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Thursday 14 January 2021

Trump impeached after Capitol riot in historic second charge

By LISA MASCARO, Democrat Joe Biden's in-
MARY CLARE JALONICK, auguration Jan. 20.
JONATHAN LEMIRE and Trump is the only U.S.
ALAN FRAM president to be twice im-
Associated Press peached. It was the most
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- bipartisan presidential im-
dent Donald Trump was im- peachment in modern
peached by the U.S. House times, more so than against
for a historic second time Bill Clinton in 1998.
Wednesday, charged with The Capitol insurrection
"incitement of insurrection" stunned and angered law-
over the deadly mob siege makers, who were sent
of the Capitol in a swift and scrambling for safety as the
stunning collapse of his fi- mob descended, and it re-
nal days in office. vealed the fragility of the
With the Capitol secured nation's history of peace-
by armed National Guard ful transfers of power. The
troops inside and out, the riot also forced a reckoning
House voted 232-197 to among some Republicans,
impeach Trump. The pro- who have stood by Trump In this image from video, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., speaks as the Senate
ceedings moved at light- throughout his presidency reconvenes after protesters stormed into the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021.
ning speed, with lawmak- and largely allowed him Associated Press
ers voting just one week to spread false attacks Holed up at the White said, his first condemnation who demanded anonym-
after violent pro-Trump against the integrity of the House, watching the pro- of the attack. He appealed ity to describe McConnell's
loyalists stormed the U.S. 2020 election. ceedings on TV, Trump lat- for unity "to move forward" conversations.
Capitol, egged on by the House Speaker Nancy Pe- er released a video state- and said, "Mob violence Unlike his first time, Trump
president's calls for them to losi invoked Abraham Lin- ment in which he made goes against everything I faces this impeachment as
"fight like hell" against the coln and the Bible, implor- no mention at all of the im- believe in and everything a weakened leader, hav-
election results. ing lawmakers to uphold peachment but appealed our movement stands for. ing lost his own reelection
Ten Republicans fled their oath to defend the to his supporters to refrain ... No true supporter of as well as the Senate Re-
Trump, joining Democrats Constitution from all ene- from any further violence mine could ever disrespect publican majority.
who said he needed to mies, foreign "and domes- or disruption of Biden's in- law enforcement." Even Trump ally Kevin Mc-
be held accountable and tic." auguration. Trump was first impeached Carthy, the House Republi-
warned ominously of a She said of Trump: "He must "Like all of you, I was by the House in 2019 over can leader, shifted his posi-
"clear and present danger" go, he is a clear and pres- shocked and deeply sad- his dealings with Ukraine, tion and said Wednesday
if Congress should leave ent danger to the nation dened by the calamity at but the Senate voted in the president bears respon-
him unchecked before that we all love." the Capitol last week," he 2020 acquit. He is the first sibility for the horrifying day
president to be impeached at the Capitol.
twice. None has been con- In making a case for the
victed by the Senate, but "high crimes and misde-
Republicans said Wednes- meanors" demanded in
day that could change in the Constitution, the four-
the rapidly shifting political page impeachment reso-
environment as officehold- lution approved Wednes-
ers, donors, big business day relies on Trump's own
and others peel away from incendiary rhetoric and
the defeated president. the falsehoods he spread
The soonest Republican about Biden's election vic-
Senate leader Mitch Mc- tory, including at a rally
Connell would start an im- near the White House on
peachment trial is next the day of the Jan. 6 at-
Tuesday, the day before tack on the Capitol.
Trump is already set to A Capitol Police officer
leave the White House, Mc- died from injuries suffered
Connell's office said. The in the riot, and police shot
legislation is also intended and killed a woman dur-
to prevent Trump from ever ing the siege. Three other
running again. people died in what au-
McConnell believes Trump thorities said were medical
committed impeachable emergencies. The riot de-
offenses and considers the layed the tally of Electoral
Democrats' impeachment College votes that was the
drive an opportunity to last step in finalizing Biden's
reduce the divisive, cha- victory.
otic president's hold on the Ten Republican lawmak-
GOP, a Republican strat- ers, including third-rank-
egist told The Associated ing House GOP leader
Press on Wednesday. Liz Cheney of Wyoming,
McConnell told major do- voted to impeach Trump,
nors over the weekend cleaving the Republican
that he was through with leadership, and the party
Trump, said the strategist, itself. q