5th House Republican says she will vote to impeach Trump, and more are expected
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) became the fifth House Republican to announce she will vote to impeach President Trump on Wednesday, but the final number is expected to be higher. Zero Republicans voted to impeach Trump a year ago, but after Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.) said Tuesday afternoon that he will do so this time, and especially after No. 3 House Republican Rep. Liz Cheney (Wyo.) followed suit, it became clear that Trump's second impeachment will have at least modest bipartisan support.
The House will consider and vote on one article of impeachment, accusing Trump of "inciting violence against the government of the United States" and "incitement of insurrection" for encouraging a violent mob to storm the U.S. Capitol last week during a joint session to finalize President-elect Joe Biden's electoral victory. Five people died during the violence, including a Capitol Police officer.
"As many as a dozen Republicans are expected to support impeachment, according to lawmakers and aides of both parties," Politico reports. "But it's unclear how Cheney's public endorsement will change the calculation for Republicans who have been privately dismayed, or even outright enraged, at the president."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In her statement, Herrera Beutler said Trump "incited a riot aiming to halt the peaceful transfer of power," and his actions — and lack of meaningful action — "in my reading of the Constitution, were impeachable based on the indisputable evidence we already have," and "I will vote to impeach him." Reps. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) have also said they will vote to impeach.
The top two House Republicans, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) and Minority Whip Steve Scalise (La.), do not support impeachment. But McCarthy, a Trump ally, "has been scrambling behind the scenes about what to do next" and "polling members about whether he should call on Trump to resign," Politico reports. GOP aides say he is open to censuring Trump, but Democrats argue that's too little, too late.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Political cartoons for October 25Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include hospital bill trauma, Independence Day, and more
-
Roasted squash and apple soup recipeThe Week Recommends Autumnal soup is full of warming and hearty flavours
-
Ukraine: Donald Trump pivots againIn the Spotlight US president apparently warned Volodymyr Zelenskyy to accept Vladimir Putin’s terms or face destruction during fractious face-to-face
-
Proposed Trump-Putin talks in Budapest on holdSpeed Read Trump apparently has no concrete plans to meet with Putin for Ukraine peace talks
-
Bolivia elects centrist over far-right presidential rivalSpeed Read Relative political unknown Rodrigo Paz, a centrist senator, was elected president
-
Madagascar president in hiding, refuses to resignSpeed Read Andry Rajoelina fled the country amid Gen Z protests and unrest
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Israel, Hamas agree to first step of Trump peace planSpeed Read Israel’s military pulls back in Gaza amid prisoner exchange
-
Israel intercepts 2nd Gaza aid flotilla in a weekSpeed Read The Israeli military intercepted a flotilla of nine boats with 145 activists aboard along with medical and food aid
-
Japan poised to get first woman prime ministerSpeed Read The ruling Liberal Democratic Party elected former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi
-
Israel and Hamas meet on hostages, Trump’s planSpeed Read Hamas accepted the general terms of Trump’s 20-point plan, including the release of all remaining hostages
