House impeaches Trump for role in deadly Capitol riot

By Meg Wagner, Melissa Macaya, Mike Hayes, Melissa Mahtani, Fernando Alfonso III and Veronica Rocha, CNN

Updated 8:54 a.m. ET, January 14, 2021
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6:06 p.m. ET, January 13, 2021

Former FBI Director James Comey says the Capitol attack was a "planned assault"

From CNN's Josiah Ryan

Former FBI Director James Comey today said the evidence he has seen so far suggests the attack on the Capitol was an organized conspiracy.

"There's no doubt there were at least some conspiracy," Comey told CNN's Jake Tapper this afternoon. 

"People wandering around exercising First Amendment rights don't bring ropes and ladders and sledgehammers to a spontaneous event," continued Comey. "This was a planned assault like going after a castle."

Comey's remarks came just moments after CNN reported emerging evidence was leading law enforcement officials to believe the attack was premeditated rather than a protest that spiraled out of control.

Among the evidence the FBI is examining are indications that some participants at the Trump rally at the Ellipse, outside the White House, left the event early, perhaps to retrieve items to be used in the assault on the Capitol.

Watch more:

5:52 p.m. ET, January 13, 2021

Investigators pursuing signs US Capitol riot was planned 

From CNN's Evan Perez

Evidence uncovered so far, including weapons and tactics seen on surveillance video, suggests a level of planning that has led investigators to believe the attack was not just a protest that spiraled out of control, a federal law enforcement official says. 

Among the evidence the FBI is examining are indications that some participants at the Trump rally at the Ellipse, outside the White House, left the event early, perhaps to retrieve items to be used for the assault on the Capitol. 

A team of investigators and prosecutors are focused on the command and control aspect of the attack, looking at travel and communications records to determine if they can build a case that is similar to a counterterrorism investigation, the official said. 

The belief, early in the probe, will demand significant investigation. 

The presence of corruption prosecutors and agents is in part because of their expertise in financial investigations. 

“We are following the money,” the official said. 

By Wednesday morning, the FBI reported that it had received more than 126,000 digital tips from the public regarding the attack on the Capitol – more than three times the number of tips received on Monday.  

Among the thousands of tips the FBI received are some that appear to show members of Congress with people who later showed up at the Capitol riot, two law enforcement officials said. This doesn’t mean members of Congress and staff are under investigation, but the FBI is checking the veracity of the claims, the officials said. 

At least some of the arrests already made are part of a strategy used in counterterrorism investigations, to find even a minimal charge and try to take a person of concern off the streets. That helps ease the possible threat amid concern about possible attacks on the Inauguration, officials believe. 

5:48 p.m. ET, January 13, 2021

Here's how each member of the House voted for today's impeachment

From CNN's Christopher Hickey, Janie Boschma and Sean O'Key

The House voted earlier today to impeach President Trump for incitement of insurrection, exactly one week after a mob attacked the Capitol where lawmakers were convening to approve President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College win.

Ten Republicans joined Democrats in the historic vote to impeach Trump a second time — a contrast to the first impeachment vote, when every House Republican voted against both articles of impeachment. Four Republicans did not vote: Reps. Kay Granger (TX-12), Andy Harris (MD-1), Gregory Murphy (NC-3) and Daniel Webster (FL-11).

See the full list on how everyone else voted here.

5:56 p.m. ET, January 13, 2021

John King: Many Republicans have put themselves in a box and lack credibility by enabling Trump 

Analysis from CNN's John King / Written by CNN's Maureen Chowdhury

Many Republicans have put themselves in box that will make it difficult for them to debate the big issues moving forward by aligning themselves closely with President Trump, CNN's John King said after the House voted to impeach Trump for a second time.

"This is the party of Lincoln and the party of Reagan, that right now is still the party of Trump. Many people are trying to escape from that," King said.

