U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) over the weekend announced her support for a new article of impeachment to be introduced against President Donald J. Trump in his last days in office.
The measure, drafted by Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), charges Trump with “incitement of insurrection.”
A draft of the article says, “Donald John Trump engaged in high Crimes and Misdemeanors by willfully inciting violence against the Government of the United States.”
As foundation for that allegation, the article points to Trump’s speech to a large crowd near the United States Capitol on the morning of Wednesday, January 6. The article decries that the president “reiterated false claims that ‘we won this election, and we won it by a landslide.’”
“He also willfully made statements that encouraged—and foreseeably resulted in—imminent lawless action at the Capitol,” the article continues. “Incited by President Trump, a mob unlawfully breached the Capitol, injured law enforcement personnel, menaced Members of Congress and the Vice President, interfered with the Joint Session’s solemn constitutional duty to certify the election results, and engaged in violent, deadly, destructive, and seditious acts.”
“President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of government. He threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a coordinate branch of government. He thereby betrayed his trust as President, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States,” it adds. “Wherefore President Trump, by such conduct, has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to national security, democracy, and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law. President Trump thus warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.”
Under 18 U.S. Code § 2383, inciting “any rebellion or insurrection” against the United States is a federal felony. The president is generally held as being immune from prosecution while in office.
Sewell, in a social media post announcing her support of the article of impeachment, wrote, “President Trump is a threat to our democracy and must be removed from office.” The Democratic congresswoman also made her thoughts clear about Trump last week.
She previously voted to impeach Trump on two charges in December 2019, related to abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Trump was acquitted of those charges.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) wrote to her Democratic colleagues on Sunday, explaining that a resolution urging Vice President Mike Pence to convene the cabinet and invoke the 25th Amendment will be introduced on the House floor on Monday.
Assuming that resolution does not get the unanimous consent necessary and that Pence does not do what it requests regardless, Pelosi advised the House will proceed with impeaching Trump. That impeachment vote is expected mid-week.
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Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
