Donald Trump is expected to be the first U.S. president to be inducted twice, after Democrats in the House of Representatives formally accused him of one count of “incitement to terrorism”, over the Capitol Hill riot.
Five people died in last week’s attack, which Trump encouraged when he told supporters to “fight like hell” in an attempt to reverse the election loss by Joe Biden.
On Monday, while security officials scrambled to make sure next week’s attack was not marred by violence linked to protests planned for the day, Democrats moved in the House swiftly.
Spokesman Nancy Pelosi, who was interviewed on Sunday on Trump’s “deranged, unhinged, dangerous president” plan began in two parts.
An original resolution called on Vice President Mike Pence to support Trump’s removal under the 25th Amendment.
A clause in the amendment, which has never been called before, explains how cabinet members can agree to remove a president in real situations. Pence, a staunch loyalist until Trump’s attempt to block the election, has stated that there was no intention to engage in such a move.
Republicans in the House thwarted the intention of the Democrats.
But it was followed by the introduction of an impeachment article citing the “incitement of insurrection”. Trump was accused of “engaging in high-level crimes and misconduct by inciting violence against the United States government” and by doing so was breaking his oath of office. .
The article referred to the 14th Prohibition of Amendment against anyone “involved in a revolution or revolt against the“ U.S. from ”arrest[ing] any office… under the United States ”.
The House could bring the same article down for a vote before mid-week. With a simple majority vote by sympathetic Democrats and Republicans, Trump would get a second chance. But it would not be removed, which would have to be condemned in the Senate.
The Senate is recessive until after the inauguration, and Democratic leaders have said they will not accept impeachment until after the Biden administration has had time to try to convince nominees and pass primary legislation, in which their first 100 days.
A small number of Republicans in the Senate and House have joined the Democrats’ attempt to oust Trump, arguing that even with – or especially with – so little time left in his term, to it represents a threat to the country.
But a condemnation in the Senate would be a long shot, as this was the last time the president was introduced. Some Republicans have expressed support this time around but about a dozen more will be needed to succeed.
Trump was charged with two articles of impeachment in December 2019 and acquitted in February 2020. Senators found him not guilty of abuse of power by a 52-48 tally and not guilty of obstructing Congress before 53-47. Mitt Romney of Utah was the only Republican to vote for his conviction – on a power abuse charge.
If Trump were convicted after he resigned, he would be barred from seeking a job again, because opponents fear it is his plan.
In the aftermath of the attack on the U.S. Capitol, the president returned from the public eye, banned from Facebook and Twitter, condemned by old friends and voted not to attend Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20.
His silence was filled with full-necked calls from Democrats for his dismissal – and pushing back from some Republicans seeking national “unity” after their attempt to reverse the November election it carried out one of the worst acts of violence on Capitol Hill in two centuries.
There are now signs that Trump’s hard-core loyalists are planning to march on the Capitol again, on Trust Day, in an event marked online as “A Million Militia March”.
The FBI has arrested dozens of participants in riots last week and continued to circulate suspicious posters, which could have damaged participation in a rally. other.
But with nine days to go to the establishment, officials planned to secure the area. Washington mayor Muriel Bowser has called on the Department of Homeland Security to impose new restrictions. The Pentagon, FBI, Secret Service and other agencies were alerted.
Barack and Michelle Obama, George and Laura Bush and Bill and Hillary Clinton will be in attendance at the dedication. Biden, incoming vice president, Kamala Harris and his families will join the former presidents and their families in a visit to Arlington National Cemetery, ABC reported.
Plans like this were made when the country struggled to deal with last week’s violence in which five people were killed and dozens injured.
On Monday, Melania Trump released a widely embarrassed statement in which she honored all the dead, sending a Capitol police officer who died after a riot alongside a rioter who was killed while trying to bring him into the inner sanctuary of Congress.
The first woman was also trying to portray herself as a victim, of what she called “salacious gossip, pointless personal attacks and false allegations”.