Where to begin? To say that it has been a monumental week on Capitol Hill would be an understatement. As the dust begins to settle, there is one thing that rings true. This will be a week that will go down in the record books as both an assault on democracy and a triumph over that attack.
In addition to Babbitt, three individuals passed away on the day of the attacks due to undisclosed medical emergencies. On Thursday, a Capitol Police officer injured in the line of duty also succumbed to his injuries, bringing the total death count to five. Officer Brian D. Sicknick died Thursday night. His death is currently under investigation by the DC Metropolitan Police Department’s homicide branch.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ordered that all flags at the US Capitol be flown at half-staff to honor the life of the fallen officer.
Trump Will Not Attend Inauguration: On Friday morning, Trump tweeted that he will not attend the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden on January 20. If he indeed skips the formal ceremonies, he will be the first president in over 150 years to miss his replacement’s inauguration. The last time that a living president declined the opportunity to attend the inauguration of his successor was in 1869 when Andrew Johnson missed the swearing-in ceremony of Ulysses S. Grant.
While Trump will not be in attendance for the pomp and circumstance, it has been confirmed that Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and George W. Bush all plan on being there for the events. Due to declining health, former President Jimmy Carter will not be able to attend the event. It is not clear what Trump will do with his remaining days in office or where he plans to go at the end of this term.
Democrat Focus Shifts to Possible Impeachment of President: As the dust clears from the attack on the Capitol, there is an increasing call from those in the Democratic party to bring impeachment charges against the president in his final days of office. While there is a substantial amount of support within the Democratic ranks to remove Trump from his post, most Republicans are not on board at this time.
Pelosi is leading the charge in the attempt, calling on Vice President Mike Pence and the president’s Cabinet to use the 25th Amendment to impeach Trump. Per the fourth section of the amendment, a majority of the Cabinet along with the support of the vice president can use their power to declare the president unfit for office. This declaration would immediately transfer the power to Pence for the remainder of the term.
If Pence and the Cabinet do not agree to this proposition, Pelosi could take another route and initiate the impeachment process in the House. According to Pelosi, these charges could be brought in just a few days.
West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin said on Friday that he would support an effort to impeach the president. The moderate Democrat is often considered a bellwether in these types of situations. In addition, Republican Sen. Ben Sasse came out on record on Friday morning to say that he would also consider the move if the House passed the resolution and it went to the Senate. The senator from Nebraska has been a vocal critic of the president in recent months.
Cabinet Members Resign: Since the events of Wednesday, two Cabinet members have resigned from their posts, specifically citing the events at the Capitol and the president’s involvement in inciting the violence as the reasons for their resignation. On Thursday, both Elaine Chao and Betsy DeVoss resigned from their positions as secretary of the Department of Transporation and secretary of the Department of Education, respectively.
These two women were not the only people in the Trump administration that were disheartened by the unfolding of events. Trump’s deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger also turned in his resignation on Wednesday afternoon. In addition, Stephanie Grisham, former White House communications director as well as press secretary and current chief of staff for first lady Melania Trump, resigned on Wednesday in light of the events. Lastly, White House social secretary Anna Cristina “Rickie” Niceta resigned effective immediately.
While it is becoming clear that many of the key members of the Trump administration are looking to jump ship, leaders on both sides of the aisle are urging them to stay in place as a matter of national security.
Electronics Reported Stolen from Capitol: The fallout from the breach of the Capitol continues. Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn confirmed that he had an iPad stolen during the raid of the building. In addition, Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley said that a computer was stolen from a table in his office as the mob broke into the offices of various lawmakers.
The reports raise issues about potential breaches in national security as a result of the thefts.
The Senate Homeland Security and Rules committees announced together that they plan to hold hearings regarding the security failures that led to the riot at the Capitol and its repercussions.
