House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is leading Democrat lawmakers in voting Wednesday on a single article of impeachment charging President Trump with “incitement of insurrection” and “inciting violence against the government of the United States.”
Democrats say Trump’s a “threat to national security, democracy, and the Constitution” if he is allowed to remain in office. President Trump has repeatedly called for healing and unity, promising a peaceful transition in the aftermath of the deadly Capitol Hill riot that Democrats accuse him of causing.
California Democrat Rep. Adam Schaffer argues, “Every day he’s in office he remains a clear a present danger to the country.”
At least five House Republicans plan to vote to impeach the president – possibly up to a dozen – including Liz Cheney, the third highest-ranking GOP lawmaker in the House.
But Trump said Tuesday, “For Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer to continue on this path, I think it’s causing tremendous danger to our country, and it’s causing tremendous anger… I want no violence.”
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy agrees that today’s vote could inflame even more outrage, saying “an impeachment at this time would have the opposite effect of bringing our country together.”
Any impeachment trial would likely dominate President-elect Joe Biden’s agenda during his early days in office. Even Biden is trying to negotiate with congressional Democrats not to spend all the country’s time on their bid to impeach Trump. “Can we go half-day on dealing with the impeachment, and half a day getting my people nominated and confirmed in the Senate,” Biden pleaded.