Political Science: What happens if a president loses an election but won't leave the White House? (Trump)
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Twitch, Snapchat Among Additional Platforms Restricting Trump Accounts Over Capitol Violence – Update
In a dramatic move, Twitter and Facebook have locked President Donald Trump's account in the wake of his posts on the unrest at the U.S. Capitol.
deadline.com
White House in 'crisis management' mode: lawyers being consulted about potential impeachment
Outside lawyers are being sought for consultation by the White House about the prospect of a last minute, rapid impeachment of President Donald Trump, a source familiar with the matter said.
www.cnn.com
White House in 'crisis management' mode: lawyers being consulted about potential impeachment
https://www.cnn.com/profiles/jim-acosta-profile
By Jim Acosta, CNN
Updated 12:43 PM ET, Fri January 8, 2021
(CNN)Outside lawyers are being sought for consultation by the White House about the prospect of a last minute, rapid impeachment of President Donald Trump, a source familiar with the matter said.
The source said at this point lawyers advising the White House believe there is not enough time logistically for Democrats to move articles of impeachment out of the House and into the hands of senators for a speedy removal of the President before January 20.
But the source said lawyers for the President have started to game out the impeachment possibility as the likelihood of Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet invoking the 25th Amendment seems remote.
The source added the President's attorneys have been consulted about the language used in Trump's video messages in the aftermath of the Capitol riots. During that process, White House counsel Pat Cipollone and chief of staff Mark Meadows went to Trump to urge him to record the videos to save his presidency and hold off efforts to remove him from office.
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White House counsel considering resigning, source says
Cipollone is now considering resigning, two sources familiar with his thinking told CNN's Pamela Brown. Since the election, he had considered it multiple times but has been urged to stay for the good of the country by members of the Senate and the Cabinet.
Cipollone defended the President during impeachment proceedings over phone calls with the leader of Ukraine, but his potential exit raises questions about who would represent Trump if current impeachment talks pick up more steam. Cipollone's participation is now highly unlikely.
The White House is in "crisis management" mode following the siege at the Capitol, the source said.
"The lawyers are involved," the source said.
Meetings have been almost non-stop inside the White House to hash out plans to bring the Trump presidency to an end in the least chaotic way possible, the source said.
"Can you land the plane with 12 days left," the source said, summing up the goal of the remaining staffers and advisers around the President.
Corporate America is finally divorcing Trump
https://www.cnn.com/profiles/matt-egan
Analysis by Matt Egan, CNN Business
Updated 1:00 PM ET, Fri January 8, 2021
https://www.bgol.us/forum/javascript:void(0);
New York (CNN Business)Lured by his promises of fat tax cuts and deregulation, Corporate America enthusiastically backed President Donald Trump following his shocking 2016 victory.
But the relationship broke down as Trump failed to condemn racism, attacked major American companies, ignored the climate crisis and imposed tariffs. And the divorce was completed in spectacular fashion this week after Trump incited an angry mob that assaulted the US Capitol.
When Trump took office, the business community initially praised the self-styled CEO president's pro-business agenda: In late 2016, the influential lobbying group Business Roundtable cheered Trump's economic team and tax cut promises. The following year Jay Timmons, CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, urged lawmakers to back Trump's infrastructure plan and said "all of Congress needs to get onboard the 'Trump train."
Both parties struck an entirely different tone this week with the insurrection on the US Capitol, a symbol of American democracy, proving to be the final straw.
Donald Trump should be removed from office to preserve democracy, business leaders say
The Business Roundtable slammed US politicians for spreading the "fiction of a fraudulent" election, warning it's a threat to democracy and the economy. Leading CEOs condemned the violence.
And in perhaps the strongest political statement by a major business group in modern history, Timmons -- a former GOP operative -- called on Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet to consider removing Trump from power: "This is chaos. It is mob rule. It is dangerous. This is sedition and it should be treated as such."
close dialog
But critics say business leaders should have condemned Trumpism far earlier and in some ways enabled him.
"This is a lesson in not standing up to bullies," said Eleanor Bloxham, CEO of the Value Alliance, a firm that advises boards on corporate governance practices. "By embracing Trump, they were enabling a very narrow perspective, not a long-term one."
Senator Sherrod Brown, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, suggested the timing of the divorce was convenient.
"These CEOs have already gotten their tax cuts, deregulation and pro-corporate judges. They don't really need Trump anymore, so they can finally do the right thing," Brown told CNN Business in an interview on Thursday. "It's nice they stepped up with such great courage with 13 days left in the Trump administration."
To be fair, the relationship between Trump and Corporate America has always been full of ups and downs. And CEOs did provide critical moments of moral leadership during the turbulent Trump era.
Back at the beginning, big business did not back Trump's candidacy.
"In the primaries, the feeling seemed to be, 'Oh no, Trump,'" Bloxham recalled of her conversations in 2015 and 2016 with generally Republican-leaning board members.
After Trump won the nomination, many business leaders threw their weight behind Hillary Clinton.
"They never saw him as one of them," said Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, founder of Yale University's Chief Executive Leadership Institute. Sonnenfeld recalled that some executives who are active CEOs today threatened to walk out when he brought Trump to a business summit around 2006.
Wait, there's tax cuts?
But once Trump won the White House, the industry saw him as a vehicle for the pro-business agenda they craved -- especially on tax cuts.
"In January 2017, there was great enthusiasm. He was speaking their language," said Sonnenfeld. "The business community was quite excited."
By the end of 2017, Trump delivered by enacting sweeping corporate tax cuts that the White House promised would create a roaring economy.
Democracy is under attack. And Wall Street is sounding the alarm
"The Business Roundtable did a deal with the devil," said Sonnenfeld.
Trump's tax cuts had a greater impact on Wall Street than Main Street. A lasting acceleration in job-creating investments never materialized, with the windfall largely going toward stock buybacks, dividends and mergers. By early 2019, Bank of America economists dubbed it the "investment boom that wasn't."
Beyond tax cuts, Trump set in motion a wave of deregulation that the business community was clamoring for after eight years of the Obama administration. And he appointed pro-business judges, including three conservatives to the Supreme Court.
"They got most of what they wanted," said Ed Mills, Washington policy analyst at Raymond James.
Clashes over race, climate and immigration
But relations began to fray in the summer of 2017.
First, business leaders including former Disney (DIS) CEO Bob Iger and Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk slammed Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement.
Why Wall Street can disregard protests, assassinations and riots
And then CEOs led by Merck (MRK) boss Ken Frazier quit Trump's business councils in August 2017 after the president initially failed to condemn white supremacists at a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The advisory committees eventually disbanded, delivering a startling rebuke to the president.
"They didn't want to be on the wrong side of history," said Sonnenfeld.
Silicon Valley and other major US businesses have also repeatedly pushed back on Trump's immigration curbs, especially Dreamers, Sonnenfeld noted, saying "the business community has been one of the strongest voices in fighting the extremes of the Trump administration's policies such as immigration."
Too toxic?
The question now is whether business leaders will offer support to the Trump movement after his term ends January 20.
Trump and his surrogates have vowed to mount well-funded primary challenges to sitting Republicans who refused to back his attempt to overturn the election.
