Donald Trump Impeachment LIVE Updates: The US House of Representatives on Wednesday began debating legislation to impeach President Donald Trump for the second time of his presidency. The House is set to first hold a vote setting rules for Wednesday's debate. If it is approved, as expected, it will set the stage for a vote later in the day on passage of one article of impeachment charging Trump with inciting insurrection in a speech he made last week that led to rioting in the US Capitol.
A week after Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol, the US House of Representatives will vote to impeach him for his role in an assault on American democracy that stunned the nation and left five dead. The House is currently in session and will begin impeachment proceedings. At least five Republicans have said they would join Democrats to impeach Trump for the second time, just seven days before he is due to leave office and President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in on January 20. A vote of the House majority to impeach would trigger a trial in the still Republican-controlled Senate, although it was unclear whether such a trial would take place in time to expel Trump from the White House.
Please Put People Before Politics: Republican | Speaking against impeaching President Trump, GOP Rep. Jason Smith called the impeachment proceedings “reckless” and urged lawmakers to put “people before politics.” “President Trump will be leaving in seven days. Let's try to heal this nation. Let's listen to the American people. This is the people's House. Let's operate for the people. This country is hurting. The people are hurting. Our colleagues are hurting. This is a reckless impeachment. This will only bring up the hate and fire more than ever before. Have a conscience. Put the people before politics. Unify this country,” he said. The Missouri representative called the week since the storming of the US Capitol “devastating” and stressed the importance of getting the facts on what went wrong
Jan 13, 2021 20:57 (IST)
Here's what is expected to happen next in the House:
- After the debate, the House votes on the rule. Voting in the House takes time because of coronavirus protocols.
- Once the House passes the rule, it will proceed to a two-hour debate.
- The final vote will begin between 1:30 AM PM and 2:30 AM (IST).
Jan 13, 2021 20:53 (IST)
Rights groups have warned that press freedom is in peril in many parts of the world, with journalists harassed by police, the judiciary, politicians and protesters on the streets.
Jan 13, 2021 20:49 (IST)
Christiane Amanpour, the chief international anchor on CNN, said broadcasters and newspapers also had to look at the role they played after they reported comments and news based on who said them, regardless of whether they were true.
Jan 13, 2021 20:48 (IST)
US President Donald Trump emboldened other leaders to quash press freedom, his message amplified by tech platforms and a mainstream media that did not know how to respond, three leading journalists and campaigners said.
Jan 13, 2021 20:46 (IST)
A rioter who stormed the US Capitol last week wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with the phrase "Camp Auschwitz" was arrested this morning in Virginia, according to a law enforcement official.
Jan 13, 2021 20:34 (IST)
215+ Democrats, 5 Republicans Support Impeachment | More than 215 House Democrats, 5 House Republicans support impeaching US President Donald Trump (218 votes needed). House Majority Leader Hoyer says he would send articles of impeachment to US Senate immediately: NBC News.
Jan 13, 2021 20:26 (IST)
He will be impeached twice because he needs to be impeached twice: US Representative Jason Crow, Democrat of Colorado on Trump's impeachment.
Jan 13, 2021 20:22 (IST)
We will impeach the president of the United States twice: the first time this has been done in history. This is all about accountability, holding this president accountable: US Representative Val Demings, Democrat of Florida, on Trump's impeachment.
Jan 13, 2021 20:22 (IST)
We’re prepared to move forward and we want to send this to the Senate as soon as possible. We think there’s an urgency here: US House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Democrat of Maryland on Trump's impeachment.
Jan 13, 2021 20:20 (IST)
Resolution | Impeaching Donald Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. Resolved, That Donald John Trump, President of the United States, is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors and that the following article of impeachment be exhibited to the United States Senate. Article of impeachment exhibited by the House of Representatives of the United States of America in the name of itself and of the people of the United States of America, against Donald John Trump, President of the United States of America, in maintenance and support of its impeachment against him for high crimes and misdemeanors.
Jan 13, 2021 20:12 (IST)
John Katko was the first member of the House Republican caucus to say he would vote for Trump impeachment.
Jan 13, 2021 20:10 (IST)
A frequent Trump critic, Adam Kinzinger said Trump broke his oath of office by inciting his supporters to insurrection and used his position to attack the legislative branch of government.
Jan 13, 2021 20:10 (IST)
The No 3 House Republican, Liz Cheney was the most senior member of her party to vote against efforts to challenge the Electoral College results confirming Trump’s loss.
Jan 13, 2021 20:06 (IST)
After spending four years defending Trump’s behavior, a growing number of Republican lawmakers have said they will vote to impeach him on charges that he incited his supporters to carry out the deadly attack on US Congress.
Jan 13, 2021 20:03 (IST)
Republican Rep Adam Kinzinger is predicting more Republicans will join him in voting to impeach President Donald Trump. The House is currently voting on impeaching Trump for a second time, accusing him of rallying a violent mob of supporters to attack the US Capitol last week. If that isn't an impeachable offense, Kinzinger said, I don't know what is. Several other Republicans are backing impeachment, including No 3 GOP leader Liz Cheney.
