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Washington (AP) - After Donald Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol, the Democrats in Congress want to take concrete steps today to impeach the elected US President.
House Chairwoman Nancy Pelosi said in a letter to her group colleagues published on Sunday evening (local time) that a resolution would be tabled on Monday calling on Vice President Mike Pence to take immediate steps to oust Trump.
This should be decided in plenary by Tuesday at the latest.
Pence is asked to respond within 24 hours.
In a next step, the House of Representatives will then initiate parliamentary impeachment proceedings against Trump, Pelosi's letter said.
“We will act urgently in protecting our Constitution and our democracy because this President is an imminent threat to both.
The more days go by, the greater the horror of the ongoing attack on our democracy by this president, and the more urgent the need for action. "
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The Democrats have already drafted a resolution for the parliamentary impeachment process against Trump.
The only charge listed is "incitement to riot".
Trump is accused of inciting his supporters at a rally before the storming of the Capitol.
Five people were killed in the riot, including a police officer.
In the draft resolution, Trump is called "a threat to national security, democracy and the constitution".
Trump would be the first US president in history to have two impeachment proceedings opened.
Pelosi has already urged Pence in the past few days to take steps to depose Trump.
It is based on Amendment 25 of the US Constitution.
According to this, the vice-president can declare the president incapable of “exercising the rights and duties of office” with a majority of important cabinet members.
Pence has not yet responded to the demands.
Trump will automatically leave office with the swearing-in of his Democratic successor Joe Biden on January 20.
Even if the House of Representatives decided to initiate impeachment proceedings this week, a decision in the Senate, in which it was led, would be virtually impossible before January 20th.
In addition to impeachment, the draft resolution also provides for Trump to be banned from future government offices.
This would deny him a possible candidacy in 2024.
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