The House voted to impeach President Donald Trump over his role in inciting an insurrection at the Capitol, with a vote of 232 to 197. Ten Republicans joined all Democrats in voting to impeach and while that is a very small percentage of GOP lawmakers in the House, it is ten more than those who voted to impeach in December 2019. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi explained why the House voted to make Trump the first President in history to be impeached twice.  It remains to be seen when Pelosi will send the Article to the Senate for a trial. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has now signaled publicly that he is considering whether or not to vote against Trump—a stunning change of posture after 4 years of protecting the President at all costs from paying any political price for his misdeeds. He is expected to not take up the impeachment trial in the Senate if it is sent to the body while he remains Senate Majority Leader for the next few days. While there is some disagreement as to whether Trump can be convicted after he leaves office – particularly from his supporters – legal experts say he can indeed be convicted as an ex-President. There is speculation that Trump’s trial could begin on January 20th, inauguration day, when President elect Joe Biden takes office. 

President Trump, whose Twitter megaphone has been cut off, released a tweet-like statement through his Press Secretary’s account saying in part, “In light of reports of more demonstrations, I urge that there must be NO violence, NO lawbreaking and NO vandalism of any kind.” He then released a highly scripted video statement echoing the same and where he pretended as though he was entirely cut off from the riot, violence, and insurrection he incited. 

In an insider account of Trump’s last days at the White House, the Washington Post on Wednesday explained that the President’s daughter, son-in-law, and Vice President Pence among others, “persuaded Trump to film the video, telling him it could boost support among weak Republicans. They asked him not to mention impeachment, and he didn’t.” The report also explained that, “he is said to be doing little these days besides watching television and fulminating with this coterie of loyalists about Republicans not defending him enough.” One official explained, “He is feeling increasingly alone and isolated and frustrated.” Additionally, the piece pointed out that Trump is increasingly angry with his lawyer Rudy Giuliani who failed to move the needle on legal challenges to the 2020 election and has, “instructed aides not to pay Giuliani’s legal fees.” 

During the House impeachment debate, one Republican,