Biden calls on Senate to pursue impeachment along with country’s ‘other urgent business’

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While he said in a statement Wednesday that the House vote “to impeach and hold the president accountable” was “a bipartisan vote cast by members who have followed the Constitution and their conscience,” Biden wants to strike the ground in using a wide range of economic issues. and public health initiatives when he takes office next week. He said the Senate must be able to follow through on Trump’s impeachment trial while working on his agenda.

“This nation also remains in the grip of a deadly virus and a growing economy,” Biden continued. “I hope the Senate leadership will find a way to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities for impeachment while also working on other pressing matters of this nation.”

The House on Wednesday voted 232 to 197 to impeach Trump, with 10 GOP lawmakers joining all Democrats in impeaching Trump for “inciting insurgency” exactly one week after rioters stormed the then U.S. Capitol that the House certifies Biden’s electoral victory. Marking the first time a president has been impeached twice, the process is now moving forward in the Senate, which will proceed to trial.

Biden made it clear he was not particularly enthusiastic about Trump’s impeachment, remaining silent for several hours on the historic action. Aides had told CNN that the president-elect planned to issue a statement Wednesday night on the president’s impeachment, but the timing certainly underlines that Biden’s team had other priorities on Wednesday.

Yet the reality is that impeachment will now be one more thing Biden inherits from the Trump presidency.

He is still awaiting information on whether the Senate will be able to pursue the indictment, alongside Cabinet confirmation hearings and the Covid-19 legislation he plans to describe in more detail on Thursday evening. Aides says Biden and his team are working behind the scenes with Senate Democrats – and House impeachment officials – to get the impeachment trial as swift as possible, although the question remains open as to whether how far that might be successful.

At least four confirmation hearings for Biden’s cabinet candidates are already scheduled for the week of January 20, for Secretary of State candidate Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin candidate, Treasury Secretary candidate Janet Yellen and Homeland Security Secretary candidate Alejandro Mayorkas. Senators may be called upon to draft a bill regarding the pandemic or economic relief, as Biden wants to increase relief checks to $ 2,000.

CNN’s Sarah Mucha and Zachary B. Wolf contributed to this report.

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