With just seven days left in his presidency, Congress has impeached President Donald Trump for the second time during his presidency. It is the first time in history that a president has been impeached twice.

The single article of impeachment accuses President Trump of "incitement of insurrection" following a protest at the Capitol on January 6 in which his supporters stormed the Capitol Building during a joint session of Congress.

"In all this, President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government. He threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a coequal branch of Government. He thereby betrayed his trust as President, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States."

The final vote was 232-197, with ten Republicans crossing party lines to vote in favor of impeaching President Trump. Those Republicans included Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, who is the third-ranking House Republican, New York Rep. John Katko, Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger, Michigan Rep. Fred Upton, Michigan Rep. Peter Meijer, Ohio Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, South Carolina Rep. Tom Rice, California Rep. David Valadao, and Washington State Reps. Jaime Herrera Beutler and Dan Newhouse.

Four lawmakers did not vote.

Now that the House has impeached President Trump, the Senate will hold a trial and decide whether or not to remove him from office. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is not going to call the Senate into an emergency session to hold the impeachment trial, all but ensuring that President Trump will remain in office until January 20, when President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in as president.

"The House of Representatives has voted to impeach the President. The Senate process will now begin at our first regular meeting following receipt of the article from the House.

"Even if the Senate process were to begin this week and move promptly, no final verdict would be reached until after President Trump had left office. This is not a decision I am making; it is a fact. The President-elect himself stated last week that his inauguration on January 20 is the ‘quickest’ path for any change in the occupant of the presidency," McConnell said in a statement.

"In light of this reality, I believe it will best serve our nation if Congress and the executive branch spend the next seven days completely focused on facilitating a safe inauguration and an orderly transfer of power to the incoming Biden Administration. I am grateful to the offices and institutions within the Capitol that are working around the clock, alongside federal and local law enforcement, to prepare for a safe and successful inauguration at the Capitol next Wednesday."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi named nine lawmakers who will serve as impeachment managers for the Senate trial. Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin will serve as the lead manager. The other managers include Reps. Diana DeGette, Madeleine Dean, Madeleine Dean, Eric Swalwell, Ted Lieu, Stacey Plaskett, Joe Neguse, and Madeleine Dean.

Photo: Getty Images

Dan Rivers

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