"You've got a lot of Republican businessmen wondering: Am I going to latch onto this Trump movement because it's still low-tax and pro-energy?" said Michael Cembalest, chairman of market and investment strategy at JPMorgan Asset Management in an interview conducted before Wednesday's siege on the Capitol.
"On the other hand, there is a lot of other stuff that goes with the Trump movement: anti-trade, intensely anti-immigration and arguably a degree of authoritarianism that isn't in sync with the party," he added.
Bloxham, the Value Alliance CEO, said much will depend on whether Trump faces serious consequences, such as impeachment or invocation of the 25th Amendment, before his term ends.
"If there is a strong response," Bloxham said, "then the Trump brand will be much more toxic."
www.cnn.com
https://www.cnn.com/profiles/matt-egan
Analysis by Matt Egan, CNN Business
Updated 1:00 PM ET, Fri January 8, 2021
https://www.bgol.us/forum/javascript:void(0);
New York (CNN Business)Lured by his promises of fat tax cuts and deregulation, Corporate America enthusiastically backed President Donald Trump following his shocking 2016 victory.
But the relationship broke down as Trump failed to condemn racism, attacked major American companies, ignored the climate crisis and imposed tariffs. And the divorce was completed in spectacular fashion this week after Trump incited an angry mob that assaulted the US Capitol.
When Trump took office, the business community initially praised the self-styled CEO president's pro-business agenda: In late 2016, the influential lobbying group Business Roundtable cheered Trump's economic team and tax cut promises. The following year Jay Timmons, CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, urged lawmakers to back Trump's infrastructure plan and said "all of Congress needs to get onboard the 'Trump train."
Both parties struck an entirely different tone this week with the insurrection on the US Capitol, a symbol of American democracy, proving to be the final straw.
Donald Trump should be removed from office to preserve democracy, business leaders say
The Business Roundtable slammed US politicians for spreading the "fiction of a fraudulent" election, warning it's a threat to democracy and the economy. Leading CEOs condemned the violence.
And in perhaps the strongest political statement by a major business group in modern history, Timmons -- a former GOP operative -- called on Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet to consider removing Trump from power: "This is chaos. It is mob rule. It is dangerous. This is sedition and it should be treated as such."
close dialog
But critics say business leaders should have condemned Trumpism far earlier and in some ways enabled him.
"This is a lesson in not standing up to bullies," said Eleanor Bloxham, CEO of the Value Alliance, a firm that advises boards on corporate governance practices. "By embracing Trump, they were enabling a very narrow perspective, not a long-term one."
Senator Sherrod Brown, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, suggested the timing of the divorce was convenient.
"These CEOs have already gotten their tax cuts, deregulation and pro-corporate judges. They don't really need Trump anymore, so they can finally do the right thing," Brown told CNN Business in an interview on Thursday. "It's nice they stepped up with such great courage with 13 days left in the Trump administration."
'Oh no, Trump'
To be fair, the relationship between Trump and Corporate America has always been full of ups and downs. And CEOs did provide critical moments of moral leadership during the turbulent Trump era.
Back at the beginning, big business did not back Trump's candidacy.
"In the primaries, the feeling seemed to be, 'Oh no, Trump,'" Bloxham recalled of her conversations in 2015 and 2016 with generally Republican-leaning board members.
After Trump won the nomination, many business leaders threw their weight behind Hillary Clinton.
"They never saw him as one of them," said Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, founder of Yale University's Chief Executive Leadership Institute. Sonnenfeld recalled that some executives who are active CEOs today threatened to walk out when he brought Trump to a business summit around 2006.
Wait, there's tax cuts?
But once Trump won the White House, the industry saw him as a vehicle for the pro-business agenda they craved -- especially on tax cuts.
"In January 2017, there was great enthusiasm. He was speaking their language," said Sonnenfeld. "The business community was quite excited."
By the end of 2017, Trump delivered by enacting sweeping corporate tax cuts that the White House promised would create a roaring economy.
Democracy is under attack. And Wall Street is sounding the alarm
"The Business Roundtable did a deal with the devil," said Sonnenfeld.
Trump's tax cuts had a greater impact on Wall Street than Main Street. A lasting acceleration in job-creating investments never materialized, with the windfall largely going toward stock buybacks, dividends and mergers. By early 2019, Bank of America economists dubbed it the "investment boom that wasn't."
Beyond tax cuts, Trump set in motion a wave of deregulation that the business community was clamoring for after eight years of the Obama administration. And he appointed pro-business judges, including three conservatives to the Supreme Court.
"They got most of what they wanted," said Ed Mills, Washington policy analyst at Raymond James.
Clashes over race, climate and immigration
But relations began to fray in the summer of 2017.
First, business leaders including former Disney (DIS) CEO Bob Iger and Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk slammed Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement.
Why Wall Street can disregard protests, assassinations and riots
And then CEOs led by Merck (MRK) boss Ken Frazier quit Trump's business councils in August 2017 after the president initially failed to condemn white supremacists at a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The advisory committees eventually disbanded, delivering a startling rebuke to the president.
"They didn't want to be on the wrong side of history," said Sonnenfeld.
Silicon Valley and other major US businesses have also repeatedly pushed back on Trump's immigration curbs, especially Dreamers, Sonnenfeld noted, saying "the business community has been one of the strongest voices in fighting the extremes of the Trump administration's policies such as immigration."
Too toxic?
The question now is whether business leaders will offer support to the Trump movement after his term ends January 20.
Trump and his surrogates have vowed to mount well-funded primary challenges to sitting Republicans who refused to back his attempt to overturn the election.
"You've got a lot of Republican businessmen wondering: Am I going to latch onto this Trump movement because it's still low-tax and pro-energy?" said Michael Cembalest, chairman of market and investment strategy at JPMorgan Asset Management in an interview conducted before Wednesday's siege on the Capitol.
"On the other hand, there is a lot of other stuff that goes with the Trump movement: anti-trade, intensely anti-immigration and arguably a degree of authoritarianism that isn't in sync with the party," he added.
Bloxham, the Value Alliance CEO, said much will depend on whether Trump faces serious consequences, such as impeachment or invocation of the 25th Amendment, before his term ends.
"If there is a strong response," Bloxham said, "then the Trump brand will be much more toxic."
Analysis: Corporate America is finally divorcing Trump
Lured by his promises of fat tax cuts and deregulation, Corporate America enthusiastically backed President Donald Trump following his shocking 2016 victory.
www.cnn.com
Democrats could bring articles of impeachment to House floor as soon as next week, CNN reports
On Friday, Assistant House Speaker Katherine Clark told CNN that a House impeachment vote could happen by next week if the 25th Amendment is not invoked, which Vice President Mike Pence is said to oppose. Elected officials and members of the private sector have called this week for the president’s removal from office following the January 6 attack on the US Capitol building by a mob of Trump
On Friday, Assistant House Speaker Katherine Clark told CNN that a House impeachment vote could happen by next week if the 25th Amendment is not invoked, which Vice President Mike Pence is said to oppose. Elected officials and members of the private sector have called this week for the president’s removal from office following the January 6 attack on the US Capitol building by a mob of Trump
Corporate America is finally divorcing Trump
https://www.cnn.com/profiles/matt-egan
Analysis by Matt Egan, CNN Business
Updated 1:00 PM ET, Fri January 8, 2021
https://www.bgol.us/forum/javascript:void(0);
New York (CNN Business)Lured by his promises of fat tax cuts and deregulation, Corporate America enthusiastically backed President Donald Trump following his shocking 2016 victory.
