On Wednesday 12 January the House voted to impeach Donald Trump for the second time, after his incitement of the Capitol riots last week.
On Wednesday 6 January, a pro-Trump mob breached the US Capitol during the confirmation of electoral votes.
This put on hold President-elect Joe Biden’s victory for most of the day.
The mob attacked the Capitol after attending a rally led by Donald Trump, who said: “walk down to the Capitol”
“You have to show strength, and you have to be strong.”
Five people died with many more injured during the riots, the House was evacuated and politicians barricaded themselves into offices.
The House charged the president with “incitement of insurrection” for his speech before the riots.
The Senate hearings are not expected to start until 19 January.
Only three US presidents have been impeached:
Andrew Johnson
The 17th US president was impeached in March 1868 for “high crimes and misdemeanors,” after he was accused of violating the Tenure of Office Act.
The act, which was found to be invalid by the US Supreme Court, restricted the power of the president to remove certain office-holders without Senate approval.
He was the first president to be impeached.
The Act was repealed in 1887 and Andrew Johnson remained president until the end of his only term.
Bill Clinton
The 42nd US president was impeached by the House on 8 October 1998, for “high crimes and misdemeanors” on accusations of lying under oath and obstruction of justice.
Newly-released secret CIA papers open up 70-year-old mystery of 'UFO sightings'
This came after a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by civil servant Paula Jones in 1994, and from Clinton's testimony in which he denied that he had an affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky between 1995 and 1997.
He initially denied that he had engaged in an affair, saying: “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky,”
However, he later admitted that he had lied.
He was later acquitted by the Senate on 12 February 1999.
Bill Clinton remained president until the end of his second term.
Donald Trump
The 45th US president was first impeached by the House on 18 December 2019, accusing him of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
The impeachment came from accusations that Donald Trump pressured Ukrainian officials into investigating President-elect Joe Biden.
Donald Trump was acquitted on both counts.
He is the first US president in history to be impeached twice, after the House voted on allegations including “inciting violence against the government”, the following year.
Donald Trump will only serve one term after losing to President-elect Joe Biden, he is unlikely to have his Senate trial until after he has left the White House.
Source: Read Full Article