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Trump and Pence meet for first time since Capitol assault
get the free appA senior administration source confirmed to CBS News that President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence spoke Monday evening in the Oval Office, their first meeting since the assault on the U.S. Capitol last week. The source described it as a "good" conversation.
A former White House official with close ties to Pence earlier told CBS News that the vice president is "discouraged, disheartened, hurt and stunned."
The source said Pence never seriously considered using the 25th Amendment to remove Mr. Trump from office. The source said that during conversations earlier in the administration, White House lawyers researched its applicability and found it really covered incapacity, due to things like a serious injury or undergoing anesthesia.
Under the 25th Amendment, the vice president can assume power as acting president if a majority of the Cabinet determines the president is "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office."
House Republicans, meanwhile, blocked a resolution from Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin to call on Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove the president from office. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said the House will vote on the measure on Tuesday, and could proceed with impeachment if Pence doesn't act.
House Democrats unveiled an impeachment resolution accusing Mr. Trump of "incitement of an insurrection" tied to the January 6 attack on the Capitol, moving closer to impeaching the president for the second time — less than two weeks before he vacates the office.
The impeachment resolution, spearheaded by Democratic Representatives David Cicilline, Ted Lieu and Raskin, has the backing of at least 210 Democrats. The bill states that the president "engaged in high Crimes and Misdemeanors by inciting violence against the Government of the United States."
The resolution cites Mr. Trump's speech to supporters on January 6 near the White House, before the crowd moved to the Capitol.
The Trump White House continued to be rocked by resignations, despite there only being nine days before President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated. Acting Homeland Security director Chad Wolf resigned on Monday, citing court battles over the legality of his appointment. Although he did not say there was a connection to Wednesday's assault, his departure follows the resignations of two other Cabinet officials who have since left: Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.
Trump admits he's partly to blame for violence at U.S. Capitol
President Trump admitted Monday that he is at least partially to blame for what transpired at the U.S. Capitol last Wednesday.
That's according to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who spoke with the president on Monday and later conveyed Mr. Trump's feelings to fellow House Republicans.
Multiple Republicans familiar with the exchanges confirmed the details to CBS News.
In a letter sent to House Republicans and obtained by CBS News, McCarthy wrote that he remains opposed to impeachment, writing it would "have the opposite effect of bringing our country together when we need to get America back on a path towards unity and civility."
He said members across the conference had recommended other avenues to address the riots in the Capitol on Wednesday, including creating a bipartisan commission to study the attack, reforming the Electoral Count Act of 1887 and crafting legislation to "promote voter confidence in future federal elections."
The other option McCarthy mentioned was a resolution of censure, though he did not say who would be censured. The letter did not mention Mr. Trump by name.
By Ed O'Keefe, Rebecca Kaplan, Major Garrett, Arden Farhi, and Kimberly Brown
Acting Capitol police chief says there will be no public access during inauguration
Acting Capitol police chief Yogananda Pittman confirmed Monday there public access to the U.S. Capitol during the Inauguration. She said it was related to "pending investigations."
PIttman also said the department is "actively reviewing" video and other open source materials of some Capitol police and officials that "appear to be in violation of Department regulations and policies."
"Our Office of Professional Responsibility will investigate these behaviors for disciplinary action, up to, and including, termination. Several USCP officers have already been suspended pending the outcome of their investigations," Pittman said in a statement.
Congressman Tim Ryan confirmed earlier Monday that two Capitol police officers had been suspended, one for allegedly taking selfies with rioters and the other allegedly put on Mr. Trump's signature red "Make America Great Again."
Investigative activity in more than 30 states related to Capitol attack and inauguration
CBS News has learned that there is investigative activity in more than 30 states across the country related to the Capitol attack and the Inauguration. The states include Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, California, Arkansas and Colorado.
Tips continue to stream into the FBI, which has received more than 45,000 digital tips.
