House has the votes to impeach Trump for inciting Capitol riots

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has a majority of support in the House to impeach President Donald Trump, part of a two-front effort to punish and remove him for inciting the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol last week.

Key members of the House Judiciary Committee introduced a single article of impeachment Monday that has already gathered at least 218 cosponsors, according to a congressional aide involved in the process, meeting the majority needed in the House. Pelosi signaled Sunday night that the House would vote on that article if Trump refuses to resign and Vice President Mike Pence won’t initiate other procedures to remove him.

“Because the timeframe is so short and the need is so immediate and an emergency, we will also proceed on a parallel path in terms of impeachment,” Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) told reporters Monday. “Whether impeachment can pass the United States Senate is not the issue.”

“There may well be a vote on impeachment on Wednesday," he said.

At a brief House session on Monday morning, the House formally accepted the resignation of Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Irving, who was partly responsible for security arrangements on Jan. 6. And moments later, Rep. Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.) blocked unanimous consideration of a resolution from Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) that would have urged Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment process to remove Trump from power. The House intends to vote on the resolution Tuesday.

Although some Democrats have voiced worry that impeaching Trump with just days left in his term could hamstring President-elect Joe Biden’s early weeks in office, momentum has only grown as new and disturbing footage of the violence wrought by the rioters has emerged. That footage included the beating of a Capitol Police officer, yanked out of the building by a crowd of Trump supporters. The officer in the video has not been identified, but it surfaced after the news that at least one officer, Brain Sicknick, died of injuries sustained during the onslaught.

Every new indication that the rioters included a more sophisticated contingent of insurrectionists has inflamed the House anew, even as Republicans have continued to express wariness, if not outright opposition, to impeachment.

"We need to take very seriously what happened ... Hours and days matter," Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) said in an interview. "I wish we could just hold our breath" for 10 days. “But I don't think we should or can afford to. I think we’ve seen that our nation and our homeland is in danger."

"I’ve heard a lot of people say, Is it the right thing politically to impeach this president? ... Will it harm the Democratic Party?" Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich) said in a press conference Monday. "In terms of whether it could harm the Democratic party, I could not care less."

Though some Democrats have also floated the notion of impeaching Trump but delaying transmitting the article to the Senate — a move that would forestall a Senate trial until after Biden’s early term plans and nominees are in place — a top Pelosi ally, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), indicated Monday he favors an immediate trial.

“If we impeach him this week … it should immediately be transmitted to the Senate and we should try the case as soon as possible,” Schiff said on "CBS This Morning.” “Mitch McConnell has demonstrated when it comes to jamming Supreme Court justices through the Congress, he can move with great alacrity when he wants to.”

The House is also confronting burning questions about how the security measures in place to protect lawmakers on Jan. 6, when violence was widely expected and foreshadowed by pro-Trump groups, collapsed so quickly. Democrats are probing decisions by Capitol Police leadership and have openly worried that the insurrectionists had some kind of inside help to navigate the complex.

Democrats are also increasingly perplexed that federal authorities haven’t held a single public briefing to explain what went wrong or provide details of their efforts to hold the Capitol rioters to account. There’s been a steady stream of arrests and public efforts by the FBI to locate some of the perpetrators, but no public comments from senior leaders, despite the assault on the seat of government.

On Monday afternoon, Reps. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) and Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), members of the Judiciary Committee, wrote a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen and acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf expressing alarm at the lack of public briefings.

"It has been five days since the most significant attack on a branch of the United States government since British forces set fire to the U.S. Capitol in 1814," they wrote, "and yet the American public has not heard from federal law enforcement authorities regarding an official account of the events of that day or the steps being taken to prevent further acts of domestic terrorism in the coming weeks."

Another thorny question House leaders are confronting: Debate within their ranks about whether to punish Republican colleagues who echoed Trump’s calls to march on the Capitol last week and used similar language to amplify false claims about the integrity of the 2020 election. Some progressive lawmakers have sought to punish Republicans under a 14th Amendment clause that forbids the seating of lawmaker who “shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.”

Democrats’ effort to pressure Trump to resign or force him from office come just nine days left in his term. But Pelosi has argued that Trump is “unhinged” and a threat to America who warrants immediate removal. Some of her allies say acting to remove Trump could box in his worst impulses ahead of his departure and is simply the right thing to do, given his monthslong campaign to undermine the legitimacy of the 2020 election, which led to the violent riots.

“In protecting our Constitution and our Democracy, we will act with urgency, because this President represents an imminent threat to both,” Pelosi said in the letter to Democrats on Sunday night laying out next steps.

