An increasing number of Republican Senators are joining in the chorus to impeach Trump.
President Donald Trump addressed the media on Tuesday and issued a warning. Speaking at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Trump took no responsibility for the attack on the Capitol last Wednesday. Instead, he called the impeachment motion a “hoax” and issued a virtual threat:
“Be careful what you wish for. The impeachment hoax is a continuation of the greatest and most vicious witch hunt in the history of our country, and is causing tremendous anger and division and pain far greater than most people will ever understand—which is very dangerous for the USA, especially at this very tender time.”
Analysts are calling this statement somewhat unsurprising, since it would not be likely that Trump would own up to inciting the violence. Trump on Wednesday told the crowds to stand down, but that “we love you.”
Earlier Tuesday night, the House of Representatives voted 222-211 a few minutes ago to impress upon Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment, after compelling speeches on both sides of the motion to remove Trump from office. Pence has already dismissed the demand.
The article on impeachment is founded on the accusation that Trump incited an insurrection—a violent uprising against a government. The Insurrection Act of 1807,, framed during Thomas Jefferson’s period, empowers a president to send military forces to quell unrest to support civil law enforcement. But the current situation is tricky because a sitting President—albeit outgoing—is himself charged with fueling insurrection.
Vice President Mike Pence has already stated that he will not invoke 25th Amendment to remove President from office. He told the House Speaker Nany Pelosi:
“With just eight days left in the President’s term, you and the Democratic caucus are demanding the Cabinet and I invoke the 25th Amendment. I do not believe that such a course of action is in the best interest of our nation or consistent with out Constitution.”
Invoking the amendment would render Trump incapable of functioning as the head of state. However, Vice President Mike Pence, who met with the President yesterday, has already rejected the proposal to invoke the 25th Amendment.
The Democrats have gone all guns blazing against President Donald Trump after last week’s alarming turn of events, when Trump supporters invaded the US Capitol. Monday’s stunning warning by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) that extremists may launch attacks in all 50 states has provided more ammunition to those in favor of removing Trump. As we have reported earlier, Twitter cancelled Trump’s account, in part because the social media platform suspected that his words may be instigating his supporters to raid federal and state capitols on January 17.
House Democrats have been arguing that Trump is a threat to the sovereignty of the nation itself—one House member today even called him “a clear and present danger” to the nation.
A small number of Republicans turned on Trump today. Only four GOP members in the Senate have so far expressed willingness to impeach Trump, but that number is expected to grow. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell himself said Tuesday that he believes Trump has committed impeachable offenses. Republican Senator and former Vice President Dick Cheney has said he would vote to impeach. At least 17 GOP votes in the Senate could pass the motion to impeach.
But many Republican members in the House have contended that an impeachment would be an exercise in futility. The fact that the Senate is not meeting until the 19th also weighs against any real outcome from an impeachment.
Trump himself has termed the move to impeach him “ridiculous.” Pence may not favor impeachment, either.
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