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u.s. news Dialuna 11 Januari 2021

US diplomats in extraordinary protest against Trump for riot

(AP) — In a highly unusu- channel is normally used to
al move, American dip- oppose specific foreign pol-
lomats have drafted two icy decisions. The two most
cables condemning Presi- recent cables appear to be
dent Donald Trump’s in- unprecedented in their scope
citement of the deadly as- and characterization of the
sault on the Capitol and president as a danger to the
calling for administration country.
officials to support invok-
ing the 25th Amendment The cables also reflect anger
to remove him from of- at the response to the riot by
fice. Secretary of State Mike Pom-
peo, a loyal Trump ally.
Using what is known as the
State Department's “dissent Pompeo has condemned the
channel,” the career foreign violence at the Capitol but
service officers said they fear has pointedly not addressed
last Wednesday's siege may the role Trump played in
badly undermine U.S. cred- encouraging his supporters
ibility to promote and defend who stormed the building.
democratic values abroad. Nor has Pompeo addressed
the aftermath or acknowl- were viewed by The Associ- use violence and intimida- episode. It would also send a
“Failing to publicly hold the edged that American diplo- ated Press. tion to interfere in peaceful strong message to our friends
president to account would mats overseas may now face democratic processes and and adversaries that the De-
further damage our democ- new difficulty in promoting The State Department did override the will of their vot- partment of State applies an
racy and our ability to effec- democracy. not immediately respond to a ers, the department’s public ethos of integrity and objec-
tively accomplish our foreign Trump himself has railed request for comment. statements about this episode tive standards when it con-
policy goals abroad,” accord- about what he sees as disloy- should also mention Presi- demns assaults on democracy
ing to the second of the two alty at the State Department. “It is essential that the De- dent Trump by name. It is at home or abroad.”
cables, which were circulated He once referred to it public- partment of State explicitly critical that we communicate
among diplomats late last ly — and in front of Pompeo denounce President Trump’s to the world that in our sys- The second cable goes fur-
week and then sent to State and reporters — as “the deep role in this violent attack on tem, no one -- not even the ther, demanding that Pom-
Department leadership. State Department,” a refer- the U.S. government,” said president -- is above the law peo explicitly recognize Pres-
ence to what Trump and his the first of the two cables, or immune from public criti- ident-elect Joe Biden’s elec-
The cables were an extraordi- supporters believe is a cabal which added that the presi- cism.” tion and condemn Trump’s
nary protest against a sitting of entrenched bureaucrats dent's own comments should actions. It also said Pompeo
U.S. president by American intent on subverting his poli- not be used “as he is not a “This would be a first step should support any effort by
diplomats, who have long cies. credible voice on this mat- towards repairing the dam- Vice President Mike Pence
complained that the Trump ter.” age to our international cred- and other Cabinet members
administration has ignored It was not immediately clear ibility,” it said. “It would al- to invoke the 25th Amend-
and diminished their role how many diplomats signed “Just as we routinely de- low the beacon of democracy ment to remove Trump from
and expertise. The dissent the cables, both of which nounce foreign leaders who to shine on despite this dark office.

Possible virus exposure for lawmakers sheltering during riot

(AP) — House lawmakers may tested. The infected individual was Dozens of lawmakers were whisked two weeks before Democratic Pres-
have been exposed to someone not named. to the secure location after pro- ident-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated
testing positive for COVID-19 Dr. Brian Moynihan wrote that Trump insurrectionists stormed the on Jan. 20.
while they sheltered at an undis- “many members of the House com- Capitol that day, breaking through
closed location during the Capi- munity were in protective isolation barricades to roam the halls and of- A Capitol Police officer died after he
tol siege by a violent mob loyal to in the large room — some for several fices and ransacking the building. was hit in the head with a fire extin-
President Donald Trump. hours” on Wednesday. He said “in- guisher as rioters descended on the
dividuals may have been exposed to Some members of Congress huddled building and many other officers
The Capitol's attending physician another occupant with coronavirus for hours in the large room, while were injured. A woman from Cali-
notified all lawmakers Sunday of the infection.” others were there for a shorter period. fornia was shot to death by Capitol
virus exposure and urged them to be Police and three other people died
No further details were provided on after medical emergencies during the
which person has tested positive for chaos.
the virus.
Authorities on Sunday announced
Some lawmakers and staff were fu- the death of a 51-year-old Capitol Po-
rious after video surfaced of Repub- lice officer. Two people familiar with
lican lawmakers not wearing their the matter said the officer’s death was
masks in the room during lockdown. an apparent suicide. Officer Howard
Liebengood had been assigned to the
Newly elected Georgia Rep. Marjo- Senate Division and was with the de-
rie Taylor Greene, a presidential ally partment since 2005. He is the son of
aligned with a pro-Trump conspiracy a former Senate sergeant-at-arms.
group, was among those Republicans
not wearing masks. It was not clear whether his death was
connected to Wednesday's events.
Trump is now facing impeachment
after having incited supporters who The officials were not authorized to
were rallying near the White House discuss the matter publicly and spoke
before they marched to the Capitol. on condition of anonymity.
The House could vote on impeach-
ment in a matter of days, less than