The United States House of Representatives impeached President Donald Trump on Wednesday for a historic second time, after he was charged with “incitement of insurrection”, a week after the riot at Capitol Hill.
After Trumps’ fierce speech at a rally before of the Capitol riots on January 6, he was faced with severe backlash from every part of the country. Many of his fellow Republicans criticised his move and so did the social media platforms. 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. This led to a vote of impeachment in the house against the US President.
The Lower house of the United States Congress voted 232-197 to impeach Donald Trump with 10 Republicans joining with the Democrats in saying that the outgoing President needs to be held accountable for his actions. The Congress also warned ominously of a “clear and present danger” if Congress should leave him unchecked before president-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20.
What Next?
The Senate is expected to hold a trial and determine if Donald Trump’s actions are guilty of violence at the Capitol or not. The date of the trial will be set once House Speaker Nancy Pelosi decides to send the articles of impeachment to the Senate.
Once the process of sending articles from House to Senate is completed, a trial would be commenced by the Senate majority leader which, in this case, would be Mitch McConnel. Earlier, McConnel said that Senate will not begin a trial until next Tuesday, at the very earliest, which is the day before Democrat Joe Biden is sworn in as president.
With the two incoming Democratic Senators from Georgia, the Democrat party would hold the majority of the Senate making Chuck Schumer leader of the House. This would eventually mean that the trial would be handed over to Schumer from McConnel once the new cabinet is sworn in.
Earlier, McConnel clarified that the Senate is not going to be brought back in an emergency for this case and would hear the matter on its regular working dates. McConnell also noted that the three previous Senate trials lasted "83 days, 37 days, and 21 days respectively."
In the House, 10 Republicans joined Democrats in voting to impeach Trump, including Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, the third-ranking Republican. Every single House Republican voted against Trump's first impeachment in 2019.
Can he run for White House again in 2024?
If the Senate convicts Donald Trump over the impeachment charge, the lawmakers then would be allowed to take separate vote which would determine Trump’s political future. If the lawmaker's consensus lies against Trump, he will be barred from holding the Presidential office in the future.
Only a majority of senators would be needed to ban him from holding the office in future, unlike the two-thirds needed to convict.
Earlier in 2019, the House charges on Trump's dealings with the president of Ukraine, whom he urged to investigate Biden, came after a lengthy investigation and testimony from multiple government officials. While Democrats unanimously criticized the conduct and charged Trump with abuse of power, the charges wove together a complicated web of evidence.
He escaped impeachment conviction back then but has again found himself at the centre of unwanted attention and might face a bigger challenge this time.
