the rules!" Trump tweeted.

Nadler's remarks came a day after the majority staff of the House Judiciary Committee released a report explaining what they called constitutional grounds for Trump's impeachment.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked Nadler to begin drafting articles of impeachment on Thursday.

Senator Ted Cruz, a Trump ally, accused House Democrats of holding "a kangaroo court" on Sunday.

"They're going to impeach, not because they have the evidence but because they hate the president," Cruz told "Meet the Press."

"But it's going to go to the Senate, it's going to go nowhere," he added.

House Democrats are looking into whether Trump abused his office by pressuring Ukraine into launching investigations that could benefit him politically.

Lawmakers are also examining whether the Republican conditioned a White House meeting or a military aid to Ukraine on those probes.

According to the nation's constitution, the House shall have the sole "Power of Impeachment," while the Senate shall have the sole "Power to try all impeachments."

Trump will be impeached if the House approves any of the articles of impeachment the House Judiciary Committee has recommended by a simple majority vote.

But conviction can only happen in the Senate and requires at least two-thirds of its members, or 67 senators, to vote in favor. Currently, the Senate has 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats and two independents.

Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican, told Fox News on Sunday that he thinks the impeachment trial is "going to meet a quick end in the Senate."