But the relationship broke down as Trump failed to condemn racism, attacked major American companies, ignored the climate crisis and imposed tariffs. And the divorce was completed in spectacular fashion this week after Trump incited an angry mob that assaulted the US Capitol.
When Trump took office, the business community initially praised the self-styled CEO president's pro-business agenda: In late 2016, the influential lobbying group Business Roundtable cheered Trump's economic team and tax cut promises. The following year Jay Timmons, CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, urged lawmakers to back Trump's infrastructure plan and said "all of Congress needs to get onboard the 'Trump train."
Both parties struck an entirely different tone this week with the insurrection on the US Capitol, a symbol of American democracy, proving to be the final straw.
Donald Trump should be removed from office to preserve democracy, business leaders say
The Business Roundtable slammed US politicians for spreading the "fiction of a fraudulent" election, warning it's a threat to democracy and the economy. Leading CEOs condemned the violence.
And in perhaps the strongest political statement by a major business group in modern history, Timmons -- a former GOP operative -- called on Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet to consider removing Trump from power: "This is chaos. It is mob rule. It is dangerous. This is sedition and it should be treated as such."
close dialog
But critics say business leaders should have condemned Trumpism far earlier and in some ways enabled him.
"This is a lesson in not standing up to bullies," said Eleanor Bloxham, CEO of the Value Alliance, a firm that advises boards on corporate governance practices. "By embracing Trump, they were enabling a very narrow perspective, not a long-term one."
Senator Sherrod Brown, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, suggested the timing of the divorce was convenient.
"These CEOs have already gotten their tax cuts, deregulation and pro-corporate judges. They don't really need Trump anymore, so they can finally do the right thing," Brown told CNN Business in an interview on Thursday. "It's nice they stepped up with such great courage with 13 days left in the Trump administration."
To be fair, the relationship between Trump and Corporate America has always been full of ups and downs. And CEOs did provide critical moments of moral leadership during the turbulent Trump era.
Back at the beginning, big business did not back Trump's candidacy.
"In the primaries, the feeling seemed to be, 'Oh no, Trump,'" Bloxham recalled of her conversations in 2015 and 2016 with generally Republican-leaning board members.
After Trump won the nomination, many business leaders threw their weight behind Hillary Clinton.
"They never saw him as one of them," said Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, founder of Yale University's Chief Executive Leadership Institute. Sonnenfeld recalled that some executives who are active CEOs today threatened to walk out when he brought Trump to a business summit around 2006.
Wait, there's tax cuts?
But once Trump won the White House, the industry saw him as a vehicle for the pro-business agenda they craved -- especially on tax cuts.
"In January 2017, there was great enthusiasm. He was speaking their language," said Sonnenfeld. "The business community was quite excited."
By the end of 2017, Trump delivered by enacting sweeping corporate tax cuts that the White House promised would create a roaring economy.
Democracy is under attack. And Wall Street is sounding the alarm
"The Business Roundtable did a deal with the devil," said Sonnenfeld.
Trump's tax cuts had a greater impact on Wall Street than Main Street. A lasting acceleration in job-creating investments never materialized, with the windfall largely going toward stock buybacks, dividends and mergers. By early 2019, Bank of America economists dubbed it the "investment boom that wasn't."
Beyond tax cuts, Trump set in motion a wave of deregulation that the business community was clamoring for after eight years of the Obama administration. And he appointed pro-business judges, including three conservatives to the Supreme Court.
"They got most of what they wanted," said Ed Mills, Washington policy analyst at Raymond James.
Clashes over race, climate and immigration
But relations began to fray in the summer of 2017.
First, business leaders including former Disney (DIS) CEO Bob Iger and Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk slammed Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement.
Why Wall Street can disregard protests, assassinations and riots
And then CEOs led by Merck (MRK) boss Ken Frazier quit Trump's business councils in August 2017 after the president initially failed to condemn white supremacists at a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The advisory committees eventually disbanded, delivering a startling rebuke to the president.
"They didn't want to be on the wrong side of history," said Sonnenfeld.
Silicon Valley and other major US businesses have also repeatedly pushed back on Trump's immigration curbs, especially Dreamers, Sonnenfeld noted, saying "the business community has been one of the strongest voices in fighting the extremes of the Trump administration's policies such as immigration."
Too toxic?
The question now is whether business leaders will offer support to the Trump movement after his term ends January 20.
Trump and his surrogates have vowed to mount well-funded primary challenges to sitting Republicans who refused to back his attempt to overturn the election.
"You've got a lot of Republican businessmen wondering: Am I going to latch onto this Trump movement because it's still low-tax and pro-energy?" said Michael Cembalest, chairman of market and investment strategy at JPMorgan Asset Management in an interview conducted before Wednesday's siege on the Capitol.
"On the other hand, there is a lot of other stuff that goes with the Trump movement: anti-trade, intensely anti-immigration and arguably a degree of authoritarianism that isn't in sync with the party," he added.
Bloxham, the Value Alliance CEO, said much will depend on whether Trump faces serious consequences, such as impeachment or invocation of the 25th Amendment, before his term ends.
"If there is a strong response," Bloxham said, "then the Trump brand will be much more toxic."
www.cnn.com
https://www.cnn.com/profiles/matt-egan
Analysis by Matt Egan, CNN Business
Updated 1:00 PM ET, Fri January 8, 2021
https://www.bgol.us/forum/javascript:void(0);
New York (CNN Business)Lured by his promises of fat tax cuts and deregulation, Corporate America enthusiastically backed President Donald Trump following his shocking 2016 victory.
But the relationship broke down as Trump failed to condemn racism, attacked major American companies, ignored the climate crisis and imposed tariffs. And the divorce was completed in spectacular fashion this week after Trump incited an angry mob that assaulted the US Capitol.
When Trump took office, the business community initially praised the self-styled CEO president's pro-business agenda: In late 2016, the influential lobbying group Business Roundtable cheered Trump's economic team and tax cut promises. The following year Jay Timmons, CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, urged lawmakers to back Trump's infrastructure plan and said "all of Congress needs to get onboard the 'Trump train."
Both parties struck an entirely different tone this week with the insurrection on the US Capitol, a symbol of American democracy, proving to be the final straw.
Donald Trump should be removed from office to preserve democracy, business leaders say
The Business Roundtable slammed US politicians for spreading the "fiction of a fraudulent" election, warning it's a threat to democracy and the economy. Leading CEOs condemned the violence.
And in perhaps the strongest political statement by a major business group in modern history, Timmons -- a former GOP operative -- called on Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet to consider removing Trump from power: "This is chaos. It is mob rule. It is dangerous. This is sedition and it should be treated as such."
close dialog
But critics say business leaders should have condemned Trumpism far earlier and in some ways enabled him.
"This is a lesson in not standing up to bullies," said Eleanor Bloxham, CEO of the Value Alliance, a firm that advises boards on corporate governance practices. "By embracing Trump, they were enabling a very narrow perspective, not a long-term one."
Senator Sherrod Brown, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, suggested the timing of the divorce was convenient.
