House Democrats Draft New Articles of Impeachment Against Trump for ‘Incitement of Insurrection

HOUSE DEMOCRATS DRAFTED new articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump and could introduce them as early as Monday, seeking to charge the outgoing president with "incitement of insurrection" following the Capitol breach on Wednesday.

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Democrats on Friday moved rapidly toward the second impeachment of Trump, whom they argue should be held accountable for a violent riot led by his supporters that left five people dead. Impeachment has already garnered overwhelming support from the caucus and could even attract some support from Republicans who have called for his removal.

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[ READ: READ: The Newest Articles of Impeachment Against Trump ]
Unlike Trump's impeachment in late 2019, the process would be greatly expedited since the president is set to leave office in less than two weeks, though it's possible it would drag out beyond his departure on Jan. 20. A simple majority is needed in the House to impeach a president, but conviction in the Senate is a much taller order since a two-thirds majority is needed for removal.

Rep. David Cicilline of Rhode Island, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, is one of several members who have drafted an impeachment resolution, warning that Trump could still be a "national security threat" if he remains in office through President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration.

Trump Supporters Storm Capitol Building
UNITED STATES - JANUARY 6: Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo.,  comforts Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa., while taking cover as protesters disrupt the joint session of Congress to certify the Electoral College vote on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
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"It really focuses on the president's efforts having his supporters disrupt a sacred proceeding for the electoral college. This was an effort to undermine our democracy," Cicilline told CNN on Friday. "Impeachment is the only mechanism we have available to us in the House."

The articles drafted allege that Trump "engaged in high crimes and misdemeanors by willfully inciting violence against the government of the United States." The resolution describes Trump addressing his supporters prior to the riots, arguing that he "willfully made statements that encouraged – and foreseeably resulted in – imminent lawless action at the Capitol."

The resolution goes on to note the president's persistent attacks on the November election results and baseless claims of voter fraud, pointing to his objections to Congress certifying Biden's Electoral College victory as well as Trump's call to pressure Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find" enough votes to overturn the state's results.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California wrote a letter to Democrats earlier on Friday that if Trump "does not leave office imminently and willingly, the Congress will proceed with our action" and move forward with impeachment. Pelosi held an hours-long call with her entire caucus that addressed impeachment but has yet to offer exact details of how they'll move forward or the timeline.

[ READ: Pelosi Lays Out Path to Impeachment ]
"Our conversation continues. We have several options so far," Pelosi said as she left the Capitol late Friday afternoon.

While there's an overwhelming number of Democrats supportive of impeachment, some expressed reservations – including House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff of California, who presided over Trump's impeachment in 2019.

According to CNN, he pointed out the optics of a Senate impeachment trial that would happen after Trump left office and the challenges it could present for Biden in the early days of his presidency. But Schiff said in a statement that he supports the president's removal either through the 25th Amendment, resignation or impeachment.

As House Democrats determine how they'll move forward, Biden was pressed at a Friday afternoon event to weigh in on potential impeachment. But, as he had before, the president-elect stayed out of the fray and said the decision belongs to Congress alone.

"I'm going to do my job, and Congress can decide how to proceed with theirs. That's a decision for the Congress to make," Biden said from Wilmington, Delaware, as he announced the rest of his Cabinet nominations.

Pressed later, he seemed to tamp down impeachment as a way of getting Trump out early.

"The idea that I think Trump should be out of office yesterday isn't an issue. … I think it's important to get on with the business of getting him out of office. The quickest way that will happen is us being sworn in on the 20th."