There is also new information about an alleged threat against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. An FBI document distributed to law enforcement says that on January 7, an individual was arrested in Washington DC driving a white pickup truck and pulling a trailer allegedly carrying guns and ammunition. The individual discussed plans to shoot Pelosi. Investigators believe the individual is mentally unstable.
FBI releases new photos connected to pipe bomb attack
The FBI on Monday tweeted out a new poster with images of the individual or individuals believed to be responsible for placing the pipe bombs Wednesday at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee.
The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information "leading to the location, arrest, and conviction" of whoever is responsible.
A law enforcement official told CBS News on Saturday that the explosive devices found Wednesday at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee were viable, although it's unclear how big they were or how much damage they could have done. The DNC and RNC headquarters are located just blocks from the U.S. Capitol.
Twitter has suspended 70,000 accounts since Friday
Twitter announced on Monday that in the wake of the Capitol assault, the company began on Friday "permanently suspending thousands of accounts that were primarily dedicated to sharing QAnon content." Since Friday, over 70,000 accounts have been suspended.
"These accounts were engaged in sharing harmful QAnon-associated content at scale and were primarily dedicated to the propagation of this conspiracy theory across the service," Twitter said in a statement.
Twitter said it is "continuing to aggressively deploy technology" to have potentially harmful tweets read by a person "to take action as quickly as possible on violative content."
Twitter also said tweets that are labeled for violations of our civic integrity policy will no longer be able to be replied to, liked or retweeted. But people will be able to quote tweet.
Twitter said that since last week, it had prevented certain terms from surfacing in Trends and search suggestions, and it said it would "continue to prioritize reviewing and adding context to Trends."
On Friday, Twitter permanently suspended President Trump "due to the risk of further incitement of violence." Since then, a number of conservative accounts said over the weekend that they were losing followers.
Belichick will not accept Presidential Medal of Freedom
The New England Patriots confirm to CBS News that head coach Bill Belichick will not be accepting the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
In a statement via the team, Belichick said he was "flattered by" the opportunity to receive the Medal of Freedom "out of respect for what the honor represents and admiration for prior recipients."
"Subsequently, the tragic events of last week occurred and the decision has been made not to move forward with the award," Belichick said. "Above all, I am an American citizen with great reverence for our nation's values, freedom and democracy. I know I also represent my family and the New England Patriots team."
Belichick added that the conversations the team had in 2020 about social justice, equality and human rights were "one of the most rewarding things in my professional career."
"Continuing those efforts while remaining true to the people, team and country I love outweigh the benefits of any individual award," Belichick said.
Read more here.
Former Capitol Police chief describes "frustrating" call with Army official about reinforcements
The former Capitol Police chief, Steven Sund, described a "frustrating call" with a U.S. Army official as he tried desperately to get the Pentagon to send help to police outmanned in the Capitol by throngs of Trump supporters last Wednesday.
"I needed boots on the ground, immediate assistance right then and there, helping to form police lines to help secure the foundation of the United States Capitol building," Sund said in a brief interview outside his home his first on-camera comments. "They were more concerned with the optics." The Army is charged with approving National Guard deployments in Washington, D.C.
On Wednesday, as rioters pushed past police and smashed windows to force their way into the Capitol, Congress was evacuated in the 1 p.m. hour, as Congress was debating whether to count Arizona's electoral ballots.
On the call with Sund were D.C. Police Chief Robert J. Contee III and Lt. Gen. Walter Piatt, the Director of the Army Staff, among others. The Army, Sund said, "had a concern with providing National Guardsmen to form a line," suggesting that it was wary of presenting the appearance of a military response. Sund told the Washington Post, which first reported details of the conversation, that Piatt had said on the call, "I don't like the visual of the National Guard standing a police line with the Capitol in the background."
Read more here.
— Michael Kaplan
Trump and Pence meet for first time since before Capitol riots
President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence met on Monday evening, a senior administration official confirmed to CBS News. It was their first meeting since the Capitol riots that killed five and placed Pence in potential danger.
The source described it as a "good" conversation.
