US: House Democrats introduce Trump impeachment article

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Democrats in the House of Representatives on Monday entered a lone article of impeachment against US President Donald Trump, accusing the outgoing leader of attempting to foment insurrection for his role in last week's deadly siege of the Capitol.

The article focuses on Trump's comments at a rally just minutes before the Capitol was stormed in which he implored his supporters to "fight like hell" to "stop the steal," a reference to his claims that the Nov. 3 election was stolen from him through widespread voter fraud.

"Our country has had enough, and we will not take it anymore," he told the mass gathering, many of whom likely later flooded the Capitol as lawmakers were certifying Electoral College results. "We will stop the steal."

Five people died during the ensuing mayhem in the federal legislature, including Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who succumbed to his injuries one day after Wednesday's melee.

Congressmen David Cicilline, Ted Lieu, and Jamie Raskin authored the impeachment resolution, which alleges Trump committed high crimes and misdemeanors when he addressed supporters and "willfully made statements that, in context encouraged – and foreseeably resulted in – lawless action at the Capitol."

"Thus incited by President Trump, members of the crowd he had addressed, in an attempt to, among other objectives, interfere with the joint session's solemn constitutional duty to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election, unlawfully breached the Capitol, injured and killed law enforcement personnel, menaced members of Congress, the Vice President, and Congressional personnel, and engaged in other violent, deadly, destructive and seditious acts," it says.

"President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government. He threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transfer of power, and imperiled a coequal branch of Government. He thereby betrayed his trust as President, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States," it adds.

While Trump has less than two weeks remaining in office, an impeachment would deny him benefits afforded to former presidents, including a $200,000 annual pension, a Secret Service detail, and a $1 million travel expense stipend.

As expected, House Republicans blocked a separate effort to urge Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment, which allows for the removal of a president by his Cabinet if he is deemed unfit for office.

Pence has not signaled one way or another on the measure after being caught in the thick of last week's effort to subvert the joint session of Congress he presided over.

Proceedings will resume Tuesday morning, when a floor vote may occur on the 25th Amendment resolution.