HOUSE IMPEACHES TRUMP FOR THE 2ND TIME FOR INSTIGATING CAPITOL SIEGE

Defeated US President Donald Trump has been impeached for the second time in his chaotic term, with the House of Representatives voting 232-197 to start another Senate trial, this time for goading his armed followers to attack the US Capitol on January 6.

Reporting for the New York Times, Nicholas Fandos said on January 14, 2021 (Manila time) that Trump was impeached for inciting a violent insurrection against the US government, with 10 Republicans joining Democrats to charge him with high crimes and misdemeanors for an unprecedented second time.

The House adopted a single article of impeachment, voting 232 to 197 to charge Mr. Trump with “inciting violence against the government of the United States” and requesting his immediate removal from office and disqualification from ever holding one again.

Ten Republicans joined Democrats in voting to impeach: Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the party’s No. 3 leader in the House; Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington; John Katko of New York: Adam Kinzinger of Illinois; Fred Upton of Michigan; Dan Newhouse of Washington: Peter Meijer of Michigan; Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio; David Valadao of California and Tom Rice of South Carolina.

Explaining the vote, Chris Walker of Truthout said on January 14, 2021 that impeaching Trump at this late stage is beneficial to the US since it would bar Trump from receiving the perks of being a former president — including hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in pension, as well as a $1 million travel stipend.

It could also potentially bar Trump from holding federal office ever again, preventing him from seeking the presidency four years from now. According to the Constitution, the Senate, upon voting to convict the president, can take a subsequent vote to disqualify the impeached president from being able “to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States.”

Such a vote would only require a simple majority approval, but only if impeachment is successful.

Proponents of impeachment are arguing that even if the process doesn’t lead to Trump’s direct removal, it still sends the clear and important signal that the president’s incitement of the attack on Congress is not an acceptable action to be repeated by future chief executives, Walker wrote.

“Some people ask: Why would you impeach and convict a president who has only a few days left in office?” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) recently tweeted. “The answer: Precedent. It must be made clear that no president, now or in the future, can lead an insurrection against the US government.”

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