Donald Trump impeached for the second time for inciting Capitol riots
Trump became the first-ever U.S. president to be impeached twice after last week’s attack on the Capitol.
Donald Trump has been impeached for the second time in his presidency. The House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump on Wednesday morning (Jan. 13), one week after a mob of the president’s supporters stormed the Capitol in a violent riot that left multiple people dead.
Debates in the House began at 9 a.m. EST, with Democrats and some Republicans arguing that Trump had incited an insurrection by encouraging his supporters to breach the Capitol.
“On Wednesday Jan. 6, Congress gathered here to fulfill our constitutional duty, tallying the Electoral College victory of President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris after a free and fair election,” Rep. Jim McGovern began. “This is largely a ceremonial role for the Congress; one that sends the message to the world that democracy in the United States persists.”
“But at a rally, just a mile and a half down Pennsylvania Avenue, Donald Trump and his allies were stoking the anger of a violent mob,” he continued. “A member of this very body proclaimed on that stage: ‘Today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass.’ Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani called for trial by combat. Then Donald Trump told the crowd, ‘We’re going to have to fight much harder. You’ll never take back our country with weakness.’”
“Even though, according to his own administration that this election was the most secure in our history, Donald Trump repeated his big lie that this election was an egregious assault on democracy,” he added.
Still, some Republicans argued against impeaching the president for a second time, claiming that it would further divide the country.
Rep. Tom Cole, a ranking member of the House Rules Committee, said that while the deadly Capitol riot “will live in my memory as the darkest day during my time of service as a member of this House,” he could “think of no action that is likely to further divide the American people than the action we’re contemplating today.”
“Instead of moving forward as a unifying force, [the] majority in the House is choosing to divide us further,” he added.
Now that Trump has been impeached by the House, the articles of his impeachment will be sent to the Senate, which House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said would happened “immediately.” However, it’s unlikely that Trump will be convicted or removed from office, as the Senate is a Republican majority.