On Monday afternoon, the House will attempt to pass a measure on Monday imploring Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment, through which he and the Cabinet declare Trump “incapable of executing the duties of his office, after which the Vice President would immediately exercise powers as acting president.” If Republicans object, as is virtually certain, Democrats will pass the bill via a roll call vote on Tuesday.

The 25th Amendment’s removal process, however, would be unlikely to deter Trump. It includes a mechanism for the president to contest his removal, which triggers a weekslong process that would extend past the expiration of Trump’s term.

Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), who introduced the impeachment measure, indicated that no Republicans are among the original cosponsors of the measure but he's hopeful some ultimately vote for it when it comes up.

It’s also not clear when the Senate will take up the House’s measure. The Senate isn’t scheduled to return until Jan. 19, but will hold pro forma sessions on Tuesday and Friday. In theory, a senator could try to pass the House resolution by unanimous consent, but as of now it appears unlikely that it would pass.

A small number of Democrats have opted not to co-sign the bill, but privately say they will vote to support the resolution on the floor, the source added.

The impeachment effort in the House is likely to be bipartisan, with Democrats expecting at least one GOP lawmaker — outspoken Trump critic Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois — to sign on. A handful of other House Republicans are seriously weighing it, according to several sources, though those lawmakers are waiting to see how Democrats proceed, and some are concerned about dividing the country even further.

Among the GOP members whom Democrats are keeping an eye on are Reps. John Katko of New York, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Fred Upton of Michigan, Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington.

Across the Capitol, at least two Republicans — Sens. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — have called on Trump to resign. On Saturday, Toomey told Fox News, “I do think the president committed impeachable offenses,” but told CNN the next day that he does not believe there is enough time to impeach.

Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) has also said he would consider articles of impeachment.

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House starts the impeachment ball rolling Monday, with vote expected by Wednesday

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi laid out the week's efforts to dislodge Donald Trump from the Oval Office in a Sunday letter. The House will be in a pro forma session Monday, during which Majority Leader Steny Hoyer will introduce a resolution directing Vice President Mike Pence to "convene and mobilize the Cabinet to activate the 25th Amendment to declare the President incapable of executing the duties of his office." Since Pence hasn't even bothered to return her phone call from Thursday, they do this with no expectation that he will act.

They are also doing it with the expectation that a Republican will reject Hoyer's request for unanimous consent to bring up the resolution. The plan as of now is for the resolution to be brought to the floor Tuesday for a vote, giving Pence 24 hours for a response. Which they won't get but which would trigger the impeachment vote. "In protecting our Constitution and our Democracy, we will act with urgency, because this President represents an imminent threat to both," Pelosi wrote. "As the days go by, the horror of the ongoing assault on our democracy perpetrated by this President is intensified and so is the immediate need for action," she continued.

The impeachment vote is expected by Wednesday, and as of Sunday night there were 210 Democrats, out of 222 in the caucus, who signed on to one of the impeachment resolutions. The impeachment resolution asserts that Trump would "remain a threat to national security, democracy, and the Constitution" if he is not removed. It will charge him with inciting an insurrection. "In all this, President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government," the resolution says. "He threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a coequal branch of Government. He thereby betrayed his trust as President, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States."

House members have been instructed to return to D.C. by Tuesday, and leaders are working with the Federal Air Marshal Service and Capitol police on a plan to keep members safe as they return to D.C. and move back into the Capitol and their offices after Wednesday's attack.

In her letter, Pelosi also announced a Caucus call for Monday, during which she expects to discuss "the 25th Amendment, 14th Amendment Section 3 and impeachment." It's that middle bit—the 14th Amendment Section 3—that is significant:

"No Person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability."

That's how the Congress expels insurrectionists, which is now the majority of House Republicans and eight Senate Republicans who voted to overturn election results even after Trump' mob invaded and vandalized the People's House, intent on hunting down and assassinating congressional leadership. Freshman Democratic Rep. Cori Bush will introduce a resolution to expel those members Monday.

The first order, however is getting rid of Trump, Rep. Jim Clyburn said on Fox News Sunday. "If we are the people's house, let's do the people's work and let's vote to impeach this president. … The Senate will decide later what to do with that—an impeachment." What happens after that vote isn't entirely clear. Clyburn argued on CNN, also on Sunday, that the Senate should wait until after President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration. "Let's give President-elect Biden the 100 days he needs to get his agenda off and running," he said.