"But they've put themselves in a box because they've enabled him the last two months. Many of them have enabled him the last four years. They have ignored the facts. They have ignored the truth. They've attacked us. They have attacked institutions. And their reward for that was the United States government, the building they serve in, being attacked a week ago. How do they get out of this?," King continued.

Ten Republicans, including the House's No. 3 Republican, Liz Cheney of Wyoming, joined their Democratic colleagues to impeach Trump for "incitement of insurrection." Several of their colleagues, including Republican Rep. Jim Jordan, defended Trump on the House floor. Jordan claimed that Democrats simply wanted to "cancel the President." 

"We need a competitive two-party system. We need a good debate about all the big issues before us. But many of those Republicans simply don't have the standing or credibility right now because of the box they've put themselves in," King explained.

Watch King's full remarks:

5:45 p.m. ET, January 13, 2021

Trump is the first US president to be impeached twice. We answer your questions on what happens next.

The House has just voted to impeach President Trump for the second time – making him the only US president to ever be impeached twice.

The impeachment resolution the House voted on, which passed 232 to 197, charges Trump with a single article, “incitement of insurrection” for his role in last week’s deadly Capitol riot.

CNN’s Zach Wolf is answering your questions on what happens next.

Watch via the link below:

5:21 p.m. ET, January 13, 2021

Schumer says "there will be an impeachment trial" in the Senate

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said an impeachment trial can "begin immediately" if they can reach an agreement with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

“A Senate trial can begin immediately, with agreement from the current Senate majority leader to reconvene the Senate for an emergency session, or it will begin after January 19," Schumer said in a statement. "But make no mistake, there will be an impeachment trial in the United States Senate; there will be a vote on convicting the president for high crimes and misdemeanors; and if the president is convicted, there will be a vote on barring him from running again."

Some context: McConnell has made clear in a statement to fellow senators that Trump's impeachment trial won’t start until after Jan. 19.  

5:12 p.m. ET, January 13, 2021

GOP lawmaker says he voted to impeach because Trump encouraged "masses of rioters to incite violence"

From CNN's Alex Rogers 

California GOP Rep. David Valadao explained on Twitter why he voted to impeach President Trump, saying the President encouraged "masses of rioters to incite violence."

“President Trump was, without question, a driving force in the catastrophic events that took place on January 6 by encouraging masses of rioters to incite violence on elected officials, staff members, and our representative democracy as a whole," he said in the video. 

“Speaker Pelosi has thrown precedent and process out the window by turning what should be a thorough investigation into a rushed political stunt. I wish, more than anything, that we had more time to hold hearings to ensure due process," the video continued. “Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi did not afford us that option.”

Valadao said that he voted based on the facts and that he had to "go with my gut and vote my conscience."

“I voted to impeach President Trump. His inciting rhetoric was un-American, abhorrent, and absolutely an impeachable offense. It’s time to put country over politics," he said.
5:02 p.m. ET, January 13, 2021

McConnell makes clear no Senate trial before Biden is sworn in 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has made clear in a statement to fellow senators that President Trump's impeachment trial won’t start until after Jan. 19.  

McConnell said in the statement that he believes "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."

Read his full statement:

“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.
Given the rules, procedures, and Senate precedents that govern presidential impeachment trials, there is simply no chance that a fair or serious trial could conclude before President-elect Biden is sworn in next week. The Senate has held three presidential impeachment trials. They have lasted 83 days, 37 days, and 21 days respectively.
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.
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.”
5:04 p.m. ET, January 13, 2021

Senior adviser says "it all came crashing down" because Trump "could never tell the truth"

From CNN's Jim Acosta

A senior Trump adviser offered a stinging assessment of the President's second impeachment by saying Trump has destroyed everything he built politically because he could never tell the truth.

"In the end, it all came crashing down because he could never tell the truth," the adviser said. "All because he couldn't accept he lost," the adviser added.

"This will be the story you tell your kids when you lecture them about telling the truth," the adviser continued.