Nancy Pelosi says House will impeach Trump, pushes VP to oust him

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says House will proceed with legislation to impeach President Donald Trump as she pushes vice president and Cabinet to invoke constitutional authority force him out, warning that Trump is a threat to democracy after deadly assault on Capitol.

House action could start as soon as Monday as pressure increases on Trump to step aside. A Republican senator, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, joined Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska in calling for Trump to “resign and go away as soon as possible.”

A stunning end to Trump's final 10 days in office was underway as lawmakers warned of dam president could still do before Joe Biden was inaugurated Jan. 20. Trump, holed up at White House, was increasingly isolated after a mob rioted in Capitol in support of his false claims of election fraud.

Judges across country, including some minated by Trump, repeatedly dismissed cases and Attorney General William Barr, a Trump ally, said re was sign of any widespread fraud. Pelosi emphasized need for quick action. “We will act with urgency, because this President represents an imminent threat,” Pelosi said in a letter late Sunday to colleagues.“ horror of ongoing assault on our democracy perpetrated by this President is intensified and so is immediate need for action.”

On Monday, Pelosi's leadership team will seek a vote on a resolution calling on Vice President Mike Pence and Cabinet officials to invoke 25th Amendment, with a full House vote expected on Tuesday. After that, Pence and Cabinet would have 24 hours to act before House would move toward impeachment.

During an interview on “60 Minutes” aired Sunday, Pelosi invoked Watergate era when Republicans in Senate told President Richard Nixon, “It’s over.” “That’s what has to happen w,” she said.With impeachment planning intensifying, Toomey said he doubted impeachment could be done before Biden is inaugurated, even though a growing number of lawmakers say that step is necessary to ensure Trump can never hold elected office again.

“I think president has disqualified himself from ever, certainly, serving in office again,” Toomey said. “I don’t think he is electable in any way.” Murkowski, long exasperated with president, told Anchor Daily News on Friday that Trump simply “needs to get out.” A third, Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., did t go that far, but on Sunday he warned Trump to be “very careful” in his final days in office.

House Democrats were expected to introduce articles of impeachment on Monday. strategy would be to condemn president's actions swiftly but delay an impeachment trial in Senate for 100 days. That would allow President-elect Joe Biden to focus on or priorities as soon as he is inaugurated Jan. 20.

Rep. Jim Clyburn, third-ranking House Democrat and a top Biden ally, laid out ideas Sunday as country came to grips with siege at Capitol by Trump loyalists trying to overturn election results. “Let’s give President-elect Biden 100 days he needs to get his nda off and running,” Clyburn said.Corporate America began to show its reaction to Capitol riots by tying m to campaign contributions.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association's CEO and President Kim Keck said it will t contribute to those lawmakers — all Republicans — who supported challenges to Biden's Electoral College win. group “will suspend contributions to those lawmakers who voted to undermine our democracy," Kim said.

Citigroup did t single out lawmakers aligned with Trump's effort to overturn election, but said it would be pausing all federal political donations for first three months of year. Citi’s head of global government affairs, Candi Wolff, said in a Friday memo to employees, “We want you to be assured that we will t support candidates who do t respect rule of law.”

Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has said an impeachment trial could t begin under current calendar before Inauguration Day, Jan. 20. While many have criticized Trump, Republicans have said that impeachment would be divisive in a time of unity.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said that instead of coming toger, Democrats want to “talk about ridiculous things like ‘Let’s impeach a president’" with just days left in office. Still, some Republicans might be supportive.Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse said he would take a look at any articles that House sent over. Illiis Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a frequent Trump critic, said he would “vote right way” if matter were put in front of him.

Democratic effort to stamp Trump's presidential record — for second time — with indelible mark of impeachment had advanced rapidly since riot. Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I, a leader of House effort to draft impeachment articles accusing Trump of inciting insurrection, said Sunday that his group had 200-plus co-sponsors.

articles, if passed by House, could n be transmitted to Senate for a trial, with senators acting as jurors to acquit or convict Trump. If convicted, Trump would be removed from office and succeeded by vice president. It would be first time a U.S. president had been impeached twice.

Potentially complicating Pelosi's decision about impeachment was what it meant for Biden and beginning of his presidency. While reiterating that he had long viewed Trump as unfit for office, Biden on Friday sidestepped a question about impeachment, saying what Congress did “is for m to decide.”

A violent and largely white mob of Trump supporters overpowered police, broke through security lines and windows and rampd through Capitol on Wednesday, forcing lawmakers to scatter as y were finalizing Biden’s victory over Trump in Electoral College.

Toomey appeared on CNN's “State of Union” and NBC's “Meet Press.” Clyburn was on “Fox News Sunday” and CNN. Kinzinger was on ABC's “This Week,” Blunt was on CBS' “Face Nation” and Rubio was on Fox News Channel's “Sunday Morning Futures.”

(Im Credit: AP)