Trump Reacts To Impeachment Vote At Rally
Minutes before the vote on Wednesday night, Trump took the stage at a campaign rally in Battle Creek, Michigan.
“It doesn’t really feel like we’re being impeached,” he told the cheering crowd. “The country is doing better than ever before. We did nothing wrong. And we have tremendous support in the Republican Party like we ave never had before. Nobody has ever had this kind of support.”
Download the NBC News app for full coverage of Trump’s impeachment
Hours before the vote, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., took to the House floor to say it was imperative to impeach a president for the first time in two decades because Trump is “an ongoing threat to our national security and the integrity of our elections.”
“It is an established fact the president violated the Constitution,” Pelosi said, standing next to a sign with aa U.S. flag that quoted a line from the Pledge of Allegiance: “To the Republic, for which it stands …”
Emotions ran high inside the Capitol ahead of the vote, with Democrats and Republicans accusing one another of acting in bad faith during 10 hours of debate.
Speaking on the floor, Rep. Debbie Lesko, R.-Ariz., said, “I believe this is the most unfair, politically biased rigged process that I have seen in my entire life.”
“This is the most partisan impeachment in the history of the United States,” she added. “Not one Republican voted for it in the Judiciary Committee. … Not one Republican, I don’t think, is going to vote for it here today.”
How The White House Will Be Involved In The Senate Impeachment Trial
Democrats accused their counterparts of willfully turning a blind eye to the president’s misdeeds. They said there was ample evidence that Trump had abused his power by pressuring Ukraine to announce investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son while withholding almost $400 million in aid, and that he had obstructed Congress by refusing to release any documents related to his actions.
“The president withheld congressionally approved military aid to Ukraine, a country under siege, not to fight corruption, but to extract a personal political favor,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. “The president of the United States endangered our national security. The president undermined our democracy … betrayed his oath to preserve protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
“No one should be allowed to use the powers of the presidency to undermine our elections. Period,” McGovern added.
Trump Impeached For Inciting Insurrection
President Trump became the first president to be impeached twice, after the House approved a single charge citing his role in whipping up a mob that stormed the Capitol. He faces a Senate trial that could disqualify him from future office.
-
Send any friend a story
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share.
Give this article
- 1052
- Read in app
WASHINGTON Donald J. Trump on Wednesday became the first American president to be impeached twice, as 10 members of his party joined with Democrats in the House to charge him with incitement of insurrection for his role in egging on a violent mob that stormed the Capitol last week.
Reconvening in a building now heavily militarized against threats from pro-Trump activists and adorned with bunting for the inauguration of President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr., lawmakers voted 232 to 197 to approve a single impeachment article. It accused Mr. Trump of inciting violence against the government of the United States in his quest to overturn the election results, and called for him to be removed and disqualified from ever holding public office again.
The vote left another indelible stain on Mr. Trumps presidency just a week before he is slated to leave office and laid bare the cracks running through the Republican Party. More members of his party voted to charge the president than in any other impeachment.
Also Check: What Is Trump New Immigration Law
Donald Trump Impeachment Trial: What You Need To Know
Senate trial began on Tuesday for ex-president charged with incitement of insurrection over Capitol riot
Donald Trumps unprecedented second impeachment trial began on Tuesday 9 February in the Senate. He is the first US president to be impeached twice, and it is the first time an impeachment trial has been held against a former president. The trial will hear allegations that he committed high crimes and misdemeanors before leaving office.
Whistleblowers And Their Lawyers
Andrew P. Bakaj, the lead attorney representing the whistleblowers, sent a joint letter to Maguire on September 28, made public on September 29, in which they raised concerns about the language used by Trump, amongst other things. In the letter, the lawyers state “The events of the past week have heightened our concerns that our client’s identity will be disclosed publicly and that, as a result, our client will be put in harm’s way.” The letter also mentioned the $50,000 “bounty” that two conservative Trump supporters have offered as a reward for information about the whistleblower.
, co-counsel for the whistleblower, said in a statement in September 2019 that whistleblowers’ identities are protected by law and cited testimony by Maguire which drew upon the Whistleblower Protection Act. The statement was released after Trump questioned on Twitter the validity of the whistleblower’s statements. Bakaj took to Twitter to issue a warning on September 30 that the whistleblower is entitled to anonymity, is protected by laws and policies, and is not to be retaliated against to do so would violate federal law. Bakaj argued in an October 25 Washington Post op-ed that the identity of his client is no longer pertinent after further events corroborated his client’s account of the matter.
Also Check: How Do You Contact Donald Trump
How Will The Trial Be Structured
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced Monday afternoon that he and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., along with Trump’s lawyers and the impeachment managers, had come to an agreement on how the trial will proceed.
