Trump was impeached by the House on a single charge of inciting an insurrection, the deadly Capitol riots on January 6.
Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer agreed to postpone Trump’s Senate impeachment trial for the week of February 8. Instead of starting impeachment, the Senate will start trying to confirm Biden’s cabinet choices and work on relieving Covid-19.
“We definitely believe that people should be held accountable, the president should be held accountable, but our first priority is to deal with the four crises,” said Etienne, referring to the government’s agenda to combat coronavirus, economic issues, climate change and equity racial.
Some Republicans have asked Biden to pressure Congress to abandon what they see as a potential divisive impeachment trial. And although it is unclear to what extent the government will be involved in impeachment, it has so far taken a stance of not intervening.
In the early days at the Oval Office, Biden called for unity in a divided nation. Biden largely avoided mentioning Trump and made no reference to him by name in his inaugural speech. In the wake of the January 6 riots, Biden made turn on for Trump to go on national TV for “deman[d] the end of this siege. ”
Psaki says Biden thinks the Senate can deal with impeachment and legislation at the same time, saying it has been done before.
“What cannot be postponed by this process is its proposal to bring relief to the American people at this time of crisis,” said Psaki at Friday’s briefing. “So he is confident – he remains confident, after serving decades in the Senate, that Senate members of both parties can walk and chew gum at the same time and can move on with the business of the American people.”
Psaki said on Friday that Biden expects coronavirus relief to arrive bipartisan. Biden proposed a $ 1.9 trillion relief bill, which Senate Republicans said you will not get the 60 votes needed to avoid an obstruction. Republicans argue that it costs too much after a $ 900 million package was approved last month after long delays.
Recently, in February, Biden opposed getting rid of stiff obstruction, a move that could make it easier to pass legislation in a 50-50 Senate closely controlled by Democrats, with Harris serving as a tiebreaker vote. A power-sharing agreement has not yet been drawn up.
Biden said in July that his opening to obstruction depended on the Senate Republicans’ willingness to work across the corridor.
“He spoke to this many times,” said Psaki on Friday. “His position has not changed.”
Biden was scheduled to work on Saturday, and scheduled to meet with advisers in the Oval Office at 3 pm. Harris spokesman and senior advisor, Symone Sanders, said both Biden and Harris are “working on a Saturday today”.
Psaki promised daily press briefings during the week, but not on weekends.
“I’m not a monster,” Psaki joked on Wednesday.