Jan 13, 2021 19:58 (IST)
Lawmakers to Vote Around 1:30 AM | US Lawmakers in the lower chamber are expected to vote for impeachment around 1:30 AM (IST), marking the formal opening of proceedings against Trump.
Jan 13, 2021 19:57 (IST)
Acting US Attorney General Warns Insurrectionists Against Further Attacks | Acting US Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen warned potential domestic terrorists against further attacks as President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office after pro-Trump insurrectionists attacked the US Capitol last week.
Jan 13, 2021 19:55 (IST)
The US House of Representatives begins debating legislation to impeach President Donald Trump for the second time of his presidency. The House is set to first hold a vote setting rules for today's debate. If it is approved, as expected, it will set the stage for a vote later in the day on passage of one article of impeachment charging Trump with inciting insurrection in a speech he made last week that led to rioting in the US Capitol.
The US House is expected to impeach President Donald Trump for his encouragement of supporters who stormed the US Capitol last week.
Jan 13, 2021 19:51 (IST)
The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of January 13.
Jan 13, 2021 19:50 (IST)
New York City will sever contracts with the Trump Organisation that net the company profits of $17 million annually, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday, accusing President Donald Trump of inciting the crowds that stormed the US Capitol last week. “If a company and the leadership of that company is engaged in criminal activity, we have the right to sever the contract,” de Blasio said on MSNBC.
Jan 13, 2021 19:44 (IST)
GOP Congressman Calls Impeachment a 'Bad Idea' | Republican Rep. Ken Buck said that he will vote against impeaching President Trump and that the process is 'absolutely polarising.' "It's a bad idea. You impeach a president after hearings and great deliberation. You don't impeach a president in the heat of the moment," Buck said.
Jan 13, 2021 19:41 (IST)
The Speaker announced that the House do now recess for a period of less than 15 minutes.
Jan 13, 2021 19:37 (IST)
US House in Session | The US House of Representatives has just convened and will now begin consideration of President Trump's impeachment.
Jan 13, 2021 19:26 (IST)
US Lawmakers to Go Through Metal Detectors to Get Onto House Floor | Members of Congress and staffers will have to walk through metal detectors in order to get onto the floor of the US House of Representatives, a senior Democratic aide told CNN yesterday. The House is set to convene at 7:30 PM (IST) to debate and hold a vote on impeaching President Trump. The development comes after multiple House Democrats told CNN they are worried about some of their Republican colleagues ignoring House rules regarding firearms. There have been multiple conversations about the need for every member of Congress and their guests to start going through metal detectors.
Jan 13, 2021 19:20 (IST)
A week after President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the US Capitol, the House of Representatives will vote to impeach the president for his role in an assault on American democracy that stunned the nation and left five dead. At least five Republicans have said they would join Democrats to impeach Trump for the second time, just seven days before he is due to leave office and President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in on Jan. 20.
US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated that he believes that impeaching President Donald Trump will make it easier to get rid of the President and Trumpism from the Republican Party,…
After spending four years defending President Donald Trump’s behavior, a growing number of Republican lawmakers have said they will vote to impeach him on charges that he incited his supporters to…
Jan 13, 2021 19:03 (IST)
Pence Refuses to Invoke 25th Amendment | United States Vice President Mike Pence has refused to invoke the 25th Amendment to the American Constitution to remove President Donald Trump from office. "Under our Constitution, the 25th Amendment is not a means of punishment or usurpation. Invoking the 25th Amendment in such a manner would set a terrible precedent," Pence said in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi and House Democrats had pressed Pence and the Cabinet to remove Trump from office in the aftermath of the January 6 breach of the US Capitol by thousands of the president's loyalists.
People gather at the base of the US Capitol on Tuesday. (AFP)
Democrats moved forward on an impeachment vote after Vice President Mike Pence rejected an effort to persuade him to invoke the 25th Amendment of the US Constitution to remove Trump. "I do not believe that such a course of action is in the best interest of our Nation or consistent with our Constitution," Pence said in a letter Tuesday evening to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Despite the letter, the House passed a resolution late Tuesday formally calling on Pence to act. The final vote was 223-205 in favor.
As the House prepared for the impeachment vote on Wednesday, there were signs that Trump's once-dominant hold on the Republican Party was beginning to ebb. At least five House Republicans, including Liz Cheney, a member of her party's leadership team, said they would vote for his second impeachment - a prospect no president before Trump has faced. "There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution," Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, said in a statement.
Trump "summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack" on the Capitol, she said. Four other Republican House members, Jaime Herrera Beutler, John Katko, Adam Kinzinger and Fred Upton, also said they supported impeachment.
In a break from standard procedure, Republican leaders in the House have refrained from urging their members to vote against impeaching Trump, saying it was a matter of individual conscience.
The New York Times reported that the Republican majority leader of the U.S. Senate, Mitch McConnell, was said to be pleased about the impeachment push, another sign that Trump's party is looking to move on from him after the attack on Congress.
LIVE NOW
LIVE TV
