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Donald Trump impeached second time: The President charged with 'incitement of insurrection' at Capitol

By FnF Desk | PUBLISHED: 15, Jan 2021, 12:35 pm IST | UPDATED: 15, Jan 2021, 12:35 pm IST

Donald Trump impeached second time: The President charged with 'incitement of insurrection' at Capitol Washington: United States President Donald Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives for a historic second time Wednesday. Trump was charged with “incitement of insurrection”, a week after the riot at Capitol Hill.

With the Capitol secured by armed National Guard troops inside and out, the House voted 232-197 to impeach Trump. Ten Republicans joined Democrats in saying Trump needed to be held accountable, and warned ominously of a “clear and present danger” if Congress should leave him unchecked before president-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration January 20.

Trump’s fiery speech at a rally just before the January 6 riot is at the centre of the impeachment charge against him. At least five people died in the violence that ensued as pro-Trump protestors breached barricades and advanced into the halls of the Capitol building, smashing windows and brawling with police officers.

Trump is the only US president to be impeached twice. Following the proceedings, Trump released a video unequivocally condemning last week’s violence, but made no mention of his impeachment.

The next step is for the Senate to hold a trial and determine Trump’s guilt. A two-thirds majority will be required in the upper house to remove the president. However, the Senate is unlikely to meet before January 19, when it returns from recess. This means the trial will begin after Trump leaves office on January 20. Despite the timing, Democrats argue that to let Trump’s offences go would set a dangerous precedent for future presidents.

The House had approved a resolution late Tuesday calling on Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to the Constitution to declare the president unable to serve, which Pence opposed, leaving lawmakers with impeachment as their only option to remove Trump from office before Jan. 20, when President-elect Joe Biden is set to be sworn in as president. At least four Republicans, including a member of the House leadership have said they would vote to impeach Trump for urging supporters to march on the Capitol.

Earlier, President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, was impeached by the House in 1998 following the scandal over his sexual relations with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, who was 22 at the time. Monica Lewinsky was decades younger than Bill Clinton who had initially denied the charges of having any sexual relations with her.

However, Bill Clinton was not charged for his sexual ties with Monica Lewinsky, but for lying under oath and encouraging others to do the same about the scandal.

The House later voted against Bill Clinton’s impeachment on a second perjury charge over abuse of power. Later in 1999, the Senate acquitted Bill Clinton on the perjury charge, preventing his removal from the office.
Andrew Johnson impeachment

Andrew Johnson, who was the vice-president in the Abraham Lincoln administration, was impeached over a gross power struggle between the US Congress and the White House.

According to the New York Times, in March 1868, the House approved 11 articles of impeachment against Andrew Johnson over the primary charge of violating the Tenure of Office Act of 1867. The impeachment moves by Congress came as an effort to prevent him from firing pro-Reconstruction officials whom Lincoln had appointed.

As the trial began in Supreme Court, Johnson’s lawyers argued against the charges of the violation of the Tenure of Office Act. The lawyers pointed at flaws in the law and argued that Johnson “should not be convicted and removed from office for misconstruing his constitutional rights”.

Johnson then went on to complete his term till March 1869.