"These CEOs have already gotten their tax cuts, deregulation and pro-corporate judges. They don't really need Trump anymore, so they can finally do the right thing," Brown told CNN Business in an interview on Thursday. "It's nice they stepped up with such great courage with 13 days left in the Trump administration."
'Oh no, Trump'
To be fair, the relationship between Trump and Corporate America has always been full of ups and downs. And CEOs did provide critical moments of moral leadership during the turbulent Trump era.
Back at the beginning, big business did not back Trump's candidacy.
"In the primaries, the feeling seemed to be, 'Oh no, Trump,'" Bloxham recalled of her conversations in 2015 and 2016 with generally Republican-leaning board members.
After Trump won the nomination, many business leaders threw their weight behind Hillary Clinton.
"They never saw him as one of them," said Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, founder of Yale University's Chief Executive Leadership Institute. Sonnenfeld recalled that some executives who are active CEOs today threatened to walk out when he brought Trump to a business summit around 2006.
Wait, there's tax cuts?
But once Trump won the White House, the industry saw him as a vehicle for the pro-business agenda they craved -- especially on tax cuts.
"In January 2017, there was great enthusiasm. He was speaking their language," said Sonnenfeld. "The business community was quite excited."
By the end of 2017, Trump delivered by enacting sweeping corporate tax cuts that the White House promised would create a roaring economy.
Democracy is under attack. And Wall Street is sounding the alarm
"The Business Roundtable did a deal with the devil," said Sonnenfeld.
Trump's tax cuts had a greater impact on Wall Street than Main Street. A lasting acceleration in job-creating investments never materialized, with the windfall largely going toward stock buybacks, dividends and mergers. By early 2019, Bank of America economists dubbed it the "investment boom that wasn't."
Beyond tax cuts, Trump set in motion a wave of deregulation that the business community was clamoring for after eight years of the Obama administration. And he appointed pro-business judges, including three conservatives to the Supreme Court.
"They got most of what they wanted," said Ed Mills, Washington policy analyst at Raymond James.
Clashes over race, climate and immigration
But relations began to fray in the summer of 2017.
First, business leaders including former Disney (DIS) CEO Bob Iger and Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk slammed Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement.
Why Wall Street can disregard protests, assassinations and riots
And then CEOs led by Merck (MRK) boss Ken Frazier quit Trump's business councils in August 2017 after the president initially failed to condemn white supremacists at a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The advisory committees eventually disbanded, delivering a startling rebuke to the president.
"They didn't want to be on the wrong side of history," said Sonnenfeld.
Silicon Valley and other major US businesses have also repeatedly pushed back on Trump's immigration curbs, especially Dreamers, Sonnenfeld noted, saying "the business community has been one of the strongest voices in fighting the extremes of the Trump administration's policies such as immigration."
Too toxic?
The question now is whether business leaders will offer support to the Trump movement after his term ends January 20.
Trump and his surrogates have vowed to mount well-funded primary challenges to sitting Republicans who refused to back his attempt to overturn the election.
"You've got a lot of Republican businessmen wondering: Am I going to latch onto this Trump movement because it's still low-tax and pro-energy?" said Michael Cembalest, chairman of market and investment strategy at JPMorgan Asset Management in an interview conducted before Wednesday's siege on the Capitol.
"On the other hand, there is a lot of other stuff that goes with the Trump movement: anti-trade, intensely anti-immigration and arguably a degree of authoritarianism that isn't in sync with the party," he added.
Bloxham, the Value Alliance CEO, said much will depend on whether Trump faces serious consequences, such as impeachment or invocation of the 25th Amendment, before his term ends.
"If there is a strong response," Bloxham said, "then the Trump brand will be much more toxic."
Analysis: Corporate America is finally divorcing Trump
Lured by his promises of fat tax cuts and deregulation, Corporate America enthusiastically backed President Donald Trump following his shocking 2016 victory.
www.cnn.com
Trump pressured Pence to engineer a coup, then put the VP in danger, source says
By Jim Acosta, CNN
Updated 6:06 PM ET, Thu January 7, 2021
(CNN)President Donald Trump and top White House officials did little to check in on Vice President Mike Pence while he and members of his family were inside the US Capitol when Trump-backed rioters stormed the halls of Congress on Wednesday, a source close to the vice president tells CNN.
Pence was joined by his wife Karen Pence, daughter Charlotte and brother, Rep. Greg Pence, R-Indiana, for the ceremonial counting of the electoral votes in Congress Wednesday. Several of the violent Trump supporters who were rampaging the US Capitol were heard screaming "where's Mike Pence," the source said, frightening the vice president and his family.
Yet, the President and his top aides barely lifted a finger to check in on Pence to make sure he and his family were unharmed, the source added.
"Was he concerned at all that an angry mob that he commanded to march on the Capitol might injure the vice president or his family?" the source asked.
The White House did not respond on the record to a CNN request for comment.
People close to the vice president now believe he is being set up as a "scapegoat" to shoulder the blame inside Trump-world after Pence refused to buckle to the President's demands to engineer a procedural coup that would keep Trump in power.
On Tuesday, Pence came under intense pressure from Trump to toss out the election results during a meeting that lasted hours in the Oval Office. The vice president's chief of staff, Marc Short, was banned by Trump from entering the West Wing, the source said, as the President repeatedly warned with "thinly veiled threats" to Pence that he would suffer major political consequences if he refused to cooperate.
"The message was pretty clear," the source said.
The events Wednesday have left some aides to the vice president feeling Pence was betrayed by Trump as well as White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and the President's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani.
"Rudy, Meadows and their teams have been trying to set up the vice president to take the fall as opposed to admitting they laid out false hope in all of this," the source said.
"Trump just can't admit defeat and wants a scapegoat," the source added.
On Thursday, Charlotte Pence Bond, the vice president's daughter who had been at the US Capitol with him, tweeted her congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
By Jim Acosta, CNN
Updated 6:06 PM ET, Thu January 7, 2021
(CNN)President Donald Trump and top White House officials did little to check in on Vice President Mike Pence while he and members of his family were inside the US Capitol when Trump-backed rioters stormed the halls of Congress on Wednesday, a source close to the vice president tells CNN.
Pence was joined by his wife Karen Pence, daughter Charlotte and brother, Rep. Greg Pence, R-Indiana, for the ceremonial counting of the electoral votes in Congress Wednesday. Several of the violent Trump supporters who were rampaging the US Capitol were heard screaming "where's Mike Pence," the source said, frightening the vice president and his family.
Yet, the President and his top aides barely lifted a finger to check in on Pence to make sure he and his family were unharmed, the source added.
"Was he concerned at all that an angry mob that he commanded to march on the Capitol might injure the vice president or his family?" the source asked.
The White House did not respond on the record to a CNN request for comment.
People close to the vice president now believe he is being set up as a "scapegoat" to shoulder the blame inside Trump-world after Pence refused to buckle to the President's demands to engineer a procedural coup that would keep Trump in power.
On Tuesday, Pence came under intense pressure from Trump to toss out the election results during a meeting that lasted hours in the Oval Office. The vice president's chief of staff, Marc Short, was banned by Trump from entering the West Wing, the source said, as the President repeatedly warned with "thinly veiled threats" to Pence that he would suffer major political consequences if he refused to cooperate.
