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- At least three Republicans in the House of Representatives announced on Tuesday that they will vote to impeach President Donald Trump after the US Capitol siege.
- New York Rep. John Katko became the first member of his party to publicly support impeachment, and he was closely followed by Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney and Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger.
- The White House reportedly expects roughly two dozen Republican lawmakers to vote in favor of Trump’s impeachment after he incited a deadly riot at the Capitol that resulted in five deaths.
- Insider will continue updating this list.
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At least three House Republicans have come out in support of President Donald Trump’s impeachment after he incited a deadly riot at the US Capitol last week.
The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives is widely expected to begin impeachment proceedings against Trump on Wednesday and charge him with “incitement of insurrection.” The New York Times reported that the White House expects roughly two dozen Republicans to break ranks and come out in support of impeachment.
On Tuesday evening, New York Rep. John Katko became the first Republican lawmaker to publicly express support for the president’s impeachment.
“To allow the president of the United States to incite this attack without consequence is a direct threat to the future of our democracy,” Katko said in a statement. “For that reason, I cannot sit by without taking action. I will vote to impeach this president.”
Shortly after, Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, the chair of the House Republican Conference and the third highest-ranking GOP lawmaker in the chamber, also announced her support for impeachment.
“The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack,” she said in a statement. “Everything that followed was his doing. None of this would have happened without the President. The President could have immediately and forcefully intervened to stop the violence. He did not.”
Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger also released a statement saying he would back the president’s impeachment. On Thursday, one day after the Capitol siege, Kinzinger was the first GOP lawmaker to call for Trump’s removal via the 25th Amendment.
“On January 6, 2020, the President of the United States encouraged an angry mob to storm the United States Capitol to stop the counting of electoral votes,” the Illinois Republican said in his statement announcing support for impeachment. “This angry mob turned violent and caused destruction to our nation’s symbol of democracy. This insurrection led to countless injuries and the death of several people, including two of our U.S. Capitol Police Officers.”
He continued: “There is no doubt in my mind that the President of the United States broke his oat of office and incited this insurrection. I will vote in favor of impeachment.”
Republicans to watch
The Times reported that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell believes the president committed impeachable offenses and is “pleased” at the prospect of his impeachment.
Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey also said publicly that Trump violated his oath of office.
“I do think the president committed impeachable offenses,” Toomey told Fox News. “I’m not sure it’s desirable to attempt to force him out, what, a day or two or three prior to the day on which he’s going to be finished anyway … so I’m not clear that’s the best path forward.”
Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski called on the president to resign and said if the GOP couldn’t separate itself from Trump, she may leave the party. Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse also said he would seriously consider any articles of impeachment against the president in the wake of the violence.
Insider will continue updating this list.
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