Senate Majority Leader (for the next 10 days or so) Mitch McConnell hasn't spoken about plans, but his former chief of staff Josh Holmes, who also runs his PACs, tweeted Sunday "The more time, images, and stories removed from Wednesday the worse it gets. If you're not in a white hot rage over what happened by now you're not paying attention." Whether or not that translates into McConnell acting, who knows.

The third branch of government, the courts, have also weighed in—or more aptly declined to do so. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday denied a motion from Trump to fast-track consideration of the multiple lawsuits he has seeking to overturn the election. The court is not going to hear his cases before the inauguration, if ever, making this the 63rd time Trump has lost in court.

Turley: Democrats ‘impulse buy’ impeachment of Trump would have ‘very serious implications’

George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley said he doesn’t think Democrats should go forward with a "snap impeachment," explaining that the process is supposed be "deliberative," not impulsive. 

New Reuters Poll Claims Most Americans Want Trump Removed From Office

Reuters published a new poll in the wake of Wednesday’s chaos at the Capitol which indicates that a majority of Americans now want President Donald Trump immediately removed from office.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 57 percent of respondents said that they have had enough of the President’s recent antics and believe that Trump should leave office.

RELATED: Pelosi Calls For Trump To Be Prosecuted – Dubs Him ‘Deranged, Unhinged, Dangerous’

Trump Loses Major Support Even Among His Voters

Not surprisingly and in partisan fashion, 90 percent of Democrats believe Trump should exit immediately, while 80 percent of Republicans think the President should simply finish out his term.

President-elect Joe Biden takes office on January 20th.

70 percent of Trump voters said they opposed the violence on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, showing that a strong majority of the President’s supporters are against what unfolded.

Two-thirds of Trump voters also described the Capitol Hill rioters as “criminals” and “fools.”

30 percent of Americans say they would like to see Trump’s staff invoke the 25th amendment to force the President’s removal.

Some Democrats And Republicans Say Trump’s Recent Actions Are An Impeachable Offense

Politicians in both parties have said Trump’s actions are impeachable.

Far-left Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said on Sunday, “One, of course, our main priority is to ensure the removal of Donald Trump as president of the United States.”

“Every minute and every hour that he’s in office represents a clear and present danger not just to the United States Congress but frankly to the country,” she added.

RELATED: AOC Calls For Trump To Be Impeached – ‘We Came Close To Half Of The House Nearly Dying’

Then AOC went even further.

“But in addition to removal, we’re also talking about complete barring of the president, of Donald Trump from running for office ever again and in addition to that, the potential ability to prevent pardoning himself from those charges that he was impeached for,” Ocasio-Cortez insisted. 

Sen. Toomey: ‘The President Committed Impeachable Offenses’

Republican Senator Pat Toomey said on Sunday, “I do think the president committed impeachable offenses, but I don’t know what is going to land on the Senate floor, if anything.”

“I think at this point, with just a few days left, it’s the best path forward, the best way to get this person in the rearview mirror for us that could happen immediately,” Toomey added.

“I’m not optimistic it will but I think that would be the best way forward,” the senator finished.

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James Clyburn Admits House Democrats May Not Send Articles Of Impeachment To Senate Until After Biden’s First 100 Days In Office

House Majority Whip James Clyburn admitted Sunday that House Democrats may wait until Joe Biden’s first 100 days in office to send articles of impeachment for President Trump to the Senate.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said lawmakers are indeed moving forward with impeachment, referring to the President as an “imminent threat” to “our Democracy.”

The imminent part seems to be in question after Clyburn’s comments.

“We’ll take the vote that we should take in the House, and [Pelosi] will make the determination as to when is the best time to get that vote and get the managers appointed and move that legislation over to the Senate,” Clyburn (D-SC) told his media ally, Jake Tapper.

“It just so happens that if it didn’t go over there for 100 days, it could – let’s give President-elect Biden the 100 days he needs to get his agenda off and running, and maybe we’ll send the articles sometime after that,” he added.

RELATED: GOP Sen. Ben Sasse Will Consider Impeachment, Ilhan Omar Predicts President Trump WILL Be Removed

Dems Will Wait to Send Articles of Impeachment to the Senate

What exactly does this mean?

“In protecting our Constitution and our Democracy, we will act with urgency, because this President represents an imminent threat to both,” Pelosi said in a letter to her colleagues.

But, despite Pelosi’s assertion that President Trump’s behavior is an “imminent” matter that must be handled with “urgency,” Clyburn suggests they may stall the process of sending articles of impeachment to the Senate. Why?

In our opinion, it isn’t about letting Biden’s agenda get off the ground, as Clyburn asserts. It’s more about assuring Trump doesn’t run again in 2024.

Pelosi all but admits that in a “60 Minutes” interview that aired Sunday night.

