House moves to impeach Trump as Republicans show signs of backing removal

Washington, January 13 (RHC)-- The U.S. House of Representatives is voting today to impeach Donald Trump for the second time in his single term.  Lawmakers will vote on one article of impeachment against Trump for inciting the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol last week, which left five people dead.

On Tuesday, House lawmakers approved a resolution calling for Trump to be removed by invoking the 25th Amendment, but Vice President Mike Pence rejected that effort. Pence spoke with Trump Monday evening in the Oval Office in their first meeting since last week’s mob violence.

Four House Republicans said Tuesday they would vote to impeach President Trump, including Wyoming Congressmember Liz Cheney, the third-ranking Republican in the House.  The White House says they expect at least 20 Republicans will support impeachment, though other estimates are lower.

The New York Times reports Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell believes Trump committed impeachable offenses and privately supports Democrats’ efforts to remove him, which he hopes will help purge Trump from the Republican Party.

Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a close Trump ally, has reportedly asked other Republicans if he should call on Trump to resign.

Trump continues to deny any involvement or responsibility for the violent insurrection last Wednesday, calling his pre-riot speech “totally appropriate” and casting himself again as the victim of a witch hunt. He instead blamed Democrats for fomenting anger and creating a dangerous situation.