House Democrats Weigh Impeachment As They Urge Trump’s Removal

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi discussed next steps with House Democrats on a conference call on Friday. Many in her caucus pushing for vote on impeaching President Trump next week.





J. Scott Applewhite/AP



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J. Scott Applewhite/AP




Separately, Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar has also circulated an impeachment resolution.

White House spokesman Judd Deere on Friday called the impeachment effort «politically motivated and said it would «only serve to further divide our great country.

Pelosi and Schumer say they attempted to call Vice President Mike Pence to urge him to convene the cabinet and start the process to force the president out on Thursday, but were kept on hold and never connected with him. The speaker said in a letter Friday morning they hope to hear from him «as soon as possible.



Analysis
With 12 Days Left, Removing Trump From Office Is Unlikely, If Not Impossible

«Impeachment encourages conversation on the 25th Amendment. That’s picked up a lot of steam, Pelosi told her members on the conference call.

President-elect Joe Biden, asked about impeachment, told reporters, «what the Congress decides to do is for them to decide.

Biden said he was slated to talk to Pelosi later. «I think it’s important we get on with the business of getting him out of office, he said. «The quickest way that that will happen is us being sworn in on the 20th. What action happens before or after that is a judgment for the Congress to make, but that’s what I am looking forward to: him leaving office.

The most vocal Democrats are insisting the vote should happen, even if to send a message and mark the president in the history books as being impeached twice.

The House of Representatives approved articles of impeachment last year related to Trump’s efforts to pressure Ukrainian officials to conduct investigations that could help him in the 2020 election. He was acquitted by the Senate.

Even if the House did impeach the president next week, the Senate is out of session until January 19 so it’s unlikely there would be time to conduct a trial and vote while Trump is still in office.

Centrist Democrats agree the president needs to be removed in some form, potentially including impeachment, but have some concerns that the process could take away from the start of the Biden administration, when members want to move forward and not be focused on Trump.

Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine said on NPR’s Here and Now the president should be removed using the 25th amendment, and «I don’t think there’s time for impeachment.

Pelosi told her colleagues that she spoke to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff about the president «accessing the launch codes and ordering a strike.

«We would hope that there would be no fear of that, but we have to have – because he’s unhinged. We’re not talking about anything other than an unhinged President, the speaker said.

House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy urged against the House taking up impeachment.

«Impeaching the President with just 12 days left in his term will only divide our country more, McCarthy said in a written statement that mentioned that he reached out to President-elect Biden about trying to «lower the temperature and unite the country to solve America’s challenges.