This follows previous reporting from CBS News that Pence was "discouraged, disheartened, hurt and stunned" by Mr. Trump's treatment of him. The president disparaged Pence for not doing more to stop the announcement that President-elect Joe Biden will be the next president, even though Pence lacked the power to halt the process.
— Fin Gomez and Major Garrett
2 Capitol police officers suspended
Two Capitol police officers have been suspended, Congressman Tim Ryan said on Monday. One allegedly posted for selfies with the rioters, and another allegedly helped direct others through the building after putting on a MAGA hat.
Pence "discouraged, disheartened, hurt and stunned," source says
A former White House official with close ties to Vice President Mike Pence described the vice president as "discouraged, disheartened, hurt and stunned" by President Trump's treatment of him, and is "disgusted" by the storming of the Capitol on Wednesday.
The source said Pence never seriously considered using the 25th Amendment to remove Mr. Trump from office. The source said that during conversations earlier in the administration, White House lawyers researched its applicability and found it really covered incapacity, due to things like a serious injury or undergoing anesthesia.
The source said it is Pence's goal to lay low this week, carrying out Coronavirus Task Force duties and making sure his presence is felt — if for no other reason than to steady traumatized staffers trying to make sense of their purpose in this strange time of inactivity and nervousness.
The source advised that Pence intends to do something to show a smooth transition of power, although what that might be has yet to be decided. Options include inviting the incoming president and vice president to the Naval Observatory, greeting the Bidens at the White House for a ceremonial tea, or greeting them at the Blair House and riding with them to the inauguration.
Acting Homeland Security chief resigns
Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is resigning his post effective Monday night, he said in a message to department staff.
"I am saddened to take this step, as it was my intention to serve the Department until the end of this Administration. Unfortunately, this action is warranted by recent events, including the ongoing and meritless court rulings regarding the validity of my authority as Acting Secretary," Wolf said. "These events and concerns increasingly serve to divert attention and resources away from the important work of the Department in this critical time of a transition of power."
Wolf's resignation comes three days after a federal judge ruled that his appointment as acting secretary in November 2019 was unlawful, blocking a set of asylum rules that were slated to take effect Monday.
Read more here.
Trump still hasn't spoken to Pence, while 25th Amendment appears unlikely
The president's top aides feel the prospect of Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet invoking the 25th Amendment to remove the president from office is "not a serious thing," a senior administration official tells CBS News.
Top White House aides do not believe there are the votes in the Cabinet to support the move, nor that Pence wants to move forward because of how little time remains in Mr. Trump's term. But there is palpable anger in the very highest levels of the White House over how Mr. Trump has treated Pence. As of Monday afternoon, the president has not spoken to his vice president since before Mr. Trump spoke at his D.C. rally last Wednesday.
The top aides still remaining in the White House are "demoralized" and "just trying to get through what's left," the senior administration official said.
The White House is resigned to the fact that Mr. Trump will be impeached a second time. "The House will do it," said the top administration official. But as time goes on, White House officials believe a conviction in the Senate is less likely. If Democrats withhold the articles of impeachment from the Senate, White House officials believe Democrats will lose momentum and weaken their argument that Mr. Trump is a clear and present danger.
The president has spent much of Monday in the Oval Office meeting with an ever-shrinking group of advisers, mostly White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, top aide Dan Scavino and son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner.
Mr. Trump was in a "surprisingly good mood today" considering everything he's facing, the senior administration official said. Mr. Trump was angry the PGA stripped his Bedminster club of its 2022 tournament, but he has not been as vocal about the prospect of being impeached a second time. There are no active discussions at this point about the president making a statement urging his supporters to refrain from further violence, the senior administration official said.
Virginia and Maryland governors and D.C. mayor urge residents not to attend inauguration
In a joint statement, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser urged their residents to watch Mr. Biden's inauguration from home instead of attending in person.
