House Dems get closer to 2nd Trump impeachment
With just nine full days left in office, Trump is facing a possible historic second impeachment as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in the wake of the Capitol Hill assault, warns if he doesn't resign, or if his Cabinet doesn't move to remove him.
Democrats are taking steps Monday morning in the House to remove Trump, beginning at a pro forma session on the House Floor at 11 a.m.
Majority House Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., will request unanimous consent to bring up the "Raskin resolution" which calls on Vice President Mike Pence to ask the president's Cabinet to activate the 25th Amendment -- effectively declaring Trump incapable of executing the duties of his office and making Pence the acting president.
If Hoyer fails to get unanimous consent, with Republicans expected to object, Democrats will hold a private caucus call at 2 p.m. and bring up the legislation again Tuesday to a full floor vote. Then, Pelosi said, in a letter to her colleagues Sunday night, "We are calling on the Vice President to respond within 24 hours," and if he does not, they "will proceed with bringing impeachment legislation to the Floor."
With both resignation and removal by the 25th Amendment unlikely, impeachment legislation -- on one article charging "incitement of insurrection," according to a draft -- will likely hit the House floor Wednesday. Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., said on Twitter Sunday night that the article has at least 210 cosponsors.
But Democrats are divided over Democratic Majority Whip Jim Clyburn suggesting over the weekend that the House wait until after Biden's first 100 days to submit the article to the Senate to trigger a trial. And there's almost no chance Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will call the Senate back sooner than Jan. 19.
Democrats like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez argue despite an inconvenient timeline the process allows Congress an outlet to hold Trump accountable. Pelosi told CBS' "60 Minutes" Sunday, Trump had "done something so serious that there should be prosecution against him."
-ABC News’ Mariam Khan and Benjamin Siegel