Senior Republicans announce they will vote to impeach Donald Trump

12 January 2021, 23:38 | Updated: 12 January 2021, 23:39

By Ewan Quayle

@EQjourno

A number of senior Republicans are backing attempts to impeach Donald Trump for a second time - just days before he is due to leave office.

Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney announced on Tuesday evening that she would vote in favour of impeachment and condemned the President for his actions before and after riots erupted on Capitol Hill last week.

Citing the incident, she said there had "never been a greater betrayal" by a US President.

The third most-senior Republican in the House added that Trump “summoned” the mob and "lit the flame of this attack".

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In a statement she said: "On January 6, 2021 a violent mob attacked the United States Capitol to obstruct the process of our democracy and stop the counting of presidential electoral votes.

"This insurrection caused injury, death and destruction in the most sacred space in our Republic.

"Much more will become clear in coming days and weeks, but what we know now is enough. The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack.

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"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.

"There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution. 

"I will vote to impeach the President."

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New York congressman John Katk on Tuesday also announced he would back impeachment, saying that not holding Trump accountable for the riots would represent a “direct threat to the future of our democracy”.

“For that reason, I cannot sit by without taking action,” he said. “I will vote to impeach this president.”

A third House Republican, Adam Kinzinger, said he also would vote to impeach the President, saying there is "no doubt in my mind" that Trump broke his oath and incited the attack.

It is also reported that Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell "believes Donald Trump committed impeachable offences", according to reports.

It is unclear whether he would vote in favour of impeachment but if he does it would deal a hammer blow to the outgoing President's attempts dismiss the move as a "witch hunt" that is of "zero risk to me".

Republicans in the House and Senate are coming under pressure from their Democrat colleagues and campaigners to back either the 25th Amendment motion or impeachment.

Some of Trump's closes allies, including senator Lindsey Graham, have come out against the President following the riots.

Representative Nancy Mace said Mr Trump's accomplishments in office "were wiped out today" after the chaotic scenes.

Meanwhile, the US Department of Justice has announced that 70 people have been arrested in connection with the riots.