[ad_1]
Donald Trump may have become first President in US history to be impeached twice but the Democrats will not be able to kick him out of office.
Shortly after the House of Representatives voted to impeach this morning, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell admitted there’s “no chance” the forthcoming trial in his chamber could be wrapped up before President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated -meaning Mr Trump will serve a full term.
“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,” McConnell said in a public statement.
“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,” he continued.
“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.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump issued a video statement after the vote that interestingly he didn’t mention impeachment. It showed a stark change in tone from his message to Americans before and during last week’s riots.
Last week, he addressed the protesters in that video saying, “We love you” and “You’re very special.” In his message today, he has attacked them.
“Mob violence goes against everything I believe in and everything our movement stands for,” Mr Trump said in his new video. “No true supporters of mine could ever endorse political violence.
“No true supporter of mine could disrespect law enforcement or our great American flag. No true supporter of mine could ever threaten or harass their fellow Americans.
“If you do any of these things, you are not supporting our movement- you are attacking it. And you are attacking our country. We cannot tolerate it.”
The single article of impeachment, charging Mr Trump with “incitement of insurrection”, passed by a margin of 232-197.
Every Democrat voted yes. Ten Republicans joined with them, voting against their own party’s President.
If you’re interested, those 10 Republicans are: Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Jaime Herrera Beutler, Dan Newhouse, Peter Meijer, John Katko, Fred Upton, David Valadao, Tom Rice and Anthony Gonzalez.
The most significant name on that list is Ms Cheney, the daughter of former vice president Dick Cheney, who is the third-highest ranking Republican in the House.
Read on for the latest news.
Live Updates
Two off-duty police officers from Virginia have been charged for joining in last week’s violence inside the US Capitol.
INBOX: Two off-duty Virginia cops charged for joining in the riots inside the US Capitol. pic.twitter.com/YPpgCQLIpI
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) January 14, 2021
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Jacob Fracker and Thomas Robertson were “charged by complaint with one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds”, a statement said.
It’s alleged that during last Wednesday’s siege, “Fracker and Robertson were photographed in the Capitol building making an obscene gesture in front of the John Stark statue”.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has made a subtle statement by wearing the same outfit to the second impeachment of US President Donald Trump.
Ms Pelosi, who led the calls to impeach the President after the deadly uprising last week, wore the same black skirt and jacket combination when the party impeached US President Donald Trump last year.
Nancy Pelosi wore the same dress for both impeachments. She literally has a Trump impeachment outfit pic.twitter.com/ANSzBs35Fo
— Travis Allen 🇺🇸 (@TravisAllen02) January 14, 2021
“Last week, we saw an unprecedented assault on our democracy. It was unlike anything we have witnessed in the 244-year history of our nation. A violent attack on the United States Capitol itself. On the people’s representatives. On police officers who every day risk their lives to protect them.
“And on fellow citizens who serve as public servants in that Citadel of Liberty. Windows and doors were destroyed. Offices ransacked. A Capitol Hill police officer was murdered.
“Another lost his life a few days later. Four other people died in the senseless mayhem of that day. This criminal attack was planned and coordinated. It was carried out by political extremists and domestic terrorists, who were incited to this violence by President Trump.
“It was an armed insurrection against the United States of America. And those responsible must be held accountable.
“Today, the members of the House of Representatives exercised the power granted to them under our Constitution and voted to impeach and hold the president accountable.
“It was a bipartisan vote cast by members who followed the Constitution and their conscience. The process continues to the Senate.
“This nation also remains in the grip of a deadly virus and a reeling economy. I hope that the Senate leadership will find a way to deal with their Constitutional responsibilities on impeachment while also working on the other urgent business of this nation.
“From confirmations to key posts such as Secretaries for Homeland Security, State, Defense, Treasury, and Director of National Intelligence, to getting our vaccine program on track, and to getting our economy going again.
“Too many of our fellow Americans have suffered for too long over the past year to delay this urgent work. I have often said that there is nothing we can’t do, if we do it together. And it has never been more critical for us to stand together as a nation than right now.
“So we must remember who we are as Americans and what we stand for and believe. It’s time for us to be what at our best we have always been. The United States of America.”
President-elect Joe Biden has issued a statement on today’s events.
He said he hopes the Senate will be able to carry out their regular legislative duties while also dealing with impeachment responsibilities.
“This nation also remains in the grip of a deadly virus and a reeling economy,” he said.