"On January 20, there will be a transition of power, and we will work together, and with our partners in the federal government, to ensure the safety of the National Capital Region," the three leaders said. "Due to the unique circumstances surrounding the 59th Presidential Inauguration, including last week's violent insurrection as well as the ongoing and deadly COVID-19 pandemic, we are taking the extraordinary step of encouraging Americans not to come to Washington, D.C. and to instead participate virtually."
Presidential inaugurations typically bring throngs of Americans from around the country, and this year's event was already expected to be scaled-down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Wednesday's deadly riots at the Capitol building by pro-Trump mobs, however, have heigtened security measures in the nation's capitol.
The Department of Homeland Security said it was moving up the inauguration's designation as a "national special security event" to Wednesday, the day the House is expected to vote on impeaching the president.
House vote on impeachment set for Wednesday
The House plans to vote on an impeachment resolution on Wednesday, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said in a call with Democratic colleagues. The president is being accused of inciting an insurrection before Wednesday's deadly Capitol riots.
A vote on a separate resolution calling on Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment will come Tuesday evening, Hoyer said. The 25th Amendment allows the vice president and the majority of the Cabinet to remove a sitting president if they deem him unfit for office.
The fast-track impeachment vote will begin Wednesday morning. If the majority of the House votes to impeach Mr. Trump, he will be the first president to be impeached twice. House Democrats believe they have the votes to pass the resolution.
Kimberly Brown
FBI alert warns of groups calling for "storming" courthouses if Trump is removed
The FBI has sent an alert to law enforcement across the country warning that groups are calling for the "storming" of federal, state and local courthouses in all 50 states if Mr. Trump is removed from office before Inauguration Day on January 20, a law enforcement source tells CBS News.
The groups are calling for supporters to come armed at their discretion. The alert also said that there are reports of unspecified threats being made against Mr. Biden, Pelosi and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
Biden hopes Senate can split days between impeachment and confirming nominees
After receiving his second dose of the coronavirus vaccine, Mr. Biden told reporters that he has spoken with members in the Senate about how to "bifurcate" their work days to accommodate both an impeachment trial and votes to confirm his Cabinet nominees.
"Can we go half-day on dealing with the impeachment and half-day getting my people nominated and confirmed in the Senate, as well as moving on a package? That's my hope and expectation," Mr. Biden said, referring to another coronavirus response bill.
The president-elect said he has not yet received an answer from the Senate parliamentarian in whether that approach could be taken.
Mr. Biden said he also is not afraid to take his oath of office outside given the continued threats of violence related to the inauguration.
"It's critically important that there be a real, serious focus on holding those folks who engaged in sedition and threatened people's lives, defaced public property, caused great damage, that they be held accountable," he said.
Morale deteriorates among Capitol Police after assault on complex
In the wake of the Capitol Hill riots, morale among the rank-and-file in the Capitol Police Department is flagging, multiple sources have told CBS News.
The sources, who are familiar with the internal U.S. Capitol Police response to Wednesday's events, said the department has had to respond to "a couple of incidents" in which officers threatened to harm themselves. In one case, a female officer turned in her own weapon out of fear of what might happen.
"The situation has really demoralized the department. There's tremendous moral injury, a sense of failure weighing them down," one source said. "They went home to family and were asked, 'how did this happen?' And it's very easy for those officers to interpret that as 'how could you let this happen?'"
To address this, mental health and suicide prevention resources have been made widely available. Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund, who resigned after the attack, said at his home Monday that the department is "very resilient," but "they're hurting right now," and he reiterated that "we've brought in resources to help them."
Read more here.
Michael Kaplan
Corporations halt political donations, with some singling out Republicans
Some of America's biggest corporate names — from Exxon to Facebook — said they are pausing their political donations in the wake of the deadly riot at the Capitol Building. Some of the businesses said they would halt donations specifically to the 147 Republicans who opposed the Electoral College count to certify President-elect Joe Biden's win.
The corporate run for the exits began when Marriott and Blue Cross Blue Shield over the weekend said they would halt donations to the Republicans who opposed the Electoral College count in the wake of the deadly Capitol Building assault by Trump supporters. The companies said the Republicans' vote against certification sought to undermine a legitimate election. Citigroup weighed in Sunday with a similar public statement.
