A heavy presence of National Guard members was fanned out across the Capitol grounds as the House prepares to impeach Donald Trump for the second time, as he is charged with inciting the insurrection a week ago.
The House began debate on a rule to proceed on Wednesday morning. There will be two hours of debate on the impeachment articles, with a vote expected in the mid- to late- afternoon.
“This was organized attack on our country that was incited by Donald Trump,” said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), the chairman of the House Rules Committee, who recounted seeing the rioters attempt to break through the doors just outside the House chamber in the Speaker’s Lobby.
“America was attacked and we must respond,” he said.
It will take 218 votes to impeach Trump. Democrats reportedly have 215 votes in favor, and so far five Republicans have said that they will also support impeachment.
“Instead of moving forward as a unifying force, the majority in the House is choosing to divide us further, with only a week to go and his term,” said Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), who said that last Wednesday’s siege of the Capitol was the “darkest day” he had experienced in Congress. After Congress reconvened that evening, Cole was among the 147 Republican lawmakers in the House and the Senate to vote against certifying the electoral votes for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
News networks are providing coverage throughout the day, with CNN taking down a paywall for a free livestream. Broadcast networks also are planning special reports.
If the House passes the article of impeachment, Trump will be the first president to be impeached twice. With just a week left in his term, the question is whether the Senate can hold a trial by the time that Trump’s term ends at noon on January 20.
This article is auto-generated by Algorithm Source: deadline.com
