Here's the Democrats' Plan for Impeachment

They'll start the process this week if Pence doesn't invoke the 25th
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 11, 2021 4:34 AM CST
Here's the Democrats' Plan for Impeachment
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., holds a news conference on the day after violent protesters loyal to President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Congress, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

President Trump's second impeachment is looking ever more likely by the day. Nancy Pelosi on Sunday night issued a letter to House Democrats explaining that on Monday, a resolution will be introduced calling on Mike Pence to invoke the 25th amendment within 24 hours to remove Trump from office. (As Fox News reports, it will likely not be voted on until Tuesday, since Republicans are likely to block its swift passage Monday.) If the VP fails to do so, the House speaker says, impeachment legislation will be brought to the floor. Politico reports an impeachment vote as soon as the middle of this week is "almost certain," as Pence has so far given no indication he has any plans to invoke the 25th. Democrats are planning to introduce multiple impeachment resolutions Monday that would become the basis of the articles of impeachment to be voted on.

The Senate isn't scheduled to return until Jan. 19, Trump's last day in office, and while a senator could attempt to pass the House resolution by unanimous consent, that currently appears unlikely to happen. An impeachment trial can still be held in the Senate after Trump leaves office (the BBC takes a look at what would happen if Trump were convicted post-departure), but House Democrats are in discussions about how to limit the effects of such a trial on President-elect Joe Biden's first 100 days in office. One option on the table is to delay the trial until after that point; as NPR reports, that would give the Senate time to first work on confirming Biden's cabinet nominees and tackle early portions of his legislative agenda, particularly concerning the coronavirus pandemic. USA Today reports even longtime Trump ally Chris Christie supports a second impeachment, which would be a first for the country if it happens. (More on the senators supporting impeachment here, or Trump's current mental state here.)

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