AGENCIES / WASHINGTON
The US House of Representatives have impeached President Donald Trump on Wednesday, declaring that he incited insurrection last week when he implored thousands of his supporters to march to the Capitol to try to overturn his reelection loss, prompting a mob demonstration that turned into deadly mayhem.
The 232-197 majority for impeachment, with just a week remaining in Trump’s four-year term as the U.S. leader, was made up of Democratic Party lawmakers joined by 10 of Trump’s fellow Republicans.
The House vote made Trump the first of the country’s 45 presidents in its 245-year history to be impeached twice.
He was acquitted by the Senate a year ago in the first impeachment case and now will face a new trial in the weeks after President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated next Wednesday. A two-thirds vote in the politically divided Senate would be needed to convict him. If convicted, a simple-majority vote could bar him from holding federal office again.
Moments after the vote, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell again rejected the possibility of an immediate trial.
“There is simply no chance that a fair or serious trial could conclude before President-elect Biden is sworn in next week,” the Kentucky Republican said in a statement. “Even if the Senate process were to begin this week and move promptly, no final verdict would be reached until after President Trump had left office.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said a trial could begin this week or next.
“But make no mistake, there will be an impeachment trial in the United States Senate. There will be a vote on convicting the president for high crimes and misdemeanors,” he said.