House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., displays the signed article of impeachment against President Donald Trump in an engrossment ceremony before transmission to the Senate for trial on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. (AP Photo: Alex Brandon)Donald Trump Impeachment Live Updates: United States President Donald Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives for a historic second time Wednesday. Trump was charged with “incitement of insurrection”, a week after the riot at Capitol Hill.
With the Capitol secured by armed National Guard troops inside and out, the House voted 232-197 to impeach Trump. Ten Republicans joined Democrats in saying Trump needed to be held accountable, and warned ominously of a “clear and present danger” if Congress should leave him unchecked before president-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration January 20.
Trump’s fiery speech at a rally just before the January 6 riot is at the centre of the impeachment charge against him. At least five people died in the violence that ensued as pro-Trump protestors breached barricades and advanced into the halls of the Capitol building, smashing windows and brawling with police officers.
Trump is the only US president to be impeached twice. Following the proceedings, Trump released a video unequivocally condemning last week’s violence, but made no mention of his impeachment.
The next step is for the Senate to hold a trial and determine Trump’s guilt. A two-thirds majority will be required in the upper house to remove the president. However, the Senate is unlikely to meet before January 19, when it returns from recess. This means the trial will begin after Trump leaves office on January 20. Despite the timing, Democrats argue that to let Trump’s offences go would set a dangerous precedent for future presidents.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) signed the article of Impeachment against President Donald Trump, at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. (The New York Times: Anna Moneymaker)
Soon after a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the US Capitol last week, his social media accounts were suspended by Big Tech companies like Twitter and Facebook for his alleged role in inciting violence and spreading misinformation. The incident spurred a renewed debate about Section 230 of the US’ Communications Decency Act — the controversial piece of internet legislation that permitted these tech companies to flex their powers and ban the president in the first place. In case you missed our explainer on this, read it here
President Donald Trump's impeachment trial could begin at 1 pm (local time) on Inauguration Day next Wednesday as President-elect Joe Biden is being sworn into office.
That's according to a a timeline of Senate procedure obtained by The Associated Press.
It's the possible schedule if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sends the articles of impeachment to the Senate soon. Trump was impeached by the House on Wednesday on a single charge of incitement to insurrection after the deadly Capitol siege last week by a pro-Trump mob. Trump is the only president ever to be impeached twice.
Pelosi, D-Calif., hasn't said when she'll send the impeachment charge to the Senate. Some Democrats have suggested holding back to allow Biden time to be inaugurated and to start working on his priorities first.
US Representative Andriano Espaillat on Thursday said he had tested positive for Covid-19, becoming the fourth member of Congress to announce they had contracted the coronavirus following a mob attack on the US Capitol last week."
I am following guidance from my physician and quarantining at home after having tested positive for Covid-19," he wrote on Twitter.
Espaillat is the latest lawmaker to test positive for the coronavirus in what has become a partisan issue, with Democrats blaming Republicans for not wearing masks while sheltering in secure areas on Jan. 6, as violent supporters of Republican President Donald Trump stormed the building. But only Democrats have reported testing positive as a result of the emergency so far. (Reuters)
Wall Street’s main indexes were set to open slightly higher on Thursday with investors awaiting details on President-elect Joe Biden’s proposals for stimulus to jump-start the economy as data showed a struggling job market recovery.
The Labor Department’s report showed the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits increased more than expected to 965,000 last week from 787,000, underscoring the impact of a resurgence in Covid-19 infections.
However, Wall Street’s main indexes are near record highs and the S&P 500 has risen in six of the past eighth sessions this year as investors count on President-elect Joe Biden to unveil a stimulus plan on Thursday evening that could exceed $1.5 trillion. (Reuters)
Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez will take the stage at US President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremony in Washington next week alongside others in what his transition team said would showcase a diverse America.
The two will perform at the Jan. 20 event for the incoming 46th US president, which will also feature remarks from a black firefighter from Georgia, a former Youth Poet Laureate, a Catholic priest, and a pastor from Biden’s hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.
Lady Gaga will sing the national anthem and Lopez will give a musical performance.
“They represent one clear picture of the grand diversity of our great nation,” his team said in a statement on Thursday. (Reuters)
Soon after a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the US Capitol last week, his social media accounts were suspended by Big Tech companies like Twitter and Facebook for his alleged role in inciting violence and spreading misinformation. The incident spurred a renewed debate about Section 230 of the US’ Communications Decency Act — the controversial piece of internet legislation that permitted these tech companies to flex their powers and ban the president in the first place.
Over the years, reform of Section 230 has been a bipartisan issue — with both the Democrats and the Republicans calling for it to be amended, if not repealed. President Trump, himself, has been a vocal critic of the law, which shields tech companies from being held accountable for what users post online. President-elect Joe Biden, too, has criticised the law and even proposed revoking it completely.
But while the law is widely criticised, most agree that it is essential for ensuring a relatively free, safe and open internet.
Rahel Philipose explains what is Section 230
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has defended his company's unprecedented decision to permanently suspend US President Donald Trump from the popular social media site, but warned that it could set a "dangerous precedent" and reflective of the company's failure "to promote healthy conversation" across its platforms.
Dorsey broke his silence since the company's major decision in a series of tweets on Wednesday. "I do not celebrate or feel pride in our having to ban @realDonaldTrump from Twitter, or how we got here. After a clear warning we'd take this action, we made a decision with the best information we had based on threats to physical safety both on and off Twitter. Was this correct"," Dorsey said.