Correspondent Leslie Stahl, during her interview with the House Speaker, makes note that Trump could leave the office and run again for President.

Pelosi replied that the idea of Trump running for president again is one of the motivations “that people have for advocating for impeachment” and conveyed that she’d prefer using the 25th Amendment “because it gets rid of him.”

“There is strong support in the Congress for impeaching the president a second time,” the California Democrat added. “This president is guilty of inciting insurrection. He has to pay a price for that.”

RELATED: Federal Prosecutor Could Bring Criminal Charges Against President Trump For Capitol Violence

It’s About Stopping Trump, Not Biden’s First 100 Days

Articles of impeachment for President Trump won’t simply be about his perceived role in the Capitol riots, of which there is little evidence since he repeatedly urged “peaceful” protests.

It’s about eliminating any chance the President has of ever coming back to the White House.

“Removal is not the only sanction available if Trump is convicted,” Vox reports. “The Constitution also permits the Senate to permanently disqualify Trump from holding ‘any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States.'”

Worse, Vox alleges that the idea of keeping Trump from running again makes it more likely for Republicans to get on board with impeachment.

“Impeachment is still very likely to hit a wall in the Senate, but there are vague reports that the Senate’s ability to permanently lock Trump out of power may make impeachment more attractive to congressional Republicans,” they write.

Last week, Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) indicated he would “definitely consider” a vote to impeach President Trump or support having him removed from office through the 25th Amendment.

“If they come together and have a process, I will definitely consider whatever articles they might move, because … I believe the president has disregarded his oath of office,” said Sasse.

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), one of the first Democrats to say she would draft articles of impeachment, indicated last week that she was confident President Trump would be convicted.

“He will be impeached,” she predicted. “Justice will be served.”

It isn’t about justice at all, it’s about making sure an outsider never again sits in the people’s house.

The post James Clyburn Admits House Democrats May Not Send Articles Of Impeachment To Senate Until After Biden’s First 100 Days In Office appeared first on The Political Insider.

Major Corporations Will Halt Donations To Republican Lawmakers Who Argued For Election Integrity

Three major corporations are reportedly halting donations to Republican lawmakers who argued for election integrity and adherence to the Constitution.

Popular Information reports that the corporations are citing last week’s riot at the Capitol, and alleging Republican lawmakers “encouraged the rioters by objecting to the certification of the Electoral College vote.”

The outlet contacted corporations who donated to Republicans in the past and asked if they would continue to do so.

Out of 144 companies contacted, Popular Information received a commitment from three to no longer donate to anybody who objected to the election results.

The three corporations are:

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
  • Marriott International.
  • Commerce Bancshares.

No word on whether or not the same outlet contacted corporations who donated to Democrats who, over the summer, helped bail out arsonists and looters.

RELATED: GOP Sen. Ben Sasse Will Consider Impeachment, Ilhan Omar Predicts President Trump WILL Be Removed

Corporations Pulling Donations From Republican Lawmakers

Bloomberg News reports that several other companies are pausing political donations in the wake of Wednesday’s Capitol protests.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Citigroup Inc., Morgan Stanley, and JPMorgan Chase & Co. “plan to pause all political contributions,” they write.

In a memo to employees, Citigroup said: “We want you to be assured that we will not support candidates who do not respect the rule of law.”

In a sane world, that would mean every single Democrat who supported race riots over the summer, or who supported the soft coup by the Obama administration against President Trump, would lose support.

But we no longer live in a sane world.

No, many companies whose businesses or locations actually suffered at the hands of Democrat-fueled riots over the summer – riots that took place over many months – will now take action against Republicans because of one protest that got out of control.

RELATED: Federal Prosecutor Could Bring Criminal Charges Against President Trump For Capitol Violence

The Purge of Conservative Thought Continues

Of all of the efforts to stifle conservative thought taking place in America today, this one might hurt the most as it has monetary implications for lawmakers who actually care about voter fraud and other conservative platforms and principles.

Big Tech is purging conservatives from their social media platforms by the thousands. The President is being threatened with impeachment. Republican congressmen are being threatened with expulsion.

And now, donations to the politicians who support conservative principles plan to tighten their purse strings.

This is all part of what ABC News accidentally admitted is an effort at “cleansing the movement” of those who support the President.

It’s amazing how bad things have gotten in the span of a few days. But all of these efforts to stifle political opposition have been ongoing for years. Democrats and the media just needed a spark to start a full-on assault of free speech.

If Republicans don’t find another means to stop this process of ‘cleansing’ conservative thought from America there may not be an America much longer.

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