"The message was pretty clear," the source said.
The events Wednesday have left some aides to the vice president feeling Pence was betrayed by Trump as well as White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and the President's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani.
"Rudy, Meadows and their teams have been trying to set up the vice president to take the fall as opposed to admitting they laid out false hope in all of this," the source said.
"Trump just can't admit defeat and wants a scapegoat," the source added.
On Thursday, Charlotte Pence Bond, the vice president's daughter who had been at the US Capitol with him, tweeted her congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
Derrick Evans, West Virginia lawmaker who stormed the Capitol, announces resignation
Evans, who was charged in federal court in connection with the insurrection that took place at the US Capitol in Wednesday, has resigned from the state's House of Delegates. Evans released a statement that read, in part: “I take full responsibility for my actions, and deeply regret any hurt, pain or embarrassment I may have caused my family, friends, constituents and fellow West Virginians."
Evans, who was charged in federal court in connection with the insurrection that took place at the US Capitol in Wednesday, has resigned from the state's House of Delegates. Evans released a statement that read, in part: “I take full responsibility for my actions, and deeply regret any hurt, pain or embarrassment I may have caused my family, friends, constituents and fellow West Virginians."
These Black Capitol Police Officers Describe Fighting Off "Racist-Ass Terrorists"
Two Black officers told BuzzFeed News that their chief and other upper management left them totally unprepared and were nowhere to be found on the day.
These Black Capitol Police Officers Describe Fighting Off "Racist-Ass Terrorists"
Two Black officers told BuzzFeed News that their chief and other upper management left them totally unprepared and were nowhere to be found on the day.
Emmanuel FeltonBuzzFeed News Reporter
Posted on January 9, 2021, at 4:32 p.m. ET
Shannon Stapleton / Reuters
Tear gas is released into a crowd of protesters during clashes with Capitol police on Jan. 6, 2021.
The first glimpse of the deadly tragedy that was about to unfold came at 9 a.m. on the morning of the insurrection for one Black veteran of the US Capitol Police. But it didn’t come from his superiors — instead the officer had to rely on a screenshot from Instagram sent to him by a friend.
“I found out what they were planning when a friend of mine screenshot me an Instagram story from the Proud Boys saying, ‘We’re breaching the Capitol today, guys. I hope y’all ready.’” The officer, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation from his superiors, told BuzzFeed News that it was just a sign of the chaos that was to come, which saw officers regularly finding themselves unprepared and then outmanned and overpowered by the mob.
The officer said that while the department’s upper management had been telling them to prepare for Wednesday’s storming of the Capitol like they would for any other protest, that Instagram post sent a clear message: this wasn’t going to be just some kind of free speech protest — this was going to be a fight.
Management’s inaction left Black police officers especially vulnerable to a mob that had been whipped up by President Donald Trump, a man who has a record of inspiring racist vigilantes to action. One of the most defining videos of that day was of one of their colleagues, another Black officer, trying in vain to hold back the tide of rioters who had broken into the building and were hunting for Congressional members.
BuzzFeed News spoke to two Black officers who described a harrowing day in which they were forced to endure racist abuse — including repeatedly being called the n-word — as they tried to do their job of protecting the Capitol building, and by extension the very functioning of American democracy. The officers said they were wrong-footed, fighting off an invading force that their managers had downplayed and not prepared them for. They had all been issued gas masks, for example, but management didn’t tell them to bring them in on the day. Capitol Police did not respond to BuzzFeed News’ request for comment about the allegations made by officers.
While some of the images from that day appeared to show officers standing by to let the mob into the Capitol building, the veteran officer said that they had fought them off for two hours before the attackers eventually gained access. The officer said that many of the widely spread images of smiling marauders, wandering the halls dressed in absurd costumes, had the effect of downplaying how well prepared some of the rioters were to overtake the building, and even to capture and kill Congress members.
“That was a heavily trained group of militia terrorists that attacked us,” said the officer, who has been with the department for more than a decade. “They had radios, we found them, they had two-way communicators and earpieces. They had bear spray. They had flash bangs ... They were prepared. They strategically put two IEDs, pipe bombs, in two different locations. These guys were military trained. A lot of them were former military,” the officer said, referring to two suspected pipe bombs that were found outside the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee.
The officer even described coming face-to-face with police officers from across the country in the mob. He said some of them flashed their badges, telling him to let them through, and trying to explain that this was all part of a movement that was supposed to help.
“You have the nerve to be holding a Blue Lives Matter flag, and you are out there fucking us up,” he told one group of protesters he encountered inside the Capitol. “[One guy] pulled out his badge and he said, ‘We’re doing this for you.’ Another guy had his badge. So I was like, ‘Well, you gotta be kidding.’”
Another officer, a newer recruit, echoed these sentiments, saying that where he was on the steps to the Rotunda on the east side of the Capitol, he was engaged in hand-to-hand battles trying to fight the attackers off. But he said they were outnumbered 10 to 1, and described extraordinary scenes in which protesters holding Blue Lives Matter flags launched themselves at police officers.
“We were telling them to back up and get away and stop, and they’re telling us they are on our side, and they’re doing this for us, and they’re saying this as I’m getting punched in my face by one of them … That happened to a lot of us. We were getting pepper-sprayed in the face by those protesters — I'm not going to even call them protesters — by those domestic terrorists,” said the officer.
While it was a hard day for almost every officer at the Capitol, Black officers were in a particularly difficult position, he said, and he drew a stark contrast with how police handled the Black Lives Matter protests this summer.
“There’s quite a big difference when the Black Lives Matter protests come up to the Capitol,” he said. “[On Wednesday], some officers were catering to the rioters.”
He said that what upset him the most was when he later saw images of a white colleague taking a selfie with the attackers, seeming to enjoy his time with the insurrectionists who were roaming the US Capitol with Confederate flags and other symbols of white supremacy.
“That one hurt me the most because I was on the other side of the Capitol getting my ass kicked,” he said.
He is certain that if a group of Black Americans had stormed the Capitol, they wouldn’t have gotten that kind of friendly reception from his white colleagues.
“If you’re going to treat a group of demonstrators for Black Lives Matters one way, then you should treat this group the same goddamn way. With this group you were being kind and nice and letting them walk back out. Some of them got arrested but a lot of them didn’t. Everyone who came into that Capitol should have been arrested regardless if they didn’t take anything.”
The number of arrests has steadily increased in recent days, but it currently seems unlikely that everyone who breached the building on Wednesday will be arrested for their actions.
Five people died on Wednesday, including a Capitol Police officer. One protester was shot and killed by Capitol Police, while three others died of medical emergencies during the attack.
The older Black officer didn’t think it was a simple case of treating the rioters differently from BLM protesters, but instead part of a bigger issue with how the agency is managed.
“Our chief was nowhere to be found, I didn’t hear him on the radio. One of our other deputy chiefs was not there,” he said. “You don’t think it’s all hands on deck?”
The veteran officer welcomed the resignation of US Capitol Police chief, Steven Sund, but he thinks more needs to change at the agency, which answers to Congress and where security is not as tight as it should be.
