Thread by @TheBeatWithAri

THREAD: As House Dems prepare for their first floor vote on impeachment, @AriMelber breaks down Dems’ newly-released rules which could govern the process by which they continue their impeachment inquiry into President Trump.

WATCH: Recall Speaker Pelosi, who is now barreling towards tomorrow's key vote, spent months holding back an impeachment inquiry, as top committee chairs deferred to a slow-roll approach.

.@AriMelber on tomorrow’s vote of House Resolution 660 - the first floor vote on a path to impeaching Trump:
“Politically, this vote will test or show if Pelosi has a united caucus on impeachment. Constitutionally, it creates the blueprint for impeachment.”

.@AriMelber identifies three takeaways from House Dems' impeachment rules:

First, the "rules pave the way for public impeachment hearings – which Trump's GOP defenders say would be more fair," empowering not only "Congress, but top committee lawyers to do the questioning."

Secondly, the provisions give Donald Trump protections and options, given his past avoidance, stonewalling and defiance of these probes, to send whoever he chooses to Congress to defend his case.

Chairman Nadler says he will operate under "serious procedures" that confer rights for the "President, equal to those provided during the Nixon and Clinton inquires."

If the impeachment resolution passes, House Dems will give Trump even more protections than Clinton and Nixon.

Lastly, the most pivotal revelation discloses the Intelligence Committe is playing the role of primary investigators, unlike past Nixon and Clinton cases which included a special counsel.