The House impeachment managers began the impeachment trial process for former President Donald Trump with the official reading of the single article to the Senate Monday night (Jan. 25).
The House voted to impeach the President Jan. 13 for incitement of insurrection, a high crime and misdemeanor, after a crowd of his followers left a rally where he said the election had been stolen and stormed and vandalized the Capitol where the election results were being certified.
Also Read: Trump Video Calls Out Capitol Insurrectionists
In Washington, the CBS affiliate, Tegna's WUSA-TV carried the CBS special report covering the reading of the articles as well as the impeachment managers marching it over to the Senate chamber, as did NBC-owned WRC-TV with NBC News' coverage. Fox affiliate WTTG-TV carried regular programming (Fox 5's Like it or Not), and Sinclair-owned ABC affiliate WJLA stuck with regular programming as well, airing powerhouse syndicated game show Wheel of Fortune.
CNN, Fox News Channel and C-SPAN all covered the presentation of the article live.
The impeachment trial, which will be presided over by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), will not start for two weeks. It will be Trump's second impeachment trial. He was not convicted the first time around.
Also Read: Sen. Schumer Calls for Trump Removal
Some Republicans argue the trial is unconstitutional because the President is no longer in office, but if the President is convicted--on a two-thirds majority--there would be a second vote--which a simple majority would determine--on barring Trump from holding any future federal office.
