U.S. House of Representatives prepares for new articles of impeachment

Democrats in the House of Representatives have circulated a draft of a new article of impeachment against President Trump charging him with “incitement of insurrection” for his role in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol during congressional vote counting, reported Jurist.

The impeachment comes in response to pro-Trump rioters storming the Capitol building in Washington DC on Wednesday soon after a “Save America” rally held at the National Mall in which President Trump delivered a speech protesting the “stolen election” and encouraging the mob to move on to the Capitol. The draft charges President Trump for “willfully inciting violence against the Government of the United States” and says that he has violated his constitutional oath to faithfully execute the office of the President and to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” According to the draft, Trump’s false claims and efforts to subvert the certification of the 2020 presidential election results “foreseeably resulted” in the 6 January violence. His actions threaten the integrity of the democratic system and have endangered the security of the country’s institutions of government.  The draft states that he has acted in gross violation of the rule of law and cannot be allowed to remain in office.

The article is expected to be introduced in the House on Monday by Reps. Jamie Raskin from Maryland, Ted Lieu from California, and David Cicilline from Rhode Island. Speaker of the House Democrat Nancy Pelosi said on Friday that she will proceed with the impeachment if Trump does not resign immediately.

President-elect Joe Biden has said that Trump’s impeachment is a decision for the Congress to make and that as soon as they are sworn in, his administration will be focused on introducing significant legislation to handle the virus, economy and economic growth.

The White House released a statement condemning the violence at the Capitol saying that they are working towards an “orderly transition of power”. At the same time, some Republicans dismissed the impeachment as a “politically motivated” move which would only “further divide our great country”.

If the article is passed by the House, Trump will be the first US President to be impeached twice. If the articles of impeachment pass the House, the Senate will vote to remove him from office before the end of his term on 20 January 2021.

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