“Congress can bring anybody in the building that they want. They can go outside and find 200 people, and say, 'Hey, they’re with me. Come on in.' They don’t have to go through security as long as a congressman said so,” he explained. “They just want to make Congress happy. So I think the next chief needs to come in and sit down with Congress.”
At the end of the night, after the crowds had been dispersed and Congress got back to the business of certifying president-elect Joe Biden’s victory, the veteran officer was overwhelmed with emotion, and broke down in the Rotunda.
“I sat down with one of my buddies, another Black guy, and tears just started streaming down my face,” he said. “I said, ‘What the fuck, man? Is this America? What the fuck just happened? I’m so sick and tired of this shit.’”
Soon he was screaming, so that everyone in the Rotunda, including his white colleagues, could hear what he had just gone through.
“These are racist-ass terrorists,” he yelled out.
In the seven years since Black Lives Matter has become a rallying cry, the image of a white cop deciding how and when to enforce law and order has become ubiquitous. On Wednesday, Americans saw something different, as Black officers tried to do the same, as they attempted to protect the very heart of American democracy. And instead of being honored by the supporters of a man who likes to call himself the “law and order” president, Black Capitol officers found themselves under attack.
“I got called a ****** 15 times today,” the veteran officer shouted in the Rotunda to no one in particular. “Trump did this and we got all of these fucking people in our department that voted for him. How the fuck can you support him?”
“I cried for about 15 minutes and I just let it out.”
OK I was having trouble finding it on the video. I was concentrating on the door.
Last edited:
yeah they dragged him down the steps into the middle of the crowd and commenced their barbarism.
So its not about Trump impeachment - its about disqualification from future office.
‘Honor, Trust or Profit’
If the House impeaches President Trump this week, it will still have almost no effect on how long he remains in office. His term expires nine days from now, and even the most rapid conceivable Senate trial would cover much of that time.
But the impeachment debate is still highly consequential. The Senate has the power both to remove Trump from office and to prevent him from holding office in the future. That second power will not expire when his term ends, many constitutional scholars say. A Senate trial can happen after Jan. 20.
And disqualifying Trump from holding office again could alter the future of American politics.
It’s worth pausing for a moment to reflect on how radical a figure Trump is. He rejects basic foundations of American government that other presidents, from both parties, have accepted for decades.
He has tried to reverse an election result and remain in power by persuading local officials to commit fraud. He incited a mob that attacked the Capitol — and killed a police officer — while Congress was meeting to certify the result. Afterward, Trump praised the rioters.
This behavior was consistent with Trump’s entire presidency. He has previously rejected the legitimacy of election results and encouraged his supporters to commit violence. He has tried to undermine Americans’ confidence in the F.B.I., the C.I.A., the military, Justice Department prosecutors, federal judges, the Congressional Budget Office, government scientists, government health officials and more. He has openly used the presidency to enrich his family.
In the simplest terms, Trump seems to believe a president should be able to do whatever he wants. He does not appear to believe in the system of the government that the Constitution prescribes — a democratic republic.
Yet there is a significant chance he could win the presidency again, in 2024. He remains popular with many Republican voters, and the Electoral College currently gives a big advantage to Republicans. If he is not disqualified from future office, Trump could dominate the Republican Party and shape American politics for the next four years.
If he is disqualified, it’s impossible to know what would happen, but this much is clear: A singularly popular figure who rejects the basic tenets of American democracy would no longer be eligible to lead it.
Members of the National Guard outside the Capitol yesterday.Anna Moneymaker for The New York Times
What are the basics of disqualification?
Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution says: “Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.”
The Constitution does not specify whether disqualification requires a two-thirds Senate vote, as conviction in an impeachment trial does, or only a majority vote. The Senate has previously used a majority vote.
The Senate has barred three people, all federal judges, from holding future office: West Humphreys (in 1862, for waging war against the U.S.), Robert Archbald (in 1913, for corruption) and Thomas Porteous (in 2010, for bribery and perjury).
The Senate has tried a former War Department secretary — William Belknap, in 1876 — after he resigned. Both the House and the Senate decided that Belknap could be tried after he had left office.
Disqualifying a president from future office, because of the stakes and lack of precedent, would probably come before the Supreme Court. History suggests that the court would be more likely to uphold a bipartisan congressional vote than a largely partisan one.
For more: “If an impeachment begins when an individual is in office, the process may surely continue after they resign or otherwise depart,” Michael Gerhardt of the University of North Carolina School of Law writes in the online publication Just Security.
‘Honor, Trust or Profit’
If the House impeaches President Trump this week, it will still have almost no effect on how long he remains in office. His term expires nine days from now, and even the most rapid conceivable Senate trial would cover much of that time.
But the impeachment debate is still highly consequential. The Senate has the power both to remove Trump from office and to prevent him from holding office in the future. That second power will not expire when his term ends, many constitutional scholars say. A Senate trial can happen after Jan. 20.
And disqualifying Trump from holding office again could alter the future of American politics.
It’s worth pausing for a moment to reflect on how radical a figure Trump is. He rejects basic foundations of American government that other presidents, from both parties, have accepted for decades.
He has tried to reverse an election result and remain in power by persuading local officials to commit fraud. He incited a mob that attacked the Capitol — and killed a police officer — while Congress was meeting to certify the result. Afterward, Trump praised the rioters.
This behavior was consistent with Trump’s entire presidency. He has previously rejected the legitimacy of election results and encouraged his supporters to commit violence. He has tried to undermine Americans’ confidence in the F.B.I., the C.I.A., the military, Justice Department prosecutors, federal judges, the Congressional Budget Office, government scientists, government health officials and more. He has openly used the presidency to enrich his family.
In the simplest terms, Trump seems to believe a president should be able to do whatever he wants. He does not appear to believe in the system of the government that the Constitution prescribes — a democratic republic.
Yet there is a significant chance he could win the presidency again, in 2024. He remains popular with many Republican voters, and the Electoral College currently gives a big advantage to Republicans. If he is not disqualified from future office, Trump could dominate the Republican Party and shape American politics for the next four years.
If he is disqualified, it’s impossible to know what would happen, but this much is clear: A singularly popular figure who rejects the basic tenets of American democracy would no longer be eligible to lead it.
Members of the National Guard outside the Capitol yesterday.Anna Moneymaker for The New York Times
What are the basics of disqualification?
Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution says: “Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.”
The Constitution does not specify whether disqualification requires a two-thirds Senate vote, as conviction in an impeachment trial does, or only a majority vote. The Senate has previously used a majority vote.
The Senate has barred three people, all federal judges, from holding future office: West Humphreys (in 1862, for waging war against the U.S.), Robert Archbald (in 1913, for corruption) and Thomas Porteous (in 2010, for bribery and perjury).
The Senate has tried a former War Department secretary — William Belknap, in 1876 — after he resigned. Both the House and the Senate decided that Belknap could be tried after he had left office.
Disqualifying a president from future office, because of the stakes and lack of precedent, would probably come before the Supreme Court. History suggests that the court would be more likely to uphold a bipartisan congressional vote than a largely partisan one.
For more: “If an impeachment begins when an individual is in office, the process may surely continue after they resign or otherwise depart,” Michael Gerhardt of the University of North Carolina School of Law writes in the online publication Just Security.
Why We Are Introducing an Article of Impeachment
One of the authors of the impeachment article against President Trump makes his case.
