Published 8:35 a.m. | Updated 12:34 p.m.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has named seven impeachment managers for President Donald Trump's Senate impeachment trial, including House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff of California, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler of New York — and Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado.
Pelosi made the announcement Wednesday morning, hours before the House was expected to vote to send the articles of impeachment to the Senate for trial.
President Trump was impeached last month on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The charges stem from his pressure on Ukraine to investigate Democrats as he withheld security aid to the country.
Crow, a Democrat that represents Colorado's 6th District, is a lawyer by trade and a veteran. He serves on the House Armed Services Committee.
Crow "served our country bravely as an Army Ranger" in Afghanistan and Iraq, and was a "respected litigator," Pelosi said at a press conference announcing the managers.
The freshman Democrat was a surprise pick for manager, as he does not sit on either the House Judiciary or Intelligence committees. Crow has however been one of the leaders in the democratic caucus on national security issues, and he said he expects to be involved in that aspect of the case against President Trump.
He will meet with other managers to hammer out a strategy and roles going forward.
After Pelosi announced his role, Crow said he and the other managers are going to push forward with a "full and fair trial."
"To have the confidence of the caucus means a lot to me and the confidence of the American people," Crow said.
Crow said his role in managing the trial is still to be determined.
"It's a very somber and very serious responsibility," he said. "We're going to approach it with the seriousness and the gravity that this is .... We can't allow the president to do what he did and set a precedent for future administrations."
In a statement after the announcement, Crow talked more about the influence of his military experience as he approached the new role.
"My time in the military service taught me that our democracy exists because men and women stand up to fight for it," Crow said in the statement.
The democratic impeachment managers will be like prosecutors and present the House’s case against the president in the Senate.
After the announcement, Crow received support from fellow Colorado congress members via tweet — including from one juror Senator Michael Bennet.
Republican reaction to the news was accompanied by a different tone.
“After weeks of delay, Nancy Pelosi has finally named the ring leaders of her impeachment circus as it heads to the Senate," Colorado Republican National Committee Spokesperson Kyle Kohli said.
"Jason Crow and House Democrats are desperate to undermine a duly elected President because they know they cannot beat him at the ballot box. Coloradans will remember this baseless, partisan witch hunt and vote to reelect President Trump in November.”
The resolution approving the impeachment managers passed the House on party line vote, with all Colorado Democratic members supporting and Republicans opposing.
