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09Jan21

Pelosi urges Democrats to prepare to return to DC this week amid impeachment calls

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told her Democratic colleagues in the House to prepare to return to Washington this week amid talks of impeaching President Trump for a second time over his role in inciting the mob that breached the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.

In a "Dear Colleague" letter sent to Democratic members Saturday, Pelosi said "We will be proceeding with meetings with Members and Constitutional experts and others," after she received feedback about how to respond to Wednesday's riots, adding "I urge you to be prepared to return to Washington this week."

The letter comes as House Democrats appear poised to impeach Trump over his role in inciting Wednesday's attack on the Capitol, which saw a mob of his supporters damaging windows, vandalizing congressional offices and even accessing the House and Senate chambers.

Five people died in the attacks, including 42-year-old Capitol Hill Police Officer Brian Sicknick.

In an hours-long conference call with the House Democratic caucus Friday, lawmakers expressed near unanimous support for impeachment.

Pelosi stated in the letter released Saturday that lawmakers have taken an oath of office to defend democracy.

"For that reason, it is absolutely essential that those who perpetrated the assault on our democracy be held accountable. There must be a recognition that this desecration was instigated by the President," she wrote.

"From what I have heard from Members, and from the deluge that I have received from the public, it is clear that, once again, the Times Have Found Us to save our democracy," Pelosi concluded.

Democrats and some Republicans had previously voiced support of Vice President Pence and other Cabinet members invoking the 25th amendment to remove Trump out of fear he could incite more violence in the remaining days of his presidency.

Pelosi said Friday that she directed the House Rules Committee to consider a motion to impeach Trump, as well as legislation to create a commission that would declare the president "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office."

The speaker previously threatened impeachment if Pence did not invoke the 25th amendment, a move that the vice president reportedly opposes, according to sources familiar with talks inside with the White House.

Some lawmakers, however, are hoping that President-elect Joe Biden will persuade Pelosi to not impeach Trump, warning that it would only further divide the country.

[Source: By Jordan Williams, The Hill, Washington, 09Jan21]
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