By David N. Cicilline
Mr. Cicilline is a U.S. representative and a member of the House Judiciary Committee.
Credit...Pete Marovich for The New York Times
Since his resounding defeat in the presidential election in November, Donald Trump has done everything but concede to the democratic will of the American people. He unleashed an avalanche of lies and baseless claims of fraud — conspiracy theories that filled his supporters with a delusional belief that the election had been stolen from him. He filed a bevy of absurd lawsuits. He attempted to cajole and intimidate officials at all levels of government into subverting the election and keeping him in office. And then, running out of recourse, legitimate and illegitimate, he incited an insurrection against the government and the Constitution that he swore to uphold.
The attempted coup at the United States Capitol last Wednesday, which took place as lawmakers inside counted the electoral votes that would formalize Joe Biden’s overwhelming election by the American people, marks one of the lowest points in our country’s 245-year experiment in democracy.
From Andrew Jackson to Richard Nixon, we have seen presidents abuse their power, but we had never witnessed an American president incite a violent mob on the citadel of our democracy in a desperate attempt to cling to power.
We cannot let this go unanswered. With each day, Mr. Trump grows more and more desperate. We should not allow him to menace the security of our country for a second longer.
ADVERTISEMENT
Continue reading the main story
Once the House opens for legislative business, my co-authors — Representatives Ted Lieu and Jamie Raskin — and I will introduce an article of impeachment to remove Mr. Trump from office for incitement of insurrection.
As lawmakers who have impeached this president once before, we do not take this responsibility lightly. In fact, it was not our first choice of action. In the midst of last Wednesday’s siege, we were among those that asked Vice President Mike Pence to convene the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to quickly remove Mr. Trump from office. We have called on the president to resign.
THE INTERPRETER: Original insights, commentary and discussions on the major news stories of the week.
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Days have passed, and it is clear that neither of those possibilities will be realized. So it is Congress’s responsibility to act.
The American people witnessed Mr. Trump’s actions for themselves. We all saw his speech on Jan. 6. We watched his fanatics storm the Capitol at his request. Five people died, including a U.S. Capitol Police officer and four of the president’s supporters. We fear what Mr. Trump may do with his remaining time in office.
That is why we believe the article of impeachment should be voted on as soon as possible. It is true that even after we act, Senator Mitch McConnell may, as he did one year ago, try to prevent a conviction in the U.S. Senate. It is also true that a trial might extend into the first days of the Biden administration.
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Continue reading the main story
ADVERTISEMENT
Continue reading the main story
Neither of those possibilities should deter us in our work. Some argue that another impeachment trial would further divide our country and further inflame Trump supporters. But the truth is that we do not have a choice. This impeachment charge is meant to defend the integrity of the republic. Both Democratic and Republican members of Congress must attend to the duties of their oath. Failing to act would set an irresponsibly dangerous precedent for future presidents who are about to leave office.
Further, there can be no healing of the divisions in our country without justice for the man most responsible for this horrific insurrection. The president must be held accountable. That can happen only by impeaching him for a second time and convicting him in the Senate. A conviction that would allow Congress to prohibit him from ever serving in federal office again.
What happened last Wednesday was an abomination. There is no question about that. There is also no question that Mr. Trump becomes more of a threat to public safety by the moment.
The only question now is what Congress will do about it.
David N. Cicilline (@davidcicilline) is a member of the Democratic Party and House Judiciary Committee who has represented Rhode Island’s First Congressional District since 2011.
One of the authors of the impeachment article against President Trump makes his case.
By David N. Cicilline
Mr. Cicilline is a U.S. representative and a member of the House Judiciary Committee.
- Jan. 11, 2021, 5:00 a.m. ET
- 1638
Credit...Pete Marovich for The New York Times
Since his resounding defeat in the presidential election in November, Donald Trump has done everything but concede to the democratic will of the American people. He unleashed an avalanche of lies and baseless claims of fraud — conspiracy theories that filled his supporters with a delusional belief that the election had been stolen from him. He filed a bevy of absurd lawsuits. He attempted to cajole and intimidate officials at all levels of government into subverting the election and keeping him in office. And then, running out of recourse, legitimate and illegitimate, he incited an insurrection against the government and the Constitution that he swore to uphold.
The attempted coup at the United States Capitol last Wednesday, which took place as lawmakers inside counted the electoral votes that would formalize Joe Biden’s overwhelming election by the American people, marks one of the lowest points in our country’s 245-year experiment in democracy.
From Andrew Jackson to Richard Nixon, we have seen presidents abuse their power, but we had never witnessed an American president incite a violent mob on the citadel of our democracy in a desperate attempt to cling to power.
We cannot let this go unanswered. With each day, Mr. Trump grows more and more desperate. We should not allow him to menace the security of our country for a second longer.
ADVERTISEMENT
Continue reading the main story
Once the House opens for legislative business, my co-authors — Representatives Ted Lieu and Jamie Raskin — and I will introduce an article of impeachment to remove Mr. Trump from office for incitement of insurrection.
- Help our journalists make an impact.
As lawmakers who have impeached this president once before, we do not take this responsibility lightly. In fact, it was not our first choice of action. In the midst of last Wednesday’s siege, we were among those that asked Vice President Mike Pence to convene the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to quickly remove Mr. Trump from office. We have called on the president to resign.
THE INTERPRETER: Original insights, commentary and discussions on the major news stories of the week.
Sign Up
Days have passed, and it is clear that neither of those possibilities will be realized. So it is Congress’s responsibility to act.
The American people witnessed Mr. Trump’s actions for themselves. We all saw his speech on Jan. 6. We watched his fanatics storm the Capitol at his request. Five people died, including a U.S. Capitol Police officer and four of the president’s supporters. We fear what Mr. Trump may do with his remaining time in office.
That is why we believe the article of impeachment should be voted on as soon as possible. It is true that even after we act, Senator Mitch McConnell may, as he did one year ago, try to prevent a conviction in the U.S. Senate. It is also true that a trial might extend into the first days of the Biden administration.
Editors’ Picks
James Comey’s View of Justice — and How It Differs From Donald Trump’s
For Pro Athlete Leading Social Justice Push, a Victory and Uncertainty
Now It Can Be Told: How Neil Sheehan Got the Pentagon Papers
Continue reading the main story
ADVERTISEMENT
Continue reading the main story
Neither of those possibilities should deter us in our work. Some argue that another impeachment trial would further divide our country and further inflame Trump supporters. But the truth is that we do not have a choice. This impeachment charge is meant to defend the integrity of the republic. Both Democratic and Republican members of Congress must attend to the duties of their oath. Failing to act would set an irresponsibly dangerous precedent for future presidents who are about to leave office.
Further, there can be no healing of the divisions in our country without justice for the man most responsible for this horrific insurrection. The president must be held accountable. That can happen only by impeaching him for a second time and convicting him in the Senate. A conviction that would allow Congress to prohibit him from ever serving in federal office again.
What happened last Wednesday was an abomination. There is no question about that. There is also no question that Mr. Trump becomes more of a threat to public safety by the moment.
The only question now is what Congress will do about it.
David N. Cicilline (@davidcicilline) is a member of the Democratic Party and House Judiciary Committee who has represented Rhode Island’s First Congressional District since 2011.