By Monday morning, the number of big businesses halting political donations had become a flood. Among them are American Express, Dow, Exxon, Facebook, Ford Motors, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Mastercard and Microsoft. In some cases, the companies said their decision would be temporary, such as Facebook saying it will pause for at least the first quarter, according to Axios.
Read more here.
Number of National Guard troops in D.C. could reach 15,000
The head of the National Guard, General Dan Hokanson, said 10,000 National Guard troops are either already in Washington or on their way as the city prepares for the inauguration. Hokanson said he has authority to increase the number of troops in the capital to 15,000.
The 10,000 troops include 6,200 members from units in six states that were activated last week, as well as the District of Columbia National Guard.
The units are coming in response to requests from Capitol Police, Secret Service and Park Service. They are bringing their weapons with them so that they are available, but Hokanson said a decision has not yet been made as to whether they will carry their firearms on the streets. He said he was not aware of any requests for armored vehicles.
Hokanson said 5,000 troops were originally scheduled to come for the inauguration. He compared that figure to 9,000 troops who were on hand for President Barack Obama's inauguration.
Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said active duty troops will perform ceremonial duties for the inauguration but are not intended to be part of the security force.
On the subject of extremists within the ranks of the Guard, Hokanson said he was not aware of any members of the Guard who had participated in the storming of the Capitol. Hokanson and Hoffman both said the military relies on law enforcement to identify extremists.
Congresswoman tests positive for coronavirus 5 days after Capitol lockdown
Democratic Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey said she has tested positive for the coronavirus, and believes she was exposed while being held in a secure location with other lawmakers during the Capitol attack last week.
"I received a positive test result for COVID-19, and am home resting at this time," Watson Coleman said in a statement. "While I am experiencing mild, cold-like symptoms, I remain in good spirits and will continue to work on behalf of my constituents."
Watson Coleman's office said the congresswoman "believes she was exposed during protective isolation in the U.S. Capitol building as a result of insurrectionist riots."
Footage from the secure location showed several Republican members not wearing masks while in lockdown. The House attending physician on Sunday warned members who were in the secure location that they may have been exposed to someone carrying the virus, and advised all members to get tested this week.
Watson Coleman, who turns 76 in February, was first elected to the House in 2014 and represents New Jersey's 12th congressional district, which includes the state capital of Trenton. She is a cancer survivor, having had a cancerous spot removed from her lung in 2018, according to her House biography.
Washington Monument closed to visitors over "credible threat"
The National Park Service has temporarily closed the Washington Monument beginning Monday and through the inauguration, citing "credible threat to visitors and park resources," it said.
"Groups involved in the January 6, 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol continue to threaten to disrupt the 59th presidential inauguration on January 20, 2021," Jeffrey Reinbold, superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks announced Monday.
The Washington Monument will be closed to the public from January 11 to January 24. Public access to roadways, parking areas and other facilities within the National Mall and Memorial Parks may also close "if conditions warrant," and the closures may be extended.
Pelosi outlines next steps for House in effort to remove Trump from office
The House will take up through regular order the resolution calling on Pence to activate the 25th Amendment and remove Mr. Trump from office after Republicans blocked a request to approve the measure by unanimous consent, Pelosi said.
Once the House approves the resolution, Pence will have 24 hours to respond.
"The House Republicans rejected this legislation to protect America, enabling the President's unhinged, unstable and deranged acts of sedition to continue," Pelosi said in a statement after the House convened for its pro forma session. "Their complicity endangers America, erodes our Democracy, and it must end."
The House is also planning to move forward with bringing its article of impeachment charging Mr. Trump with incitement of insurrection to the floor, the California Democrat said.
"The President represents an imminent threat to our Constitution, our country and the American people, and he must be removed from office immediately," Pelosi said.
