(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — As more Republicans join with Democrats in calling for President Donald Trump to resign, the House is moving forward with what could be a history-making second impeachment investigation.
Rhode Island Democrat, Rep. David Cicilline, announced via Twitter on Sunday, “Just passed 200 cosponsors on our article of impeachment. We are going to hold Donald Trump accountable for last week’s assault on the Capitol.”
House Democrats say they could introduce the impeachment article of “incitement of insurrection” as early as Monday with a potential vote taking place in the middle of the week. A draft of the article was submitted Friday.
The article states that the president is guilty of “willfully inciting violence against the government of the United States” and the comments he made at a rally shortly before the riot on Wednesday “encouraged—and foreseeably resulted in—imminent lawless action at the Capitol.”
Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie spoke on ABC’s This Week on Sunday and said the president committed an impeachable offense.
“If inciting to insurrection isn’t, then I don’t really know what is,” he said.
Senator Pat Toomey, a Pennsylvania Republican, spoke to Fox News on Saturday and agreed the president “committed impeachable offenses” and added “I have to say I do think the president’s behavior this week does disqualify him from serving.”
Some Republicans have expressed doubt that an impeachment is the correct path, such as Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger who spoke with ABC’s This Week on Sunday and cautioned that impeachment is not a “smart move because it victimizes Donald Trump again.” Had President Trump had more time in office, however, Kinzinger says it “would be the right move.”
Kinzinger offered, “The next best thing is the 25th Amendment” and has urged the president to resign.
Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski has also called for President Trump to resign.
Republicans are also calling for the resignation of Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley for opposing the ratification of the Electoral College votes after the siege.
Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat, tweeted Saturday, “Both @HawleyMO and @SenTedCruz have betrayed their oaths of office and abetted a violent insurrection on our democracy. I am calling for their immediate resignations. If they do not resign, the Senate must expel them.”
Just passed 200 cosponsors on our article of impeachment. We are going to hold Donald Trump accountable for last week’s assault on the Capitol.
— David Cicilline (@davidcicilline) January 10, 2021
Both @HawleyMO and @SenTedCruz have betrayed their oaths of office and abetted a violent insurrection on our democracy.
I am calling for their immediate resignations.
If they do not resign, the Senate must expel them.
— Sherrod Brown (@SenSherrodBrown) January 9, 2021