• Pelosi: "Pence has 24 hours to dismiss Trump, then forward with impeachment"

  • Trump: Dems attempt impeachment, accused of "inciting revolt".

    Shadow on 2024

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January 13, 2021 Mike Pence does not intend to invoke the 25 / o amendment and wrest the powers from Donald Trump. "It is not in the interest of the country or in line with the Constitution," he said in a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. A letter that arrived while the debate on the resolution was underway in the classroom to ask the vice president to resort to the 25 / o amendment and remove Trump.  



The debate and the vote went on anyway: the resolution was approved with 223 votes in favor and 205 against. But this is a purely symbolic go-ahead after Pence's slap which, in addition to closing the removal of Trump, also urged Pelosi and Congress to "avoid actions that would divide and further inflame the passion of the moment".



  With Pence's flat no, the Democrats are now preparing to proceed with impeachment, the second for Trump. The president is increasingly isolated and his own party is distancing himself from him. The list of Republican MPs who intend to vote in favor of impeachment grows as the hours pass. The icebreaker was John Katko of New York, followed by Liz Cheney. The daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney and third in the Republican hierarchy in the House used harsh words against Trump, accused of having "lit the match" of the protests. Liz Cheney's announcement follows rumors about Mitch McConnell. The Republican leader in the Senate, and for years an ally of the president, would be furious at Trump over protests in Congress and hold him responsible for impeachment offenses. McConnell - reports the New York Times - would see the impeachment as the main road to "free" the party from Trump. In the last few hours McConnell would also have contact with Joe Biden. The president-elect would ask him if he believed the Senate could simultaneously deal with the confirmation of his appointments and impechament. McConnell assured him of an answer asap.  



Meanwhile, preparations continue for Biden's inauguration ceremony. The 15,000 National Guard agents in Washington will be partially armed, and the Secret Service is setting up a maxi-security operation to lock up the city. The fear is of new violent protests: at least 16 groups, some of which are armed, have come forward to demonstrate.