*:Not([hidden]): not (style) ~ *: not ([hidden]): not (style) {margin-top: 1rem;}]]> *: not ([hidden]): not (style) ~ *: not ([hidden]): not (style) {margin-left: 0.5rem;}]]>Media signatureTrump: ‘Be careful what you wish for’ *: not ([hidden]): not (style) ~ *: not ([hidden]): not (style) {margin-top: 1rem;}]]>
A Democratic race to remove President Donald Trump from office gathers pace as some of his Republicans begin to turn against him.
The third oldest Republican in the House of Representatives, Liz Cheney, said she would vote to indict Mr Trump over the riot in the U.S. Capitol last week.
Earlier in the day, the President took no responsibility for his adherents’ violations of Congress.
He will be replaced by Joe Biden, a Democrat, on January 20th.
Parliament plans to vote on Wednesday to accuse Mr Trump of incitement to riot, which would make him the second US president to ever be charged twice.
- Can Trump be removed from politics or banned?
- How many arrests so far from the Capitol Riots?
- How much of Trump’s wall was built?
What did Republicans say?
Ms. Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, pledged to support the impeachment for the first time since Richard Nixon’s tenure that a chairman of the president’s own party did so. She said in a statement: “There has never been a major betrayal of his office and his oath on the Constitution by a President of the United States.”
The Wyoming representative added that Mr. Trump “called this mob, gathered the mob and lit the flame of this attack.”
Two other members of the Republican House, John Katko and Adam Kinzinger, said they would also vote for impeachment.
Media signatureWhen a mob stormed the US capital
House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, an ally of Trump’s opposition to impeachment, has reportedly decided not to ask ordinary party members to vote against the measure.
According to the New York Times, McConnell has told confidants that he is delighted that Democrats want to indict the president because he believes it will help rid the Republican party of Trump.
Mr. McConnell has also told staff he believed the president committed criminal acts, the Washington Post reports.
On Tuesday night, House Republican Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania tabled a resolution to reprimand Mr. Trump – a congressional reprimand less severe than impeachment.
The move accuses Mr. Trump of “attempting to illegally reverse the results of the November presidential election” and “endangering an equal branch of government”.
Media signatureVoices from Trump Land: “We will continue to be divided”
What’s going on in Congress?
On Tuesday, Vice President Mike Pence rejected a House Democratic resolution calling on him to oust Mr Trump under a constitutional provision.
The Democrats have asked Mr Pence to invoke Section 4 of the 25th Amendment, which would allow a majority in the Cabinet to remove power from the President if he is deemed unable to perform his duties.
In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Mr. Pence said: “Under our Constitution, the 25th Amendment is not a means of punishment or usurpation.
“Such an invocation of the 25th Amendment would set a terrible precedent.”
Mr Pence’s refusal to take part means that the Democrats will move to an impeachment vote as early as Wednesday noon.
You could also use an impeachment process to hold a vote that will prevent Mr. Trump from ever running for office again. The president has announced that he plans to run again in 2024.
If Mr Trump were indicted by the House, he would stand on trial in the Senate to determine his guilt.
The New York Times also reported Tuesday that up to 20 Senate Republicans were ready to convict the president.
A two-thirds majority in the upper chamber would be required to convict Mr Trump, which means at least 17 Republicans would have to vote for a conviction.
What did Trump say?
In his first public appearance since last Wednesday’s uprising, Mr Trump showed no remorse for remarks he made to supporters at a rally before a mob stormed the convention halls.
“What I said was completely appropriate,” Trump said before a trip to the border wall between the US and Mexico in Texas. “I don’t want violence.”
He also told reporters, “This impeachment is causing a lot of trouble and you are doing it, and it is really a terrible thing that you are doing.”
Mr Trump said the “real problem” was the rhetoric Democrats used in protests and violence against Black Lives Matter last year.
The impeachment process focuses on what Mr Trump said at a rally outside the White House just before supporters of his attempt to storm the House of Representatives.
Mr Trump had repeated unsubstantiated allegations of electoral fraud during the November 3rd presidential election and urged his supporters to march on Congress.
He calls on them to “make their voices heard in a peaceful and patriotic way”, but also to “fight like hell”.
Trump’s iron grip loosens
In the time it took Air Force One to fly Donald Trump back from the Texas border on Tuesday, the political ground collapsed beneath his feet.
Signals from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that he is “satisfied” with the Democratic efforts suggest that the political rationale for Republican leaders in Congress is changing.
A growing number believe that the unrepentant president’s actions last week threatened not only US democracy but also their personal safety.
And even before the US Capitol revolt, Mr. Trump was increasingly viewed as a political commitment with dwindling power. His scorched election results challenge has likely cost Republicans two seats in the Senate in Georgia, and there is little evidence that Mr Trump will increase the party’s chances of voting if his name is not on the ballot.
One of the things Mr McConnell might think about is whether a clean break with Trump is better for their political future, even if it means working with Democrats to get the job done.
What’s the latest in the riot investigation?
So far, 170 people have been identified and 70 people have been charged, the FBI said on Tuesday.
Hundreds more are expected to be charged and those found guilty of sedition and conspiracy could face up to 20 years in jail, the agency said.
Media signatureCapitol Riots: “We Would Have Been Murdered”
Rioters are urged to make themselves the police. The public is currently running a social media campaign to identify rioters based on photos taken last week.
Research has shown that two pipe bombs found near party offices in DC had explosive detonators and timers.
Meanwhile, it was reported that the day before the riot the FBI issued an internal report warning that extremists are planning to travel to Washington DC to commit violence.
The document from an FBI office in Virginia showed that conspirators were exchanging maps of the tunnels under the Capitol complex, according to US media.
Comments are closed.