FBI memo warns law enforcement across U.S. of possible armed protests at 50 state Capitols
The FBI also says an armed group has threatened to travel to Washington and stage an uprising if Congress removes Trump from office.
Members of the National Guard walk through the rotunda of the Capitol on Jan. 11, 2021.Stefani Reynolds / Getty Images
Jan. 11, 2021, 2:07 PM EST
By Tom Winter and Andrew Blankstein
The FBI has sent a memo to law enforcement agencies across the country warning of possible armed protests at all 50 state Capitols starting Jan. 16, and also says an armed group has threatened to travel to Washington, D.C., the same day and stage an uprising if Congress removes President Donald Trump from office, according to a senior law enforcement official.
The memo includes information provided by the ATF, DEA, Defense Department, Park Police, and the U.S. Marshals, among other agencies, according to the official. Some of the information came from social media, some from open source, and some from other sources of information.
The memo was first reported by ABC News.
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Right-wing extremists vow to return to Washington for Joe Biden's inauguration
The senior law enforcement official says the FBI’s National Crisis Coordination Center distributed the update to law enforcement agencies as a summary of threat information they’ve received following last Wednesday’s deadly mob attack on the Capitol.
While the memo discusses possible threats discussed by online actors for Jan. 16 through the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden on Jan. 20, it doesn’t mean that law enforcement agencies expect violent mass protests or confrontations in every state.
For instance, a spokesperson for the FBI in Boston says, “At this point in time, the FBI Boston Division is not in possession of any intelligence indicating any planned, armed protests at the four state capitals in our area of responsibility. (ME, MA, NH, and RI) from January 17-20, 2021.”
Capitol riot ‘more sinister and dangerous’ as time goes on
JAN. 11, 202102:32
The spokesperson added, “As always, we are in constant communication with our law enforcement partners and will share any actionable intelligence.”
According to the memo, the armed group that has discussed traveling to Washington on Jan. 16 said there would be a huge uprising if Congress tries to remove Trump via the 25th Amendment. Law enforcement officials point out that Congress can’t remove a president via the 25th Amendment.
The FBI also says an armed group has threatened to travel to Washington and stage an uprising if Congress removes Trump from office.
Members of the National Guard walk through the rotunda of the Capitol on Jan. 11, 2021.Stefani Reynolds / Getty Images
Jan. 11, 2021, 2:07 PM EST
By Tom Winter and Andrew Blankstein
The FBI has sent a memo to law enforcement agencies across the country warning of possible armed protests at all 50 state Capitols starting Jan. 16, and also says an armed group has threatened to travel to Washington, D.C., the same day and stage an uprising if Congress removes President Donald Trump from office, according to a senior law enforcement official.
The memo includes information provided by the ATF, DEA, Defense Department, Park Police, and the U.S. Marshals, among other agencies, according to the official. Some of the information came from social media, some from open source, and some from other sources of information.
The memo was first reported by ABC News.
Related
POLITICS
Right-wing extremists vow to return to Washington for Joe Biden's inauguration
The senior law enforcement official says the FBI’s National Crisis Coordination Center distributed the update to law enforcement agencies as a summary of threat information they’ve received following last Wednesday’s deadly mob attack on the Capitol.
While the memo discusses possible threats discussed by online actors for Jan. 16 through the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden on Jan. 20, it doesn’t mean that law enforcement agencies expect violent mass protests or confrontations in every state.
For instance, a spokesperson for the FBI in Boston says, “At this point in time, the FBI Boston Division is not in possession of any intelligence indicating any planned, armed protests at the four state capitals in our area of responsibility. (ME, MA, NH, and RI) from January 17-20, 2021.”
Capitol riot ‘more sinister and dangerous’ as time goes on
JAN. 11, 202102:32
The spokesperson added, “As always, we are in constant communication with our law enforcement partners and will share any actionable intelligence.”
According to the memo, the armed group that has discussed traveling to Washington on Jan. 16 said there would be a huge uprising if Congress tries to remove Trump via the 25th Amendment. Law enforcement officials point out that Congress can’t remove a president via the 25th Amendment.
Bill Belichick declines Presidential Medal of Freedom
Posted by Mike Florio on January 11, 2021, 8:24 PM EST
Getty Images
A man known for making great coaching decisions has made a great one away from the football field.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick has decided to decline the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“Recently, I was offered the opportunity to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which I was flattered by out of respect for what the honor represents and admiration for past recipients,” Belichick said in a statement issued Monday night. “Subsequently, the tragic events of last week occurred and the decision has been made not to move forward with the award.
“Above all, I am an American citizen with great reverence for our nation’s value, freedom and democracy. I know I also represent my family and the New England Patriots football team. One of the most rewarding things in my professional career took place in 2020 when, through the great leadership within our team, conversations about social justice, equality and human rights moved to the forefront and became actions. Continuing those efforts while remaining true to the people, team and country I love outweigh the benefit of any individual award.”
The carefully crafted statement, including among other things deft use of the passive voice regarding Belichick’s decision to punt on the award, makes a very important point without directly saying it. Belichick now believes that the man he openly supported for the office of the presidency in 2016 has behaved in a way that cannot be reconciled with notions of social justice, equality, and human rights. Thus, Belichick cannot reconcile accepting a significant individual honor with his obligations to his family and his football team.
They say the pen is mightier than the sword. Sometimes, that pen cuts deepest when its blade is perceived as being dull.
Posted by Mike Florio on January 11, 2021, 8:24 PM EST
Getty Images
A man known for making great coaching decisions has made a great one away from the football field.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick has decided to decline the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“Recently, I was offered the opportunity to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which I was flattered by out of respect for what the honor represents and admiration for past recipients,” Belichick said in a statement issued Monday night. “Subsequently, the tragic events of last week occurred and the decision has been made not to move forward with the award.
“Above all, I am an American citizen with great reverence for our nation’s value, freedom and democracy. I know I also represent my family and the New England Patriots football team. One of the most rewarding things in my professional career took place in 2020 when, through the great leadership within our team, conversations about social justice, equality and human rights moved to the forefront and became actions. Continuing those efforts while remaining true to the people, team and country I love outweigh the benefit of any individual award.”
The carefully crafted statement, including among other things deft use of the passive voice regarding Belichick’s decision to punt on the award, makes a very important point without directly saying it. Belichick now believes that the man he openly supported for the office of the presidency in 2016 has behaved in a way that cannot be reconciled with notions of social justice, equality, and human rights. Thus, Belichick cannot reconcile accepting a significant individual honor with his obligations to his family and his football team.
They say the pen is mightier than the sword. Sometimes, that pen cuts deepest when its blade is perceived as being dull.
A closer look at the 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump
On Wednesday, Donald Trump became the first president in US history to be impeached for a second time by the House. Ten Republicans broke rank to vote for impeachment, marking the largest number of lawmakers to ever vote to impeach a president from their own party.
What you need to know
– Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were officially sworn into office on Wednesday
– Former President Trump arrived in Florida following a send-off ceremony at Joint Base Andrews
- Singer Lady Gaga performed the national anthem, and was joined by entertainers Jennifer Lopez and Garth Brooks
– Actor Tom Hanks will host a prime-time TV special on Wednesday celebrating the inauguration
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