House Democrats formally introduce article of impeachment against Trump
House Democrats officially introduced their article of impeachment against Mr. Trump, which charges him with "incitement of insurrection" for encouraging a mob of his supporters to descend on the U.S. Capitol in an effort to block Congress from counting electoral votes and reaffirming Mr. Biden's victory.
"President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of government," the resolution states. "He threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a co-equal branch of government. He thereby betrayed his trust as president, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States."
The article of impeachment was drafted by Democratic Congressman Ted Lieu of California, David Cicilline of Rhode Island and Jamie Raskin of Maryland. It is backed by at least 210 House Democrats.
The measure details the events leading up to and on January 6, beginning with Mr. Trump's repeated false claims that the election results were rife with fraud and should be overturned, as well as his comments during a rally near the White House the morning of the assault, in which he told the thousands assembled "If you don't fight like hell you're not going to have a country anymore."
"Thus incited by President Trump, members of the crowd he had addressed, in an attempt to, among other objectives, interfere with the Joint Session's solemn constitutional duty to certify the results of the 2020 Presidential election, unlawfully breached and vandalized the Capitol, injured and killed law enforcement personnel, menaced Members of Congress, the Vice President, and Congressional personnel, and engaged in other violent, deadly, destructive, and seditious acts," the article states.
The Democrats also cited a phone call Mr. Trump had with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on January 2, during which he pressured Raffensperger to "find" enough votes to reverse the state's election results.
A vote on the article is expected later this week if Pence declines to convene the Cabinet and invoke the 25th Amendment.
Republicans block House resolution calling on Pence to invoke 25th Amendment
Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, a Democrat from Michigan, gaveled in the House for a brief pro forma session, during which House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer asked for unanimous consent on the resolution calling on Pence to convene the Cabinet to activate the 25th Amendment, declaring Mr. Trump "incapable of executing the duties of his office and to immediately exercise powers as acting president."
West Virginia Congressman Alex Mooney, a Republican, objected, and the request was blocked. The House adjourned until 9 a.m. Tuesday.
At the start of the proceedings, the resignation of House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving was formally submitted. He stepped down in the wake of the assault of the Capitol.
Whitehouse calls on Senate Ethics Committee to consider expelling Cruz and Hawley
Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island is calling on the Senate Ethics Committee to examine the possible expulsion of senators who led challenges to states' electoral votes, including GOP Senators Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz.
"The Senate will need to conduct [a] security review of what happened and what went wrong, likely through Rules, Homeland and Judiciary," Whitehouse said in a statement. "The Senate Ethics Committee also must consider the expulsion, or censure and punishment, of Sens. Cruz, Hawley, and perhaps others."
Whitehouse, a member of the Judiciary Committee, said that Hawley, Cruz and GOP Senator Ron Johnson have a "massive potential conflict of interest" regarding investigations into the riots and "need to be off all relevant committees reviewing this matter until the investigation of their role is complete."
Under the Constitution, members can be expelled by a vote of two-thirds of the Senate. Since 1789, the Senate has voted to expel just 15 senators, including 10 southern senators who were expelled in 1861 for their support of the Confederacy.
New York State Bar Association investigating whether to expel Giuliani
The New York State Bar Association (NSYBA) has begun an inquiry to determine whether Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor and Mr. Trump's personal attorney, should be stripped of his membership to the group, it announced.
Citing comments Giuliani made just before the pro-Trump mob made their assault on the U.S. Capitol, the association said his "words quite clearly were intended to encourage Trump supporters unhappy with the election's outcome to take matters into their own hands."
"Their subsequent attack on the Capitol was nothing short of an attempted coup, intended to prevent the peaceful transition of power," the bar association said.
Its bylaws bar membership to anyone "who advocates the overthrow of the government of the United States, or of any state, territory or possession thereof, or of any political subdivision therein, by force or other illegal means."
Expulsion from the bar association is not the same as disbarment, which is handled by the Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court and discipline and grievance committees appointed by that court.
Giuliani appeared at a rally near the White House before the attack on the Capitol and told the crowd of Mr. Trump's supporters, "Let's have a trial by combat."
