US President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday expressed hope that the Senate leadership will balance President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial while dealing with “other urgent business”.
"Last week, we saw an unprecedented assault on our democracy. It was unlike anything we have witnessed in the 244-year history of our nation,” Biden said in a statement released after the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump for a second time.
“A violent attack on the United States Capitol itself. On the people’s representatives. On police officers who every day risk their lives to protect them. And on fellow citizens who serve as public servants in that Citadel of Liberty.”
“Windows and doors were destroyed. Offices ransacked. A Capitol Hill police officer was murdered. Another lost his life a few days later. Four other people died in the senseless mayhem of that day.”
“This criminal attack was planned and coordinated. It was carried out by political extremists and domestic terrorists, who were incited to this violence by President Trump,” said Biden, who added, “It was an armed insurrection against the United States of America. And those responsible must be held accountable.”
“Today, the members of the House of Representatives exercised the power granted to them under our Constitution and voted to impeach and hold the president accountable. It was a bipartisan vote cast by members who followed the Constitution and their conscience. The process continues to the Senate,” he continued.
“This nation also remains in the grip of a deadly virus and a reeling economy. I hope that the Senate leadership will find a way to deal with their Constitutional responsibilities on impeachment while also working on the other urgent business of this nation,” said Biden.
Earlier, the House approved an article of impeachment against Trump by a majority of 232 to 197, with 10 Republicans voting in favor of the article accusing Trump of “incitement of insurrection” following last week's riots at the Capitol.
The procedure now goes to the Senate, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has stated that the GOP will not agree to reconvene the Senate before January 19 to allow an impeachment trial while Trump is still in office.
In a statement released after the House vote, McConnell urged lawmakers to focus on the transfer of power from the Trump administration to the Biden administration.
“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,” he wrote.