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The United States House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump today.
Passed a week after the protest at the U.S. Capitol that turned violent, the article charges him with “incitement of insurrection,” according to reports.
Trump is the first President of the United States to be impeached twice. He was impeached in 2019 when he was charged with “abuse of power and obstruction of Congress” for allegedly trying to coerce Ukrainian officials; however, he was acquitted by the U.S. Senate in 2020.
Unlike in 2019, some Republicans joined their Democratic colleagues in this year’s vote.
According to reports, the outgoing president is likely to stay in office for the remainder of his term, which Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made clear in a statement:
“The House of Representatives has voted to impeach the President. The Senate process will now begin at our first regular meeting following receipt of the article from the House.
Given the rules, procedures, and Senate precedents that govern presidential impeachment trials, there is simply no chance that a fair or serious trial could conclude before President-elect Biden is sworn in next week. The Senate has held three presidential impeachment trials. They have lasted 83 days, 37 days, and 21 days respectively.
Even if the Senate process were to begin this week and move promptly, no final verdict would be reached until after President Trump had left office. This is not a decision I am making; it is a fact. The President-elect himself stated last week that his inauguration on January 20 is the ‘quickest’ path for any change in the occupant of the presidency.
In light of this reality, I believe it will best serve our nation if Congress and the executive branch spend the next seven days completely focused on facilitating a safe inauguration and an orderly transfer of power to the incoming Biden Administration. I am grateful to the offices and institutions within the Capitol that are working around the clock, alongside federal and local law enforcement, to prepare for a safe and successful inauguration at the Capitol next Wednesday.”
