President Donald Trump has been indicted by the U.S. House on a single charge of inciting insurrection for his role in a riot of his supporters that left five dead and the Chapter robbed, putting an indelible stain on his legacy, with only a week left in his term.
Wednesday’s historic vote of 232-197 makes Trump the only American president to be indicted twice, just over a year after his first. He was backed by all Democrats and 10 Republicans, including Liz Cheney, the third-highest GOP leader in the House.
“We know the president United States she incited this insurrection, “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said before the vote. She called Trump” a clear and present danger to this country we all love. “
Pelosi will now determine how soon he will send the indictment to the Senate for trial. Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell has rejected Democratic leader Chuck Schumer’s plea to agree to bring senators back for an emergency session and begin the process before Jan. 20, when Trump will step down and inaugurate President-elect Joe Biden .
The Speaker of the Chamber signed the indictment on Wednesday evening, but did not indicate whether he would delay its transmission to the Senate.
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Trump, in a video released Wednesday night by the White House, denounced the attack on the Capitol and asked the Americans to avoid further violence. He did not mention the impeachment vote.
He retained hot control over the Republican Party for most of his four-year term. But his rally with the angry crowd of supporters who stormed the Chapter on January 6 was too big for some in the GOP. Even Republicans who did not vote for his accusation denounced his actions.
McConnell told associates that he believes Trump committed an impeccable crime last week when he asked protesters, two people familiar with the matter said. In a note Wednesday to his Republican counterpart, McConnell wrote: “I have not made a final decision on how I will vote and I intend to hear the legal arguments when they are presented to the Senate.”
The repercussions were wide. Major companies have started a torrent of announcements that they will at least interrupt the contributions of lawmakers who joined Trump in false claims of electoral fraud and the attempt to block the results of the November 3 elections. Twitter, which served as Trump’s megaphone to his followers, banned him and was kicked out of other platforms. His business also had success as the banks that handled his finances and the American golf industry that brings business to his clubs withdrew.
However, investors gave up on Washington proceedings on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 index showing a modest 0.2% advance since 3:31 p.m.
Trump has suggested he could run for president again in 2024, but his political future is uncertain. In addition to the political damage he has suffered, Trump may be legally barred from holding federal office again if found guilty. He also faces potential criminal and civil legal dangers to encourage supporters before the January 6 uprising.
Nancy Pelosi gives up the ice while presiding over the vote to oust President Trump on January 13.
Photographer: Saul Loeb / AFP / Getty Images
Shortly before the House vote, Trump again tried to quell his anger by issuing a statement that said, “There must be no violence, there is NO violation of the law, and there is NO vandalism of any kind.”
“That’s not what I’m saying, and it’s not what America is,” Trump said in a statement. “I call on ALL Americans to help calm tensions and calm temperaments.”
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House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, a staunch ally of Trump, said the accusation of the president in such a short time, without investigations or hearings, would be a mistake.
“It simply came to our notice then. It would further divide this nation. A vote for the indictment will further ignite the flames of the partisan division, “said McCarthy, who voted to contest the election votes of the two states won by Biden, just hours after the crowd angered by Trump’s loss stormed the Chapter on January 6.
McCarthy was among the 138 Republicans who heeded Trump’s false statements about the election and opposed the counting of Electoral College votes in at least one state.
Democrats have said there is no doubt that Trump’s public remarks last week are a violation of the oath that all lawmakers take to uphold the constitution.
“I told you last time, if we don’t accuse him, this will happen again. I just told you so, “Louisiana Democrat Cedric Richmond said in his last remarks upstairs before joining the Biden administration.
Some Democrats have expressed doubts about the ouster, which led to a lawsuit in the Senate just as Biden began his term, potentially overshadowing the transfer of power and blocking cabinet-nominated confirmations and the new administration’s early legislative initiatives. democratic.
As lawmakers gathered in the House on Wednesday, the Chapter and surrounding areas of Washington resemble an armed camp. Thousands of National Guard troops and other members of the security staff guarded and patrolled the grounds and buildings. Police closed nearby streets with parked military vehicles, and tall metal fences surrounded much of the area.
Kevin McCarthy heads to the floor of the US Chapter House on January 13th.
Photographer: Al Drago / Bloomberg
The attack on the Chapter astonished and frightened many lawmakers, motivating Democrats to act quickly. The indictment continued without a hearing, without the testimony of witnesses or an investigation. The trial lasted weeks at the end of 2019, as House Democrats accused Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of allegations of pressure on Ukraine to investigate Biden and his son. his Hunter.
Democrats have argued that there is clear public support for the second indictment, arguing that much of America has been rejected by what they saw on Jan. 6 in other media outlets.
Read more: Ocasio-Cortez says she feared for her life in Capitol Attack
Polls show that public opinion on the president has declined as a result of the violence. A poll conducted by Quinnipiac University after the Capitol assault found that 56% of voters hold Trump responsible. In the same poll, Trump’s approval rating was 33 percent, down from 44 percent in a December poll.
The events of January 6 began with thousands of Trump supporters gathered in Washington, while Congress was to certify that Biden had won the election. But while Trump and his congressional supporters continued to contest the election with false claims of electoral fraud, the president himself urged his supporters to go to the Capitol and register their opposition to the constitutional process.
The resulting attack was a scene of unprecedented anger and trauma for the nation – a US Capitol police officer died after being beaten, a rioter died after being shot, and others were injured or killed in the case medical emergency. The offices were looted and there were tense moments in which even the parliamentarians in the chamber were besieged.
“However, President Trump has seriously endangered security United States and its governing institutions ”, the dismissal article states. “Donald John Trump has committed high-profile crimes and offenses by inciting violence against the government United States. ”
The chamber voted on Wednesday after about three hours of debate. The proceedings took place in the same room where Presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were charged, as well as Trump for the first time in December 2019. None of them were convicted by the Senate.
– With the assistance of Erik Wasson and Daniel Flatley
(Updates with Pelosi signing the article in the fifth paragraph and additional quotes throughout.)