The NYSBA said that in recent months, it has received "hundreds of complaints" about Giuliani and his unsuccessful attempts to overturn the results of the election.
"Mr. Giuliani will be provided due process and have an opportunity — should he so choose — to explain and defend his words and actions," the association said. "This decision is historic for NYSBA, and we have not made it lightly. We cannot stand idly by and allow those intent on rending the fabric of our democracy to go unchecked."
Read more here.
Pelosi speaks to "60 Minutes" about the attack on the Capitol
January 6 should have been a day of ceremony when Congress met in joint session, then opened and counted electoral votes for president and vice president.
Instead, it will be remembered as the day an angry mob, stirred up and aimed down Pennsylvania Avenue by an election-losing president, smashed its way into the Capitol, leaving five dead, the building ransacked and American democracy under siege.
On Friday, "60 Minutes" joined Pelosi at the Capitol, where her influence in the nation's leadership is growing as Mr. Trump's power, support and relevance dissipates:
Read the full interview here.
Colin Powell says he no longer considers himself a Republican
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who led the State Department under President George W. Bush, revealed Sunday he no longer calls himself a Republican as he has watched GOP lawmakers enable Mr. Trump by refusing to speak out against him.
"That's why I can no longer call myself a fellow Republican," Powell said in an interview with CNN. "I'm not a fellow of anything right now. I'm just a citizen who has voted Republican, voted Democrat throughout my entire career, and right now I'm just watching my country and not concerned with the parties. I do not know how he was able to attract all these people. They should've known better. But they were so taken by their political standing and how none of them wanted to put themselves at political risk."
Powell said the nation needs elected officials who will speak truthfully and remember they were elected to serve their fellow citizens and the country.
"They are not here simply to be reelected again," he said.
Powell, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush and national security adviser to President Ronald Reagan, has in the last decade drifted from the Republican Party. He endorsed President-elect Joe Biden this election and addressed the Democratic National Convention in August. In 2016, Powell backed Hillary Clinton over Mr. Trump, and supported President Barack Obama in 2012. During the 2008 campaign, Powell endorsed Mr. Obama over Senator John McCain, the GOP presidential nominee.
First lady Melania Trump breaks silence on U.S. Capitol assault
In her first statement since a mob of the president's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, first lady Melania Trump condemned the violence that occured while lamenting that it has led to personal attacks on her.
"I am disappointed and disheartened with what happened last week," the first lady in a statement. "I find it shameful that surrounding these tragic events there has been salacious gossip, unwarranted personal attacks, and false misleading accusations on me — from people who are looking to be relevant and have an agenda. This time is solely about healing our country and its citizens. It should not be used for personal gain."
Trump called for the nation to unite and heal, adding that "violence is never acceptable."
"I implore people to stop the violence, never make assumptions based on the color of a person's skin or use differing political ideologies as a basis for aggression and viciousness," she said. "We must listen to one another, focus on what unites us, and rise above what divides us."
The first lady expressed condolences for the four civilians who died during the riots, as well as two U.S. Capitol Police officers, Brian Sicknick and Howard Liebengood, whose lives were lost. Sicknick was injured during the events Wednesday, and Capitol Police said he collapsed after returning to his division office. Liebengood also responded to the assault on the Capitol, though Capitol Police characterized his death as an "off-duty death."
Officer who responded to Capitol assault dies
A Capitol police officer has died days after responding to Wednesday's assault on the building, the Capitol police confirmed Sunday to CBS News. Capitol police said Officer Howard Liebengood died off-duty.
Capitol police said in a statement that Liebengood, 51, served on the Senate side. He had been with the Capitol police department since April 2005. The police union chairman called it a "tragic day."
"We are reeling from the death of Officer Liebengood. Every Capitol Police Officer puts the security of others before their own safety and Officer Liebengood was an example of the selfless service that is the hallmark of USCP," Capitol police union chairman Gus Papathanasiou said in a statement.
Read more here.
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