“This impeachment trial in the United States Senate will allow for truth and accountability, which are essential to ensuring desperately-needed unity and healing in our country following the despicable attack on our democracy,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.
Here’s how their plan will work, according to Schumer’s office:
Sign Up To Our World Explained Newsletter
It is not the first time Trump has been impeached by the House of Representatives – the president faced a Senate trial in 2020 for an abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
Here’s all you need to know.
Why was Trump impeached the first time?
On 18 December 2019, Trump, the 45th president of the US, was impeached for an abuse of power and obstruction of Congress by the House.
This stemmed from a phone call Trump made to the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, encouraging him to dig up dirt on political rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter.
Biden jr worked for a Ukranian energy company when his father was US vice president under Barack Obama.
Trump’s administration was accused of withholding military aid from Ukraine at around that time and a White House meeting for Zelensky.
The House’s judiciary committee said Trump had “betrayed the nation by abusing his high office to enlist a foreign power in corrupting democratic elections”.
But he was acquitted by the Senate on 5 February 2020, on a near party-line vote. Senator Mitt Romney, a Republican from Utah, was the only one to break party ranks.
What does impeachment mean?
Impeachment, in US politics, is a charge of misconduct made against a public official or president.
It is a political process – not a criminal one – which is the first of a two step action which has the power to remove a current president from office.
You May Like: Did Trump Close The Border
Who Are Trump’s Lawyers
Trump’s legal defense is led by Bruce Castor Jr. and David Schoen, two trial lawyers who were reportedly recruited after a handful of lawyers quit the former president’s team.
A pretrial brief released Monday also listed attorney Michael van der Veen as a member of Trump’s legal team.
Castor attracted publicity in 2005 when, as district attorney of Montgomery County, he opted not to file sexual assault charges against Bill Cosby.
Castor is also a cousin of Stephen Castor, a House Republican staff lawyer involved with Trump’s first impeachment in 2019, according to The New York Times.
Schoen had represented Roger Stone, the Republican political operative and longtime ally of Trump’s who was arrested as part of former special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe. Trump commuted Stone’s sentence days before he was set to report to prison. In his final month in office, Trump pardoned Stone amid dozens of other grants of clemency.
Will A Second Impeachment Bar Trump Running From Office In 2024
Not necessarily. If he was found guilty, theres no immediate punishment, since he is no longer in office. The Senate could, with a simple majority vote, bar him from holding federal elective office in the future. With the Senate split 50-50, and the vice-president, Kamala Harris, holding the casting vote, that could pass quite simply.
There is a constitutional argument to be had that the Democrat-controlled Senate might try to do this anyway even if Trump is found not guilty, by invoking section three of the post-civil war 14th amendment to the US constitution. That forbids anyone who has engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the US from holding federal office, but that is likely to be the subject of a significant legal dispute should it arise.
-
An earlier version of this article was amended on 13 January 2021. It had incorrectly said that not a single Republican in the Senate found Trump guilty in his first impeachment trial. In fact, one Republican senator, Mitt Romney, voted to impeach him on one charge. The article was republished on 10 February to reflect updated developments with the trial.
Read Also: What Is Trump Doing About Healthcare
Presidential Campaign And 2011 Hints At Presidential Run
In 2000, Trump for nomination as the Reform Party candidate for the but withdrew from the race in February 2000. A July 1999 poll matching him against likely Republican nominee and likely Democratic nominee showed Trump with seven percent support.
In 2011, Trump against President Barack Obama in , making his first speaking appearance at the in February 2011 and giving speeches in early primary states. In May 2011, he announced he would not run, and he endorsed in February 2012. Trump’s presidential ambitions were generally not taken seriously at the time.
Listen To The Daily: The Impeachment Of President Donald J Trump
- michael barbaro
-
Thats it for The Daily. Im Michael Barbaro. See you tomorrow.
Despite years of speculation, Mr. Trumps impeachment did not, in the end, grow out of the two-year investigation into Russian election meddling by Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel, or the seemingly endless series of other accusations of corruption and misconduct that have plagued this White House: tax evasion, profiting from the presidency, payoffs to a pornographic film actress and fraudulent activities by his charitable foundation.
Instead, the existential threat to Mr. Trumps presidency centered around a half-hour phone call in July. On it, he pressured Ukraines president to announce investigations into former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and other Democrats at the same time he was withholding nearly $400 million in vital military assistance for the country and a White House meeting.
Congress learned about the call after an anonymous C.I.A. official lodged a whistle-blower complaint in August pulling a string that helped unravel an effort by the president and his allies to pressure a foreign government for help in smearing a political rival. Over a period of weeks this fall, a parade of diplomats and other administration officials confirmed and expanded on those revelations.
And Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, a Democratic presidential contender who has built her reputation as a maverick in her party, voted present on both articles.
