Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy PelosiCongress affirms Biden win after rioters terrorize Capitol Third House lawmaker tests positive for COVID-19 this week West Virginia legislator livestreams himself joining mob at Capitol: report MORE (D-Calif.) and a group of female Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday wore dark clothing on Capitol Hill to mark the House's vote on articles of impeachment against President Trump
Donald TrumpTrump acknowledges end of presidency after Congress certifies Biden win Congress affirms Biden win after rioters terrorize Capitol Third House lawmaker tests positive for COVID-19 this week MORE.
Rep. Debbie Dingell
Deborah (Debbie) Ann DingellHouse GOP rejects unanimous consent on ,000 direct payments Republicans scramble to prevent year-end legislative disaster AOC v. Pelosi: Round 12? MORE (D-Mich.), who was wearing a dark grey coat with black lapels, told The Hill that some female members of Congress typically wear red on Wednesdays to show solidarity with issues such as human trafficking and women's heart health awareness.
But they decided to wear darker colors this week to mark the "somber" occasion, she said.
Pelosi, Rep. Val Demings
Valdez (Val) Venita DemingsSeven Senate races to watch in 2022 Demings on Florida: 'We're excited about what we're seeing' but 'taking absolutely nothing for granted' Why it's time for a majority female Cabinet MORE (D-Fla.), a member of the House Intelligence Committee, and Rep. Kendra Horn
Kendra Suzanne HornThe US's investment in AI is lagging, we have a chance to double it What should Biden do with NASA and the Artemis Program? Here are the 17 GOP women newly elected to the House this year MORE (D-Okla.), who represents a swing district, were among the lawmakers spotted on the Capitol wearing black.
The Speaker told NBC News that she was "sad" about the day's proceedings.
Justice. Dignity. Solemnity. Sisterhood. #impeachment pic.twitter.com/oUJDRTRLWb
— Christine Pelosi (@sfpelosi) December 18, 2019
The move to sport dark clothing did not appear to be widely coordinated, however. Female Democratic lawmakers arrived in the House chamber wearing a variety of colors.
Republican Rep. Debbie Lesko (Ariz.) also gave a forceful speech condemning impeachment while wearing a black coat.
The Democratic-controlled House is prepared to vote on two articles of impeachment charging the president with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Nearly every House Democrat is expected to vote in favor of the articles, which would make Trump just the third president in U.S. history to be impeached.
Ahead of the vote, Pelosi told her Democratic colleagues that they would be "derelict" in their duty if they did not vote to impeach Trump. The impeachment vote follows a House inquiry largely based on allegations that Trump pressured the Ukrainian president to announce investigations into his political rivals.
Trump has repeatedly dismissed charges of wrongdoing.
In a scathing letter sent to Pelosi on Tuesday, the president accused Democrats of waging "nothing more than an illegal, partisan attempted coup."
Cristina Marcos contributed to this report.
