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US President Donald Trump is seen on television from a video message posted on Twitter, seen in an empty Brady briefing room at the White House in Washington, DC on January 6, 2021. – Thousands of Trump supporters, fueled by his false voter claims. fraud, flooded the nation’s capital in protest of the expected certification of Joe Biden’s victory in the White House by the United States Congress. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP)
WASHINGTON, DC – Donald Trump faced fresh calls Sunday from some members of his own party to resign over the violent raid on the U.S. Capitol, as the threat piles up for a historic second impeachment effort in its last 10 days. in the White House.
With the inauguration of Democrat Joe Biden on January 20 fast approaching, and with the country hit by a growing pandemic, a slumped economy and a scorching divide, resignation “is the best way forward,” said Republican Senator Pat Toomey told CNN, adding: “That would be a very good result.”
Toomey said that since losing the Nov. 3 election, Trump had “descended to a level of insanity and engaged in activity that was absolutely unthinkable and inexcusable.”
Democrats said about 200 of their lawmakers had lined up in favor of impeachment, with a House vote possible as soon as this week, but a Senate trial possibly delayed for months to help Biden deal without obstacles with the urgent problems of the nation.
Lisa Murkowski of Alaska was the first Republican senator to urge Trump’s resignation, saying, “I want him out.” House Republicans, including Adam Kinzinger on Sunday, have echoed that call.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and other authorities continue to search for Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol on Wednesday after repeated false claims by the president that he had lost to Biden due to fraud. Dozens have already been arrested.
Hundreds of off-duty police officers lined up on Constitution Avenue in Washington Sunday and waved as a hearse rolled slowly away carrying the body of Brian Sicknick, the police officer who died in the chaotic attack on the Capitol.
Security has been tightened after the attack. Around the historic building a two meter high black metal fence has been erected. Extremists have threatened further action in the coming days both in Washington and in state capitals.
Indictment letter
A House Democratic leader said Biden’s party would likely introduce at least one article of impeachment against Trump this week, accusing him of inciting violence, which left five people dead, including a Capitol cop.
“It may be Tuesday or Wednesday before action is taken,” House whip James Clyburn told CNN, “but I think they will be taken this week.”
Impeachment could still be circumvented with a resignation from Trump or by resorting to the 25th amendment to the constitution, which would remove him from power, but it requires the consent of the vice president and most of the cabinet, making it unlikely.
One reason Democrats could pursue the conviction, even after Trump leaves office, is to prevent him from running for federal office again.
So far, the president has resisted all comments on the resignation and is reportedly furious at Pence’s rejection of Trump’s vocal pressure to intervene in some way in Wednesday’s congressional confirmation of the election victory. of Biden.
Trump has been largely silent in recent days, making no statements or holding press conferences. Twitter, his favorite public platform, has banned him for using language that could incite violence.
Pelosi’s role
For now, the question of whether and when to impeach is largely in the hands of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
In an interview broadcast Sunday on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Pelosi said, “I like the 25th Amendment, because it removes it. He’s out of the office. But there is strong support in Congress to impeach the president a second time. “
The Democratic-controlled House is expected to pass the articles, but there were signs on Sunday that an impeachment trial in the Senate may not open for months.
Senate rules mean the upper house probably won’t be able to open a trial before Jan. 19, and Toomey said he wasn’t sure it was constitutionally possible to impeach someone once out of office.
Democrats, for their part, expressed concern that a Senate trial would overshadow and hamper Biden’s efforts to quickly craft his agenda, starting with the fight against the coronavirus and the need to support the economy.
“Let’s give President-elect Biden the 100 days” at the beginning of his term to address the most pressing issues, Clyburn said. “Maybe we will ship the items some time after that.”
And Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a centrist Democrat whose vote could be crucial in the new evenly divided Senate, told CNN that impeachment after January 20 “doesn’t make any sense.”
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