Moment pro-Trump rioters storm US Capitol captured on TV broadcast
Donald Trump could soon face impeachment proceedings for the second time in his single-term presidency, with Democrats in the US House of Representatives seeking to oust the “unhinged” president after his supporters stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday.
On Monday, Democrats will introduce legislation seeking to impeach the president, California Rep. Ted Lieu confirmed on Saturday. But House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn said the articles of impeachment might wait until after Joe Biden becomes president before they’re passed on to the Senate.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she hopes Mr Trump will resign from his role before Democrats are forced to act. In the meantime, she has pushed for the “unhinged president” to be stripped of access to the US’s nuclear codes.
Meanwhile, a number of pro-Trump rioters have been arrested and charged over their roles in Wednesday’s deadly siege of the US Capitol. Among them is Jacob Anthony Chansley, known as Jake Angeli, a prominent pusher of the baseless conspiracy theory QAnon. Also known as the “QAnon Shaman”, Mr Chansley was taken into custody on charges including violent entry and disorderly conduct.
The White House finally lowered its flags to half-staff on Sunday afternoon, a move controlled by the president, days after it was announced a police officer died during the Wednesday riots. Mr Trump has offered no condolences or a public statement about Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick.
Lawmakers may have been exposed to Covid while sheltering during Capitol riots
House lawmakers may have been exposed to someone testing positive for COVID-19 while they sheltered at an undisclosed location during the Capitol siege by a violent mob loyal to President Donald Trump.
The Capitol’s attending physician notified all lawmakers on Sunday of the virus exposure and urged them to be tested. The infected individual was not named.
Dr Brian Moynihan wrote that “many members of the House community were in protective isolation in the large room — some for several hours” on Wednesday. He said “individuals may have been exposed to another occupant with coronavirus infection.”
Danielle Zoellner10 January 2021 19:38
White House lowers flags to half-staff
The White House has lowered its flags to half-staff as of Sunday at 2pm local time, days after it was revealed a Capitol Police officer died while defending the US Capitol.
Donald Trump has faced severe scrutiny for his response the Wednesday riots.
Democratic and Republican lawmakers alike have called for the White House flags to be lowered to half-staff, a decision the rests with the president, but Mr Trump failed to so until today. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie called it a “national disgrace’” when speaking on ABC News on Sunday morning that the flags had yet to be lowered.
Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick died on 6 January while defending the US Capitol. Mr Trump has yet to call the family and offer condolences, according to The New York Times. Vice President Mike Pence, meanwhile, has spoken with the family.
Danielle Zoellner10 January 2021 19:12
Officer who responded to Capitol riots has died
Capitol Police Officer Howard Liebengood has died by suicide, the United States Capitol Police Labour Committee confirmed on Sunday.
He was one of the officers on the scene at the US Capitol on 6 January, the union confirmed.
“We are reeling from the death of Officer Liebengood. Every Capitol Police Officer puts the security of others before their own safety and Officer Liebengood was an example of the selfless service that is the hallmark of USCP. This is a tragic day,” Gus Papathanasiou, the union chairman, said.
The exact circumstances of his death remain unknown, but Mr Liebengood is the second officer the police force has lost within two days. Officer Brian Sicknick died on 6 January from injuries he sustained while defending the US Capitol and those inside it.
Danielle Zoellner10 January 2021 19:01
Melania Trump has ‘blood on her hands’ over Capitol riots, says former BFF and aide
Melania Trump has been accused of having “blood on her hands” by a former friend and adviser following the deadly riots by a pro-Trump mob at the US Capitol on Wednesday.
Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, who previously served as an aide to the first lady, penned a scathing editorial of the president and Mrs Trump in The Daily Beast.
“It was an assault on human life and our great democracy. Unfortunately, our president and first lady have little, if any, regard for either,” Ms Wolkoff wrote following the Capitol riots, calling the violence “shocking, awful, disheartening and shameful”.
Danielle Zoellner10 January 2021 18:43
Trump to travel on Tuesday to visit border wall
Donald Trump has plans to travel to Alamo, Texas, on Tuesday to visit the border wall, a White House press secretary says.
His visit will “mark the completion of more than 400 miles of border wall – a promise made, a promise kept – and his Administration’s efforts to reform our broken immigration system,” deputy press secretary Judd Deere said in a statement.
This will be one of the last events in Trump’s presidency.
The travel plans will also potentially be the first time the public sees the president following his attendance at the “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington DC on Wednesday where he instructed attendees to march to the US Capitol. The president has since remained out of public eye, except for two filmed videos, following the riots that took place on Wednesday.
Danielle Zoellner10 January 2021 18:22
Top House Democrat says chamber could wait until after Biden’s first 100 days for Trump impeachment
Jim Clyburn, the House majority whip and a Democratic representative of South Carolina, has said impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump could be held off until after the first 100 days of the Biden administration.
