Impeachment Could Have Substantial Ramifications For President Trump, Country Moving Forward
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- For the first time in the nation's history, a president has been impeached twice during their term. The impeachment could have substantial ramifications for President Donald Trump and the country moving forward.
One week after a group of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, the House of Representatives voted in favor of impeaching the president for inciting an insurrection.
"I must move forward with impeachment of this president. He has endangered this nation. He has betrayed his oath," Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Chrissy Houlahan said.
Houlahan, a Democrat from Pennsylvania's Sixth District, explained her vote. Like all those representing our area, the decision on whether or not to impeach Trump fell on party lines.
The House of Representatives debated for hours before impeaching Trump for a second time, with local lawmakers either supporting or denouncing the charge.
"Removing Donald Trump is the beginning of restoring decency in democracy," Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Madeleine Dean said. "What happened last week will not be forgotten and what we do this week will long be remembered. Vote yes on impeachment."
"By the time this process would conclude, the man they want out of office will no longer even be the president," New Jersey Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew said. "If we want unity, this is not the way."
Democrats moved swiftly to call for an article of impeachment against the president for inciting an insurrection, a week after a mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol.
When the full votes were tallied, 232 members of Congress voted in favor vs. 197 against impeachment.
"This particular impeachment is extraordinary," said Perry Day, a Rutgers law professor and former law clerk to Supreme Court Justice William Brennan.
Dane says bipartisan lawmakers who were witness to the Capitol siege make this impeachment push much different.
"In a sense, it's the equivalent of a court holding somebody in contempt for doing something in the courtroom," Dane said.
"The speaker is going to send these articles to the Senate. The Senate's not coming back until the 19th, it doesn't really matter when. Then the Senate will start debate about rules and a trial," said University of Pennsylvania political analyst Brian Rosenwald.
With one week before the president's term ends, Rosenwald says this impeachment process could have lasting ramifications on Trump's political future if the Senate votes to convict him.
"This impeachment is about two other things. It's about making clear for the future that this kind of conduct is unacceptable... and that they can then bar President Trump from ever holding office again. That's the big penalty here," Rosenwald said.
Political analysts believe there will likely be a dormant period before the Senate takes up the second phase of what will happen next.
CBS3's Natasha Brown and Greg Argos contributed to this report.
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