"I believe this was the right decision for Twitter. We faced an extraordinary and untenable circumstance, forcing us to focus all of our actions on public safety. Offline harm as a result of online speech is demonstrably real, and what drives our policy and enforcement above all," he said. (PTI)
US President-elect Joe Biden will unveil a stimulus package proposal on Thursday designed to jump-start the economy during the coronavirus pandemic with an economic lifeline that could exceed $1.5 trillion and help minority communities.
The stimulus package has a price tag above $1.5 trillion and includes a commitment for $1,400 stimulus checks, according to a source familiar with the proposal, and Biden is expected to commit to partner with private companies to increase the number of Americans getting vaccinated.
A significant portion of the additional financial resources will be dedicated to minority communities. “I think you will see a real emphasis on these underserved communities, where there is a lot of hard work to do,” said another transition official.
Biden plans to introduce his package during a prime-time address on Thursday evening, underscoring the seriousness of the topic, but he will have to compete for attention with the political drama in Washington. (Reuters)
The US House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to make Donald Trump the first US President ever to be impeached twice, formally charging him for inciting an insurrection just a week after an armed an angry mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol.
While Trump is the first US President to be impeached twice, he is most certainly not the first to face impeachment proceedings in the country’s history.
Check the full list of US Presidents who have been impeached so far here.
Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, signed the article of impeachment against President Donald Trump that her chamber had passed earlier in the day, Reuters reported. On the day, Pelosi was seen wearing the same dress she had back in 2019, on a similar occasion: Trump’s impeachment. This time the outfit, a sharp two-piece skirt suit, was teamed with a floral mask.
A report in The People confirms that it indeed is the same outfit except for this time the brooch was missing. People on social media were quick to notice, and soon many hailed it as the “impeachment outfit”.
“I’m aware this could not be more beside the point but can we for one second recognise Nancy Pelosi’s absolute brilliance when it comes to messaging through clothing? Like if I had to design an outfit in a movie for a Speaker to wear for Impeachment, this would be it,” one user wrote. While another added, “Nancy pelosi has an impeachment outfit. I feel like I need one too.”
The House of Representatives has impeached Donald Trump for a historic second time. What happens next? The next step is for the Senate, the upper house, to hold a trial to determine Trump's guilt. A two-thirds majority is required to convict him, or at least 17 Republicans need to join Democrats. The trial is unlikely to begin before January 19, when the Senate returns from recess, and a day before Trump is to demit office. Read more on the impeachment process here
10 Republicans supported the House House vote to formally charge President Donald Trump with inciting violence against the government of the United States. This is a change from 2019, when no Republican favoured the first impeachment proceedings against Trump. Take a look at who voted in favour this time
There were 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach President Donald Trump, which is the largest number ever to cast such a vote against a president of the same party. But, there is pressure mounting on others in the party over their ties with Trump. Several businesses, from Amazon to Walmart, have already pledged to cut off funds to Republicans who opposed certifying the victory of President-elect Joe Biden. Read this Reuters report for more
In a video taken at the Oval office after he was impeached, President Donald Trump Thursday unequivocally condemned the violence at Capitol Hill. "Violence and vandalism have absolutely no place in our country and no place in our movement," he said. "The incursion of the US Capitol struck at the very heart of our Republic. It angered and appalled millions of Americans across the political spectrum. I want to be very clear. I unequivocally condemn the violence that we saw last week." He made no mention of the impeachment proceedings. Read more here
In the process of impeachment, members of the House consider whether to impeach the president, and members of the Senate consider whether to remove him, holding a trial in which senators act as the jury. While the House vote requires only a simple majority of lawmakers to agree the president has committed high crimes and misdemeanors; the Senate vote requires a two-thirds majority.
However, if the Senate trial cannot begin until January 19, Trump's final full day in office, then why impeach him now? This would mean any conviction would almost certainly not be completed until after he leaves the White House.
“Is there little time left?” Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., the majority leader, said during the debate. “Yes. But it is never too late to do the right thing.” Read this explainer from The New York Times
President Donald Trump released a video on Twitter on Wednesday evening where he did not mention impeachment at the same time House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was signing the article of impeachment against him that her chamber had passed earlier in the day, Reuters reported.
Trump, instead, focused his remarks on the violence at the Capitol on Jan 6, which led to the House of Representatives to impeach him for incitement of insurrection, saying, 'I want to be very clear, I unequivocally condemn the violence that we saw last week. Violence and vandalism have absolutely no place in our country and no place in our movement.'
The article now will go to the Senate for an impeachment trial.
President Donald Trump's impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate will not begin until next week, outgoing Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Wednesday, setting the stage for a partisan brawl in President-elect Joe Biden's first days in office, the Associated Press reported.
"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. This is not a decision I am making; it is a fact," McConnell said in a statement.
McConnell, who loses his position as majority leader when Biden is sworn in on Jan. 20, issued his statement shortly after the House of Representatives voted 232-197 to make Trump the first U.S. president ever to be impeached twice, a week after a violent mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol.
The House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to make Donald Trump the first U.S. president ever to be impeached twice, formally charging him in his waning days in power with inciting an insurrection just a week after a violent mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol.
The vote in the Democratic-controlled House was 232-197 following a deadly assault on American democracy, with 10 Republicans joining the Democrats in backing impeachment.
A majority of the US House has voted to impeach President Donald Trump for a second time, just a week after he encouraged loyalists to “fight like hell” against election results — a speech that was followed by a mob of his supporters storming the U.S. Capitol, the Associated Press reported.
The House vote on an article of impeachment for “incitement of insurrection” was still underway Wednesday afternoon.
During debate before the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked Republicans and Democrats to “search their souls." Trump would be the first American president to be impeached twice.
Trump “must go,” Pelosi said. “He is a clear and present danger to the nation we all love.”