Giuliani says he won’t be on Trump impeachment defense team

Trump was impeached by the House for a second time last week.

President Donald Trump is slated to hand over control of the White House to President-elect Joe Biden in three days.

The House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump last Wednesday on an article for "incitement of insurrection" for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol -- making him the only president to be impeached twice.


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Republicans object to House Dem measure demanding Pence invoke 25th Amendment

The House has adjourned moments after gaveling into a pro forma session after Republicans blocked an effort by Democrats to get unanimous consent to force Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment.

Majority House Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., introduced a request by unanimous consent to bring up the Raskin resolution calling on Pence to mobilize the Cabinet to activate the 25th Amendment -- effectively declaring Trump incapable of executing the duties of his office and making Pence the acting president -- but GOP Rep. Alex Mooney of West Virginia objected to the effort.

The House is expected to return on Tuesday for a full floor vote on the legislation. If Pence does not agree to invoke the 25th Amendment, House Democrats says they'll move forward with impeachment.

Monday's session began with the House clerk reading the formal resignation of House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving and Timothy Blodgett being sworn in as the new Sergeant at Arms.

Calls for the president's removal come after a mob of pro-Trump supporters breached the Capitol on Wednesday while Congress was voting to certify the electoral votes. The assault on the Capitol left at least five dead, including one Capitol Police officer.

-ABC News' Mariam Khan


Biden, Obama and Bush to visit Tomb of The Unknown Soldier at Biden's inauguration themed 'America United'

Drawing a stark contrast to the divisions in the country that boiled over last week, Biden's inauguration theme is set to be of "America United."

After the swearing-in ceremony and inaugural ceremonies at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20, the Biden's, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff will be joined by former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, former President George W. Bush and Laura Bush, and former President Bill Clinton and Secretary Hillary Clinton for a visit to Arlington National Cemetery. There, the current and former presidents will visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for a wreath-laying ceremony.

The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) announced in a statement Monday, "at a time of unprecedented crisis and deep divisions, America United reflects the beginning of a new national journey that restores the soul of America, brings the country together, and creates a path to a brighter future."

In addition to hosting a National Day of Service -- "United We Serve" -- and the presidential visit to Arlington, the committee will host "Field of Flags" -- a public art display at the National Mall with 191,500 flags representing every state and territory, and 56 pillars of light, in an effort to represent the American people who are unable to travel to Washington for the event.

The committee said in the release the inauguration "will showcase the American people's resilience, heroism, and unified commitment to coming together as a nation to heal and rebuild so that we emerge as the indomitable force that a united America represents."

-ABC News' Beatrice Peterson


Freshman Democrat to introduce resolution to expel members through 14th Amendment

As rioters roamed the Capitol last Wednesday, freshman progressive Rep. Cori Bush tweeted she would introduce a resolution calling for the expulsion of GOP members of Congress who, she said, "incited this domestic terror attack through their attempts to overturn the election."

Bush confirmed in a tweet Sunday she’d be introducing a resolution on the House floor Monday seeking to expel lawmakers who, she said, "tried to overturn the election and incited a white supremacist coup attempt that has left people dead" arguing they violated they the 14th Amendment.

"We can’t have unity without accountability," Bush added.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in her letter to colleagues Sunday outlining next steps in removing Trump from office also asked Democrats for their views on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment that calls for the removal of anyone who has "engaged in insurrection or rebellion." The section effectively disqualifies those who engage in insurrection against the Constitution of the United States from holding office.

Similar calls are being made in the Senate with Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, calling on the U.S. Senate to expel Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., if the senators refuse to resign in the aftermath of the assault on the Capitol.


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


Biden outlines major points of recovery plan during his address

Biden outlined the major points of his rescue plan: a $1.9 trillion proposal that includes a nationwide vaccination program, $1,400 checks for individuals, an extension and expansion of unemployment benefits and help for struggling communities and businesses.

Biden placed particular emphasis on housing and food insecurity and spoke about expanding SNAP benefits. He said his policy plan would extend the eviction and foreclosure moratorium, potentially previewing an executive action we could see next week. He also asked Congress to appropriate funds for rental assistance.

Biden, who preached bipartisanship while on the trail, said both he and Vice President-elect Harris had spoken with officials, mayors, and governors of both parties on a regular basis to address the problems across the country.

The president-elect also emphasized his plan's focus on helping small businesses and minority-owned businesses in particular, criticizing the Trump administration's initial approach which he said favored the wealthy and well-connected.

"Last week, I laid out how we'll make sure that our emergency small business relief is distributed swiftly and equitably, unlike the first time around. We're going to focus on small businesses, on Main Street. We'll focus on minority-owned small businesses, women-owned small businesses, and finally having equal access to the resources they need to reopen and to rebuild," Biden said.

He also pushed his plan for a mandatory federal minimum wage of $15 an hour.

"People tell me that's going to be hard to pass. Florida just passed it, as divided as that state is, they just passed it. The rest of the country is ready to move as well," he said. "No one working 40 hours a week should live below the poverty line. And that's what it means. If you work for less than $15 an hour and work 40 hours a week, you're living in poverty."

He frankly noted the "bold, practical" policy he was putting forward did not come cheap but argued there was no option to act.

"I know what I just described does not come cheaply. But failure to do so will cost us dearly," he said. "The consensus among leading economists is we simply cannot afford not to do what I'm proposing."

Biden ended his remarks with a call for unity and optimism, referencing his inauguration on Wednesday as a "new chapter for the country."

-ABC News' John Verhovek, Molly Nagle, Averi Harper and Beatrice Peterson