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US President Donald Trump on Tuesday in front of the White House
Photo:
Gerald Herbert / AP
In Washington, a week after the storm on the Capitol, a second impeachment trial against US President Donald Trump is approaching.
The House of Representatives debated Wednesday afternoon's move by the Democrats to indict Trump for "inciting riot" - in the very building his supporters forcibly entered on Jan. 6.
A total of five people were killed.
House leader, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, said Trump had "instigated this uprising, this armed rebellion against our common land."
For them it is already the second meeting after 2019 in which a decision will be made on an impeachment procedure against Trump.
At that time it was about the President's Ukraine affair.
Pelosi said of the current situation: “He has to go.
He is a clear and present danger to the nation we all love. ”Trump has incited“ domestic terrorists ”to fight back against his electoral defeat.
"You did not come out of a vacuum." For this, the elected president must be held accountable.
The Democrats had initially asked Vice President Mike Pence to remove Trump using the 25th Amendment to the Constitution.
Because Pence has not yet complied with this, the procedure in Congress should enable impeachment.
Trump's term of office ends on January 20th.
The vote to initiate the impeachment procedure is expected from 9 p.m. German time.
A majority in the Democratic-controlled parliamentary chamber for it is considered certain.
Individual Republicans also announced that they would vote to remove Trump from office.
The final decision on impeachment is made in the Senate, the other Congress Chamber.
A two-thirds majority would be needed there to actually condemn Trump.
For that to happen, well over a dozen Republican senators would have to side with the Democrats.
Individual Republicans in the Senate have openly opposed Trump, but so far have not agreed to vote for him to be removed (read more about the impeachment process here).
"If that's not a reason for impeachment, then damn it, I don't know."
In the House of Representatives, the Democratic representatives in particular expressed sharp criticism of Trump.
The Chairman of the Rules Committee, Jim McGovern, described the initiation of further impeachment proceedings as a "historic measure" which would be debated "on a real crime scene."
He described the storm on the Capitol as a "well-organized attack on our country that was instigated by Donald Trump."
"If that's not a reason for impeachment, then damn it, I don't know." The House of Representatives majority leader Steny Hoyer also described the process as inevitable.
"Actions have consequences, and the actions of the President of the United States call for urgent, clear action by Congress," Hoyer said.
The Republican MP Jim Joran, who has brazenly defended Trump for years and also spread his unsubstantiated allegations of fraud after the presidential election, spoke of an "obsession" with the Democrats.
The party of the election winner Joe Biden wants to "cancel the president," claimed Jordan.
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mes / AFP / Reuters / dpa