“I hope that the Senate leadership will find a way to deal with their Constitutional responsibilities on impeachment while also working on the other urgent business of this nation.”
He again condemned last week’s riots.
“This criminal attack was planned and coordinated. It was carried out by political extremists and domestic terrorists, who were incited to this violence by President Trump.”
NEW: @JoeBiden statement on the impeachment of President Trump: pic.twitter.com/mL6S5NtDdM
— Sarah Ewall-Wice (@EwallWice) January 14, 2021
AFP
US Olympic swimming gold medallist Klete Keller was charged by the Justice Department Wednesday with participating in the June 6 attack on Congress by supporters of President Donald Trump.
Keller was filmed as part of the crowd that illegally entered the huge Rotunda hall of the Capitol after violent protesters broke through police lines and forced their way in.
A statement accompanying formal charges unveiled Wednesday said police identified the three-time Olympian first by what appears to be an official team jacket bearing the large logo “USA” on the back and an arm patch that read “United States Olympic team.”
Donald Trump has been permanently banned from Snapchat, according to a statement by the platform.
“Last week we announced an indefinite suspension of President Trump’s Snapchat account, and have been assessing what long term action is in the best interest of our Snapchat community,” a Snapchat spokesperson said.
“In the interest of public safety, and based on his attempts to spread misinformation, hate speech, and incite violence, which are clear violations of our guidelines, we have made the decision to permanently terminate his account.”
This comes after he was banned from Twitter and Facebook. YouTube has also suspended his account for at least a week.
American commentators are pointing out how much the US President has changed his language in the past week, saying the events of last week could have have been different if he’s spoken like this.
Some are suggesting he is changing his tone because he is scared of being convicted by the Senate.
A sobering and remarkably different tone from President Trump.
No reaction to being impeached a second time and no mention of the untruthful allegations of the election being stolen that led up to last week’s deadly riot at the US Capitol. https://t.co/BzEJqzqxsa
— Justin Schecker (@WFLAJustin) January 13, 2021
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
New message from President Trump condemning past and any potential future violence.
No mention of his 2nd impeachment.Imagine how different the past 7 days would’ve been if this was the tone last Wednesday.
pic.twitter.com/vhTdkaZXLi— Brian Abel (@BrianAbelTV) January 13, 2021
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
So many things missing from that Trump video: No mention of impeachment. Didn’t recognize risk of harm to his vice president or other lawmakers last Wednesday. Didn’t admit his responsibility in last Wednesday’s events. No mention of Biden.
— Patrick deHahn (@patrickdehahn) January 13, 2021
Donald Trump’s impeachment confirmed that “no one is above the law,” US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement.
“Today, in a bipartisan way the House demonstrated that no one is above the law, not even the President of the United States,” she said.
“That Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to our country and that once again we honour our oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, so help us God.
“And now, I sadly and with a heart broken over what this means to our country, of a president who would incite insurrection, will sign the engrossment of the article of impeachment.”
Here’s a bit more from Mr Trump’s statement, which comes in stark contrast to his message to Americans before and during last week’s riots.
Last week, he addressed the protesters in that video saying, “We love you” and “You’re very special.”
This week, he has attacked them.
“Mob violence goes against everything I believe in and everything our movement stands for,” Mr Trump said in his new video. “No true supporters of mine could ever endorse political violence.
“No true supporter of mine could disrespect law enforcement or our great American flag. No true supporter of mine could ever threaten or harass their fellow Americans.
“If you do any of these things, you are not supporting our movement- you are attacking it. And you are attacking our country. We cannot tolerate it.”
He also claimed there was an “unprecedented assault” on free speech, referencing social media companies that have banned him in recent days.
In a video message from the White House Donald Trump has spoken out after his second impeachment.
Interestingly he didn’t mention this morning’s vote – even though he recorded his message after it had taken place.
He called for peace and an orderly transition of power – pleading with Americans to refrain from violence in the coming days.
He said he was “shocked and deeply saddened” by the violence in Washington DC last week and he will use all powers available to him to prevent a repeat of such scenes.
Mr Trump said he was “calling on all Americans to overcome the passions of the moment and join together as one American people. Let us choose to move forward united for the good of our families.”
Repudiating his supporters who assaulted Congress a week ago, triggering his second impeachment in the House of Representatives, Mr Trump said “there is never a justification for violence. No excuses, no exceptions: America is a nation of laws.”
“Those who engaged in the attacks last week will be brought to justice,” he said.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 13, 2021
[ad_2]
Source link