You May Like: Is Pres Trump On Tv Tonight
What Led To The Second Impeachment
Many believe Trump is at least partly responsible for the deadly attack on the US Capitol on January 6. The article of impeachment notes his false claims of election fraud in the months leading up to the riot, which he repeated in a speech to protesters shortly before a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol.
Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government, reads the article of impeachment. He threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power … He thereby betrayed his trust as President.
The article also quotes a phone call with the Secretary of State of the US state of Georgia in which he asked him to find votes that could help him win the state in the presidential election.
Netflix shows to help you understand US politics
Lafayette Square Protester Removal And Photo Op
On June 1, 2020, federal law enforcement officials used batons, rubber bullets, projectiles, , and smoke to remove a largely peaceful crowd of protesters from , outside the . Trump then walked to , where protesters had set a small fire the night before he posed for photographs holding a Bible, with senior administration officials later joining him in photos. Trump said on June 3 that the protesters were cleared because “they tried to burn down the church and almost succeeded”, describing the church as “badly hurt”.
Religious leaders condemned the treatment of protesters and the photo opportunity itself. Many retired military leaders and defense officials condemned Trump’s proposal to use the U.S. military against anti-police brutality protesters. The chairman of the , General , later apologized for accompanying Trump on the walk and thereby “creat the perception of the military involved in domestic politics”.
Recommended Reading: Does Trump Like Fox News
House Of Representatives Investigations
| External video |
|---|
On the evening of September 24, 2019, Pelosi announced that six committees of the House of Representatives would begin a formal impeachment inquiry into President Trump. Pelosi accused Trump of betraying his oath of office, U.S. national security, and the integrity of the country’s elections. The six committees charged with the task are those on Financial Services, the Judiciary, Intelligence, Foreign Affairs, Oversight and Reform, and Ways and Means.
Maguire, who had delayed the whistleblower complaint from reaching Congress, testified publicly before the House Intelligence Committee on September 26. Maguire defended his decision not to immediately forward the whistleblower complaint to Congress and explained that he had consulted the White House Counsel and the Office of Legal Counsel at the Justice Department , but was unable to determine whether the document was protected by executive privilege. Democrats on the committee questioned his actions, arguing that the law demands the forwarding of such complaints to the committee. Maguire countered that the situation was unique since the complaint involves communications of the president. Members of the House Intelligence Committee also asked Maguire why he chose to consult with White House lawyers when he was not required to do so by law, to which he responded that he believed “it would be prudent to have another opinion.”
Impeachment Rules Precedents And Procedures
- Jefferson’s Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 116th Congress ,Section LIII: Impeachment
- House Practice: A Guide to the Rules, Precedents and Procedures of the House, 115th Congress, Chapter 27: Impeachment
- House Precedents on impeachment
- Deschlers Precedents for 1936-2013, Volume 3, Ch. 14
Read Also: Is Trump On Tv Tonight
Resignations And Firings Of Witnesses
Marie Yovanovitch and Bill Taylor resigned from their positions in the State Department. Jennifer Williams left her position to take up a new post. Alexander Vindman was dismissed from his position in the White House following Trump’s acquittal by the Senate. Vindman’s twin brother Yevgenywho was not involved in the casewas also dismissed. Both Vindman brothers were reported to have been physically escorted from the White House. Gordon Sondland was also recalled from his position as ambassador. The White House claimed that the dismissals were necessary, but Trump was criticized for seeking revenge against those who had testified against him. Trump was also reported to have labelled Williams and Alexander Vindman as . Trump suggested that the Pentagon should seek disciplinary action against Vindman, but the Army declined to investigate., the top Pentagon policy advisor who, on July 25, 2019, warned Defense Secretary against withholding military aid to Ukraine, was forced to resign on February 19, 2020. In May 2019 he had certified to Congress that Ukraine was eligible for the aid.
What Was Trump Charged With
Impeachment charges are political, not criminal. The president was accused by the House of inciting the storming of the Capitol – the seat of the US Congress – with a speech on 6 January to supporters outside the White House.
He urged them to “peacefully and patriotically” make their voices heard, but also to “fight like hell” against an election that he falsely told them had been stolen.
Following Mr Trump’s remarks, his supporters broke into the Capitol, forcing lawmakers to suspend certification of election results and take shelter. The building was placed on lockdown and five people died in the melee.
The article of impeachment stated that Mr Trump “repeatedly issued false statements asserting that the presidential election results were fraudulent and should not be accepted”.
It says he then repeated these claims and “wilfully made statements to the crowd that encouraged and foreseeably resulted in lawless action at the Capitol”, leading to the violence and loss of life.
“President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of government, threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperilled a coequal branch of government.”
Last week, 139 Republicans voted against accepting the result of the 2020 election and Mr Trump’s defeat.
You May Like: How To Work For The Trump Campaign
