USA: 'Facts are what they are' - Pelosi ahead of formal impeachment vote

*NO CUTAWAYS AT SOURCE*
SOT, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives: "The facts are what they are, they can try to misrepresent them but the fact is this is very - this is a process that is expanding opportunity for them to show anything that is exculpatory, proves the innocence of the President."
SOT, Journalist: "Madam Speaker, do you believe that you have the votes necessary?"
SOT, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives: "Yes."
SOT, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives: "These rules are fairer than anything that have gone before in terms of a[n] impeachment proceeding, I'm not here to answer to what the Republicans say."
SOT, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives: "The US, Mexico, Canada trade agreement is about what is contained in that agreement, its timing is when we come to a conclusion as to that agreement, there. And, has nothing to do with the timing (of the impeachment inquiry) absolutely noting, in the House of Representative that's all I can speak for. We are reasonably close, I will say this and this is probably the most optimistic thing I will say about this. If we can come to terms - that I think we are close to doing - this will be a template for future trade agreements. Not only good as itself but a good pattern for how we can proceed, so we have an opportunity to do it right, we're not there yet but we understand the road, the last shall we say mile that we have to go."
SOT, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives: "We'll just do our bill when we are ready and we can't do it any sooner than when we have the agreement, that this trade agreement is really helpful to the lives of America's working families. And, you don't help America's working families by pauperising people in Mexico, the lower their wages are the more companies will go. I had someone come in my office yesterday to say that thirty-eight, I'll just be conservative, thirty-five factories that closed in the last two years, many of them going out of the country."
SOT, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives: "If we lift the standards up for everyone, we have a better shot of having a better deal for America's working families, and that's why we are there, we are there for America's working families. I voted for NAFTA [North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement] I had my disappointments about it, I didn't want this just to be NAFTA plus a little bit. I wanted it to be structurally different in terms of who benefits, starting with American workers, so I'm happy about it and impeachment has nothing to do with it. It only has to do with our coming to an agreement and to terms as far as the House of Representatives is concerned."
M/S Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi leaving press briefing, Washington DC
SCRIPT
The Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi declared that the facts of the ongoing impeachment inquiry into US President Donald Trump are "are what they are" during a press conference ahead of a key vote to formalise the impeachment process, in Washington DC on Wednesday.
"These rules are fairer than anything that has gone before in terms of an impeachment proceeding," Pelosi added.
She went on to state that the formalisation of the impeachment process was an opportunity for Trump and his supporters to "show anything that is exculpatory, proves the innocence of the President."
When asked by journalists whether she would have the required support in the upcoming vote she replied "yes."
The Speaker went on to declare that the impeachment inquiry and the proposed US, Mexico and Canada trade agreement were not related amid claims the House of Representatives are using the threat of impeachment to get the deal ratified by the President.
Later in the day on Wednesday the House of Representatives voted 232 to 196 to formalise the next stage of the impeachment inquiry which will include public hearings and the possible participation of the President.