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The
Democratic-led House initiated an impeachment inquiry against
Trump, a Republican, on Tuesday after a whistleblower report
raised concerns that he tried to leverage nearly $400 million in
U.S. aid in exchange for a political favor from Ukraine's
leader.
"I would have no choice but to take it up," McConnell told CNBC.
If the House approves bringing charges, known as "articles of
impeachment," against a president the process moves to the
Senate which holds a trial to determine the president's guilt.
"Under the Senate rules, we are required to take it up if the
House does go down that path. "The Senate impeachment rules are
very clear," McConnell said in an interview.
According to a Republican Senate leadership aide, any senator
could attempt to have the articles of impeachment dismissed in
the early stages of the trial, which would trigger a vote with a
majority of the Senate needing to vote in favor for it to
succeed.
"How long you're on it, is a whole different matter, but I would
have no choice but to take it up," McConnell said.
There has been speculation over whether McConnell, who has
defended fellow Republican Trump, would try to find a way to
avoid a Senate trial. The Senate leader controls what is to be
debated on the Senate floor and sets the schedule for those
debates.
(Reporting by Richard Cowan and Doina Chiacu; Editing by
Alistair Bell)
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