The Associated Press is reporting that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will on Monday transmit to the Senate the article of impeachment against Donald Trump, triggering a trial of the former president.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, announced Pelosi’s intentions on Friday.
“There will be a trial,” Schumer said.
Schumer from Senate floor announces the article of impeachment against Donald Trump is being sent by the House managers MONDAY: "I've spoken to Speaker Pelosi, who informed me that the article will be delivered to the Senate on Monday." https://t.co/EQ2jOcT6nt pic.twitter.com/NK7XNwc1LD
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) January 22, 2021
Speaker Nancy Pelosi released this statement announcing that the House Impeachment Managers will deliver the article of impeachment to the Senate on Monday, January 25:
“The article of impeachment for incitement of insurrection by Donald Trump will be delivered to the Senate on Monday, January 25.
“Our Constitution and our country are well served by the extraordinary leadership of Lead Manager Jamie Raskin, and Representatives Diana DeGette, David Cicilline, Joaquin Castro, Eric Swalwell, Ted Lieu, Stacey Plaskett, Madeleine Dean and Joe Neguse.
“We are respectful of the Senate’s constitutional power over the trial and always attentive to the fairness of the process, noting that the former president will have had the same amount of time to prepare for trial as our Managers. Our Managers are ready to begin to make their case to 100 Senate jurors through the trial process.
“Exactly one week after the attack on the Capitol to undermine the integrity of our democracy, a bipartisan vote of the House of Representatives passed the article of impeachment, which is our solemn duty to deliver to the Senate.”
Trump is the first president in U.S. history to be impeached twice. He was impeached earlier this month on a charge of incitement of insurrection over the Capitol riot that took place on Jan. 6.
The announcement came a day after Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell proposed pushing back the start of the impeachment trial to give Trump time to prepare and review his case.
McConnell released this statement Friday:
“Yesterday, I also shared a proposal for the pre-trial steps in the Senate impeachment process that appears to be headed our way.
“By Senate rules, if the article arrives, we must start a trial.
“This impeachment began with an unprecedentedly fast and minimal process in the House. The sequel cannot be an insufficient Senate process that denies former President Trump his due process or damages the Senate or the presidency itself.
“Senate Republicans strongly believe we need a full and fair process where the former President can mount a defense and the Senate can properly consider the factual, legal, and constitutional questions at stake.
“For that reason, we suggested the House transmit its article next Thursday the 28th; but that’s apparently now going to be next Monday; that former President Trump’s answer and the House’s pre-trial brief I suggested be due on February 4th; and the former President’s pre-trial brief I suggested be due February 11th.
“That timeline would have provided the Senate some more floor time before we step fully into the unknown of a trial. Which, by the way, would have been a substantial benefit to the incoming administration and allowed them to get more of their cabinet confirmed, which we are cooperating as best we can to expedite.”
The impeachment resolution accuses Trump of “willfully inciting violence against the government of the United States.” Five people died as crowds overran the Capitol while Congress was in a joint session to count the results of the Electoral College votes for president and vice president.
Check back for more on this developing story.
Cox Media Group