“We’ll take the vote that we should take in the House, and [House Speaker Nancy Pelosi] will make the determination as to when is the best time to get that vote and get the managers appointed and move that legislation over to the Senate,” Mr Clyburn told CNN’s Jake Tapper on State of the Union on Sunday.
“It just so happens that if it didn’t go over there for 100 days, it could – let’s give President-elect Biden the 100 days he needs to get his agenda off and running, and maybe we’ll send the articles sometime after that,” he added.
Ms Pelosi indicated on Friday the House was prepared to move forward with its second impeachment of Mr Trump following the US Capitol riots. The Democrats planned to introduce their articles of impeachment on Monday, which already has more than 190 co-sponsors.
These articles of impeachment could likely pass in the House, but when they would send onto the Senate remains unclear. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated previously that the Senate would not return to session until 19 January.
The Senate could vote after that on impeachment, but it would then be when Mr Trump has already left office.
Democrats have considered holding off on passing the articles onto the Senate until after Mr Biden’s 100 days in office so it wouldn’t impact other items on the incoming president’s agenda.
Danielle Zoellner10 January 2021 18:04
Trump attempts to find new social network after Twitter ban
Twitter’s decision to ban President Donald Trump mere days before the end of his term sparked a fierce political backlash among his most fervent allies on Saturday, sending some of his supporters – and the White House itself – scrambling to find another potent tool to communicate online.
Many prominent conservatives – including Brad Parscale, Mr Trump’s former campaign manager, and Rush Limbaugh, the leading voice in right-wing radio – reacted to Mr Trump’s suspension by blasting Twitter, quitting the site outright or encouraging the president’s loyal following to turn to alternative services. Mr Trump himself signalled he is in negotiations to join other social networks, and he raised the possibility he could create a new online platform on his own.
The Independent’s Tony Romm and Josh Dawsey have the report:
Danielle Zoellner10 January 2021 17:41
Biden’s defense nominee could get up to $1.7 million leaving Raytheon
President-elect Joe Biden’s pick for US defense secretary, retired General Lloyd Austin, could take away as much as $1.7 million on his way out from Raytheon Technologies Corp, an ethics disclosure revealed on Sunday.
Mr Austin was given stock in Raytheon and two spin-off companies, Carrier Global Corp and Otis Worldwide Corp when he took a board seat with a predecessor to the company.
If he resigns to take the job with the Biden administration, some of that stock would be sold on his behalf, with the retired general vowing to fully divest from Raytheon within 90 days of his confirmation, according to Reuters.
He has also agreed to recuse himself from decisions involving the company for at least a year.
Sunday’s disclosure does not show exact amounts, but suggests that he stands to gain from around $800,000 to $1.7 million from the stocks.
The filings do not show exact amounts, only broad ranges of the value of the stock, from about $800,000 to around $1.7 million.
Chantal Da Silva10 January 2021 17:25
AOC offers ‘free advice’ to Sarah Huckabee Sanders after complaint of losing followers
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has offered some “free advice” to former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders after she took to Twitter to complain of losing followers after Wednesday’s Capitol riots.
“I’ve lost 50k+ followers this week. The radical left and their big tech allies cannot marginalize, censor, or silence the American people. This is not China, this is United States of America, and we are a free country,” Mrs Huckabee Sanders said in a tweet.
“Free advice – if you are losing tens of thousands of followers the moment Twitter starts taking down Neo-Nazis and violent insurrectionists, maybe don’t advertise that!” Ms Ocasio-Cortez responded.
A number of people, including President Donald Trump, lost access to their Twitter accounts in relation to Wednesday’s violence.
Twitter permanently suspended Mr Trump’s personal account over the potential risk of further incitement of violence.
Ms Ocasio-Cortez further admonished the former White House press secretary, writing: “Also maybe people are unfollowing you out disgust for your support of a coupist [because] they care about our country.”
Chantal Da Silva10 January 2021 17:15
No order for half-mast flag at White House in honour of killed Capitol police officer
President Donald Trump has reportedly given no order for flags to be flown at half-mast over federal buildings to honour Brian Sicknick, the officer who died from injuries sustained during Wednesday’s violent Capitol riots.
An aide to Vice President Mike Pence told The New York Times that while the VP had contacted Sicknick’s family to offer his condolences, Mr Trump had yet to do so.
Flags over the US Capitol were flown at half-mast to honour the slain officer. However, the White House did not lower its own flag. “Trump won’t lower flags for the officer who died from injuries he sustained engaging with a mob of Trump supporters,” The Times’ TweetMaggie HabermanHe and Pence haven’t spoken since Wednesday morning. Pence refused to leave the overtaken building despite USSS asking him to.
“Trump won’t lower flags for the officer who died from injuries he sustained engaging with a mob of Trump supporters,” The Times’ Maggie Haberman reported in a tweet on Saturday. “
“He and Pence haven’t spoken since Wednesday morning,” she also noted.
Chantal Da Silva10 January 2021 16:49
