The Guardian
Trump impeachment: Democrats formally accuse the president of inciting insurrection
* Trump is expected to become the first president to be impeached twice * Pelosi: Trump a ‘troubled, unbalanced and dangerous president’ * U.S. policy – live coverageDonald Trump is facing a second historic impeachment after Democrats in the House of Representatives formally accused him of an “incitement to insurrection” account of the Capitol riot. Five people died in the attack last week, which Trump prompted when he told his supporters to “fight like hell” in his bid to topple defeat in the Joe Biden election. Emerging video footage revealed how close the crowd came to a potentially deadly confrontation with members of Congress. On Monday, security officials struggled to ensure that Biden’s inauguration next week would not be marked by more violence. ABC News said it obtained an internal FBI bulletin detailing the plans for “armed protests” and calls for the “invasion” of state, local and federal courts and buildings across the country if Trump is removed from power before that. At Capitol Hill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who in an interview on Sunday called Trump “a crazy, unbalanced and dangerous president,” started a two-part plan. “The president’s threat to America is urgent, and it will also be our action,” she said. An initial resolution appealed to Mike Pence, the vice president, to support the removal of Trump under the 25th amendment. A clause in the amendment, never invoked before, describes how cabinet members can agree to remove a president in extreme circumstances. Pence, a staunch loyalist until the climax of Trump’s efforts to overturn the election, signaled no intention to join such a move. Republicans in the House duly blocked the Democratic resolution. But it was followed by the introduction of an impeachment article citing “incitement to insurrection.” Trump was accused of “committing serious crimes and misdemeanors by inciting violence against the United States government” and therefore violating his oath of office. The article cites the 14th amendment prohibitions against anyone “involved in insurrection or rebellion against” waiting[ing] any office … under the United States ”. The Chamber could bring the only article to the vote midweek. Democratic Congressman David Cicilline of Rhode Island, who introduced the measure, tweeted that Democrats now have enough votes to pass it and impeach Trump for the second time – the first in American history. But in order for him to be removed, he would have to be sentenced in the Senate. The Senate is in recess until after his inauguration, and Democratic leaders have said they will not accept impeachment until the Biden administration has had time to try to confirm the nominees and pass important legislation in its first 100 days. A small number of Republicans in the Senate and House have joined Democrats’ efforts to remove Trump, arguing that even with – or especially with – so little time remaining in his term, he poses a danger to Adam Schiff, the committee’s Democratic chairman. intelligence officer and a key figure in Trump’s first impeachment, tweeted: “Every day Trump remains in office, he is a threat to our democracy. Congress must act, and urgently. “But the Senate conviction would be a long shot, as it was the last time the president was impeached. Some Republicans have indicated support this time, but about a dozen more will be needed for success. Trump was accused of two articles of impeachment in December 2019 and acquitted in February 2020 . Senators found him innocent of abuse of power by 52-48 votes and innocent of obstruction of Congress by 53-47. Utah’s Mitt Romney was the only Republican to vote to convict – on charges of abuse of power. If Trump were convicted after stepping down, the Senate could decide to punish him by preventing him from seeking the job again, as opponents fear. his plan in 2024. Since the attack on the United States Capitol, the president has withdrawn from the public eye and been banned from Facebook and Twitter, convicted by former allies and vowed not to attend Biden’s inauguration on January 20. His silence was completely filled – the Democrats’ violent calls for him to be expelled from office – and the mild resistance of some Republicans who called for national “unity” after their attempt to overthrow the November election produced one of the most blatant acts of violence on the Capitol in two centuries. signs that Trump supporters are planning to march on the Capitol once again, on opening day, at an online event labeled “A Million Militia March”. The FBI arrested dozens of participants in last week’s riots and continued to circulate suspect wanted posters, potentially hampering participation in another rally. But with nine days to go, authorities planned to protect the area. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser asked the Department of Homeland Security to place new restrictions and asked people to avoid the city on January 20. The Pentagon, the FBI, the Secret Service and other agencies are said to have been put on alert and the national guard said it would increase troops in Washington to at least 10,000 by Saturday. The National Park Service temporarily closed the Washington Monument “in response to credible threats to visitors and park resources”. The inauguration will be attended by Barack and Michelle Obama, George and Laura Bush and Bill and Hillary Clinton. Biden, the new vice president, Kamala Harris, and their families will join the former presidents and their families on a visit to the Arlington national cemetery, ABC reported. These plans were made while the nation struggled to deal with the violence last week, in which five died and dozens were injured. On Monday, Democratic Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, 75, said she had tested positive for coronavirus and believed she had been infected while locked up for hours on Capitol Hill during the rebellion last week with colleagues who did not wear face masks. Coleman is awaiting a more comprehensive Covid test, noting that she had already received the first injection of the two-dose vaccine.