US congressional calls build for Trump’s removal, with an article of impeachment circulating
- One count of ‘incitement of insurrection’ draws scores of cosponsors as House of Representatives is said to prepare for impeachment ‘as early as mid-next week’
- Widespread anger remains over US President Donald Trump’s actions leading up to, during and immediately after the attack on the Capitol
US lawmakers say they will move to impeach President Donald Trump, perhaps as soon as Monday, accusing the commander in chief of inciting insurrection against the US government after thousands of his supporters violently stormed the Capitol on Wednesday.
“President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of government,” a draft of a single article of impeachment written by three Democratic representatives, reads. “He threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperilled a coordinate branch of government.”
“He will remain a threat to security, democracy, and the constitution if allowed to remain in office,” it adds.
The article of impeachment was written by David Cicilline of Rhode Island, Ted Lieu of California, and Jamie Raskin of Maryland. Lieu said it had already picked up more than 150 sponsors.
The speedy manoeuvring to impeach Trump, for the second time in his four-year term, underscores the urgency that lawmakers in both parties have expressed that Trump’s role in inciting the attack must not go unpunished – even with just 12 days left in his administration.
It also reflects the rapidly changing political mood in Washington on Friday, as outrage over the deadly attack by his supporters continued to engulf his administration. Senator Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, called on Trump to resign and suggested her future as a member of the Republican Party was uncertain.
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US Capitol clean-up begins after building stormed by Trump supporters
Assistant House speaker Katherine Clark, a Massachusetts Democrat, confirmed that the House planned to move imminently on impeachment proceedings, a day after speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called for the move.