The impeachment process against former American President Donald Trump for storming the Capitol will begin in the second week of February. The new Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer announced in Washington. The indictment will be filed in the Senate next Monday. Usually the process starts a day or two later. The now decided postponement of two weeks enables the Congress Chamber to go about its normal parliamentary work.
This includes in particular the confirmation of the ministers nominated by the new President Joe Biden and possibly the decision on new corona aid amounting to 1.9 trillion dollars (almost 1.6 trillion euros).
Historical impeachment
A week and a half ago, the House of Representatives initiated impeachment proceedings against the right-wing populist because of the storming of the Capitol by radical Trump supporters. The charge is “incitement to riot”. Trump became the first president in American history against whom two impeachment proceedings were initiated.
The leader of the Republicans in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, had campaigned for the actual process to start only in mid-February so that Trump would have more time to prepare.
For President Biden, the impeachment process against his predecessor harbors risks: Biden actually wants to close the Trump chapter and reduce tensions in the country. But he must fear new conflicts between Democrats and Republicans as well as extensive paralysis of the Senate as a result of the process.
.
