Draft of article of impeachment says Trump incited insurrection

The draft says the president willfully made statements that encouraged imminent lawless action at the Capitol.

By REUTERS

JANUARY 9, 2021 01:19

US President Donald Trump speaks about early results from the 2020 US presidential election in the East Room of the White House in Washington, US, November 4, 2020. (photo credit: CARLOS BARRIA / REUTERS) — US President Donald Trump speaks about early results from the 2020 US presidential election in the East Room of the White House in Washington, US, November 4, 2020.

(photo credit: CARLOS BARRIA / REUTERS)

A draft of the article of impeachment against President Donald Trump drawn up by Democratic members of the House of Representatives after the storming of the US Capitol accuses him of engaging in high crimes and misdemeanors by inciting insurrection, MSNBC reported on Friday.

The draft says the Republican president willfully made statements that encouraged imminent lawless action at the Capitol, MSNBC said, adding that House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi had yet to endorse the language of the draft.

JUST IN: 4-page draft article of impeachment against President Trump that Reps. Raskin, Lieu, Cicilline are planning to introduce Monday: "Incitement of insurrection" pic.twitter.com/KdQrzQy6pf
— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 8, 2021

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Friday that lawmakers have "several options" for a possible second impeachment of Republican President Donald Trump.

Pelosi said that she has instructed the Rules Committee to be prepared to move forward on a motion to impeach Trump if the Republican does not resign after deadly pro-Trump riots at the US Capitol.

"It is the hope of members that the president will immediately resign," Pelosi said in a statement on her meeting with the House Democratic Caucus. "The House will preserve every option... With great respect, our deliberations will continue."

Asked about a timeline for the House's moving forward on impeachment, Pelosi, a Democrat, told reporters: "Our conversation continues. We have several options so far."

Impeaching President Donald Trump with 12 days remaining in his presidency would only serve to further divide the country, White House spokesman Judd Deere said on Friday.