For the fourth time in US history, the House of Representatives has approved impeachment from the president. A majority of the House, as expected, backed the process to impeach President Trump.
In addition to all the Democrats, ten Republicans also voted for his impeachment. Never before have so many MEPs voted in favor impeachment of its own president.
Danger to national security
Trump is being charged with instigating an uprising. The deputies say he can be held responsible for the storming of the Capitol, which left five dead and dozens injured. The violence was a direct result of his rhetoric and baseless claims of fraud in last November’s presidential election, delegates said in the hour-long debate over the impeachment.
That is why he is a danger to national security, democracy and the Constitution, according to the supporters. Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, is calling on senators to punish Trump for his actions.
Republican House Leader Kevin McCarthy agrees Trump is responsible for the Capitol storm, but thinks impeachment is a wrong step. According to him, this would increase divisions in the US: “Congress should focus on unifying the Americans.”
Exciting in the Senate
It is now up to the Senate to vote on the impeachment. If a two-thirds majority votes in favor, Trump will be the first US president ever to be impeached by impeachment. In addition to all Democratic senators, at least 17 Republicans must vote in favor. At the moment, five Republican senators are confident that they support the impeachment.
This is how an impeachment works:
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It is still unclear when the Senate will vote on the impeachment. That could possibly take months, so after Trump’s presidency. If in that case a vote is taken for an impeachment, the consequence is that Trump will not be allowed to participate in new presidential elections.
Mitch McConnell
The Senate is in recess until next Tuesday, January 19, the day before the inauguration of future president Biden. The Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has called on the House to return earlier to vote on the impeachment, but Mitch McConnell, the leader of the Senate Republicans, has said that refused.
US media report that the loyal McConnell is considering for impeachment of Trump. That would help him break Trump’s power in the Republican Party, but the powerful Republican has not yet said publicly about his position on Trump.
The ten votes in favor among the Republicans in the House are an indication that a two-thirds majority is not impossible in the Senate, says correspondent Lucas Waagmeester. “Among Republicans, the panels are sliding. Suppose McConnell votes to impeach, then he can just pull 17 senators, because he really has a lot of them on a string.”
New demonstrations
The debate in the House took place under close surveillance. Barricades have been erected in various places in Washington for fear of new disturbances from violent Trump supporters. Heavily armed members of the National Guard guard the Capitol.
In the run-up to the inauguration, there are fears of new violence by extremist groups. President Trump has called in a statement not to use force in demonstrations. “I call on all Americans to calm things down,” he said.
