President Donald Trump has been indicted by the US House on a single charge of inciting rebellion for his role in a riot by his supporters who left five dead and looted the Capitol, leaving an indelible stain on his legacy with only a week left in his term.
Wednesday’s historic vote on 232-197 makes Trump the only U.S. president to be arrested twice, a little more than a year since his first. It was supported by all Democrats and ten Republicans, including Liz Cheney, the third-ranked GOP leader in the House.
“We know that the president of the United States incited this uprising, ”House President Nancy Pelosi said before the vote. She calls Trump a clear and present danger to this country we all love. ‘
Pelosi will now determine how quickly the indictment will be sent to the Senate for a trial. Gitch leader Sen. Mitch McConnell has rejected Democratic leader Chuck Schumer for agreeing to bring back senators for an emergency session and begin the trial before Jan. 20 when Trump leaves office and the President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated.
The Speaker of the House signed the indictment on Wednesday night, but did not indicate whether she would postpone it to the Senate.
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In a video released by the White House on Wednesday night, Trump denounced the attack on the Capitol and called on Americans to avoid further violence. He did not mention the accusatory voice.
He retained the Republican Party for most of his four years in office. But the obstacle of the angry crowd of supporters storming the Capitol on January 6 was too much for some in the GOP. Even Republicans who did not vote for his accusation denounced his actions.
McConnell told associates that he believed Trump committed an undisputed offense last week when he slammed the protesters, two people familiar with the matter said. In a remark Wednesday to his Republican counterpart, McConnell wrote: “I have not yet made a final decision on how I am going to vote and I intend to listen to the legal arguments when it is submitted to the Senate.”
The consequences were great. Big companies have begun a deluge of announcements that they would cut off at least temporary contributions to lawmakers who joined Trump in false allegations of election fraud and the attempt to block the outcome of the November 3 election. Twitter, which served as Trump’s megaphone for his followers, banned him and he was kicked off other platforms. His business was also hit when the banks that handle his finances, and the American golf industry that brings business to his clubs, withdrew.
However, investors on Wednesday shook up the proceedings in Washington, with the S&P 500 index seeing a modest 0.2% increase from 15:31.
Trump hinted that he might run for president again in 2024, but his political future was uncertain. In addition to the political damage he has done, Trump could be legally banned from holding the federal office again if convicted. He also faces possible criminal and civil legal danger as he encourages supporters ahead of the January 6 riot.
Nancy Pelosi puts down the hammer as she presides over President Trump on January 13.
Photographer: Saul Loeb / AFP / Getty Images
Shortly before the vote in the House, Trump again tried to quell the unrest by issuing a statement saying, “There may be NO violence, NO lawlessness and NO vandalism of any kind.”
“This is not what I stand for, and this is not what America stands for,” Trump said in the statement. “I call on ALL Americans to relieve stress and calm their spirits.”
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GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, a staunch ally of Trump, said the president’s accusation would be a mistake in such a short time, without investigation or trial.
‘This is what a vote to accuse would do. It will further divide this nation. A vote to accuse will further ignite the flames of partisan divisions, ‘McCarthy said. He voted to challenge the election votes of two states won by Biden, hours after the mob stormed the Capitol through Trump’s loss on January 6.
McCarthy was one of 138 Republicans who heeded Trump’s false allegations about the election and objected to the college election score in at least one state.
Democrats have said there is no doubt that Trump’s public remarks last week were a violation of the oath taken by all lawmakers to uphold the Constitution.
“We last told you that if we did not accuse him, it would happen again. Simply put, we told you so, ‘said Louisiana Democratic Representative Cedric Richmond in his last remarks on the House floor before joining the Biden government.
Some Democrats have expressed reservations about accusations leading to a Senate hearing, just as Biden began his term, overshadowing the transfer of power and nullifying the cabinet appointments and early legislative initiatives of the new Democratic government.
When lawmakers gathered in the House Wednesday, the Capitol and surrounding areas in Washington looked like an armed camp. Thousands of National Guard troops and other security personnel monitored and patrolled the site and buildings. Police closed nearby streets with parked military vehicles, and long metal fences surrounded much of the area.
Kevin McCarthy walks to the floor of the House at the American Capitol on January 13th.
Photographer: Al Drago / Bloomberg
The attack on the Capitol stunned and frightened many lawmakers, which motivated the Democrats to act quickly. The process of indictment continued without trial, testimony or investigation. The trial took place at the end of 2019 for weeks as House Democrats accused Trump of abusing power and obstructing allegations that he had put Ukraine under pressure to investigate Biden and his son Hunter.
Democrats claimed there was clear public support for this second accusation, arguing that much of America was repulsed by what they saw on Jan. 6 in the broadcast and other media.
Read more: Ocasio-Cortez says she feared for her life in Capitol Attack
Polls show that the public’s view of the president has diminished as a result of the violence. A Quinnipiac University poll conducted after the Capitol storms found 56% of voters hold Trump accountable. In the same poll, Trump’s approval rating was 33%, down from the 44% he had in a December poll.
The events of January 6 began with thousands of Trump supporters gathered in Washington when Congress was to confirm that Biden had won the election. But as Trump and his congressional supporters continued to contest the election with false allegations of electoral fraud, the president himself urged his supporters to march to the Capitol and register their opposition to the constitutional process.
The ensuing attack was a scene of unprecedented racketeering and trauma for the country – a U.S. Capitol police officer was killed after being beaten, one rioter was killed after being shot, and others were injured or killed in medical emergencies. Offices were looted and there was a tense moment that even lawmakers in the living room were under siege.
“In all of this, President Trump has seriously jeopardized the security of the country. United States and its government institutions, ”reads the article on the accusation. ‘Donald John Trump is committing major crimes and transgressions by inciting violence against the government of the United States. ”
The House voted Wednesday after about three hours of debate. The proceedings took place in the same room where Presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were charged, as well as Trump for the first time in December 2019. None of them were convicted by the Senate.
– With the help of Erik Wasson and Daniel Flatley
(Updates with Pelosi signing the article in the fifth paragraph and additional quotes throughout.)