QAnon obsessives inspired by Capitol rioters pose a greater terror threat than ISIS in 2021, the FBI fears.
A joint Intelligence Bulletin produced by the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and the National Counterterrorism Center identified brainwashed QAnon followers as most likely to carry out domestic terror.
The new report, issued to law enforcement agencies across the US, said those holding fringe views fuelled by racial tensions were encouraged by last week's Capitol riot and now "very likely pose the greatest domestic terrorism threats in 2021".
The bulletin claims right wing extremists see violence "as a step toward achieving their initiatives" and much like ISIS "consider the death of a perceived like-minded individual as an act of martyrdom."
The news comes as the FBI investigates whether the US Capitol attack was more than just an out of control protest and whether members of the crowd had weapons and used tactics suggested greater levels of strategic planning.
Follow our Donald Trump live blog below for the latest news on the impeachment and transition of a Biden presidency.
- Chris Bradford
HOW MANY VOTES ARE NEEDED FOR IMPEACHMENT?
Donald Trump faced just a single charge, “incitement of insurrection”, in an impeachment resolution on January 13.
Politicians – Republicans and Democrats – in the chamber then debated that charge.
After hours of impassioned discussion, they voted on whether to bring charges against the president by agreeing with the impeachment resolution, or “articles of impeachment”.
The chamber needed a simple majority, or 217 votes, to impeach Trump.
The House of Representatives voted by 232 to 197 to impeach the president for "incitement of insurrection".
Conviction and removal of Trump will require a two-thirds majority in the Senate – meaning at least 17 Republicans would have to vote with the Democrats in the evenly split 100-seater chamber.
- Chris Bradford
THE IMPEACHMENT PROCESS EXPLAINED
Impeachment begins in the House – the lower chamber of Congress.
The "sole power of impeachment" is held by the House of Representatives.
Lawmakers debate and vote on whether to bring charges against the president via approval of an impeachment resolution, or “articles of impeachment".
A simple majority is required – i.e. more than half of Congress must vote to impeach the president.
Then the case is tried by the US Senate, where a two-thirds majority is needed to basically green-light the impeachment .
Its members decide whether the person accused of impeachment is guilty or not. But, it's a political trial – not a criminal one.
- Chris Bradford
WHAT IS IMPEACHMENT?
Donald Trump has made history after becoming the first US president to be impeached twice.
Ten of his fellow Republicans joined Democrats in the House of Representatives to charge him with inciting an insurrection in the Capitol's deadly, violent rampage.
Impeachment is when a sitting president is charged with crimes.
Trump has been accused of inciting insurrection by encouraging his supporters to storm the Capitol, Washington D.C., on January 6, 2021.
The United States' founders feared presidents abusing their powers, so they included in the Constitution a process for removing one from office.
The president, under the Constitution, can be removed from office for “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanours.”
- Chris Bradford
BIDEN URGES SENATE TO ADDRESS HIS 'PRIORITIES' WHILE DEALING TRUMP'S IMPEACHMENT TRIAL
President-elect Joe Biden has urged the Senate to address his priorities such as approving cabinet nominations while also dealing with Trump's impeachment trial.
He said: "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."
- Chris Bradford
'SURROUND DC'
Frightening text messages from the armed Capitol rioter who said he would shoot Nancy Pelosi revealed he also wanted to "burn DC to the ground."
Cleveland Grover Meredith was arrested last week after Donald Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building.
He let FBI agents search his phone, truck, trailer, and the hotel room he was staying at. They found multiple guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
Federal court documents filed Wednesday revealed that the rioter specifically threatened Pelosi and DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, and that he wrote in text messages that he wanted to "burn DC to the FKG ground."
Meredith also wrote: "I predict that within the next 12 days, many in our country will die.
"We're gonna surround DC and slowly constrict."
- Chris Bradford
'SOCIALLY AWKWARD'
Jack Dorsey admitted that banning Donald Trump from Twitter sets a "dangerous precedent," but insisted that the risk of more violence was a "real" threat.
The CEO of the social media platform admitted that having to ban the president of the United States was not what the company wanted to do, but was the right decision following the Capitol riots.
In his lengthy thread, the Twitter boss admitted there were "inconsistencies" in his stance with the President banned but extreme views are allowed to be expressed on the platform.
In the wake of the ban, many pointed out that Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei uses his Twitter account to call for the destruction of Israel.
Dorsey said he didn’t take pride in banning Trump but made the decision based on “threats to physical safety both on and off Twitter”.
Read our full report HERE.
Credit: Twitter - Chris Bradford
TRUMP FAN WHO WAS ARRESTED AFTER CAPITOL RIOT ‘SHOT HIMSELF IN THE CHEST’
A Donald Trump fan reportedly shot himself in the chest and was found dead by his wife after his Capitol riot arrest.
Christopher Stanton Georgia, 53, was charged last week for his involvement in Wednesday’s Capitol chaos, 11-Alive reported.
His wife found him on Saturday morning in the basement of their home and told police there was “blood everywhere.”
The father-of-two was found with a gunshot wound to the chest, the Daily Mail reported.
A medical examiner ruled that the Alpharetta, Georgia, man died by suicide, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
- Chris Bradford
REPUBLICANS THAT VOTED TO IMPEACH TRUMP
Ten Republican lawmakers crossed the aisle and voted to impeach President Donald Trump on Wednesday, including the party's number three in the House Liz Cheney.
The list of GOP members in full:
- Liz Cheney of Wyoming
- Dan Newhouse of Washington
- John Katko of New York
- Fred Upton of Michigan
- Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington
- Adam Kinzinger of Illinois
- Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio
- Peter Meijer of Michigan
- Tim Rice of South Carolina
- David Valadao of California
IMPEACHED FOR THE SECOND TIME
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill impeached Donald Trump for the second time.
The motion was passed by 232 to 197 in the House of Representatives yesterday.
A total of 10 Republicans jumped ship and voted to impeach the President, making last night's historic ruling the most bipartisan impeachment in US political history.
Trump’s impeachment will now head to the Senate, where members of Congress will again vote on whether or Trump will be convicted on the charge.
- Chris Bradford
TRUMP BANNED FROM SNAPCHAT
US President Donald Trump has been permanently banned from Snapchat, it is being reported.
Social media companies have tried to limit the amount of inflammatory content on their platforms following the Capitol riots last week.
A spokesperson said: "Last week we announced an indefinite suspension of President Trump's Snapchat (SNAP) account, and have been assessing what long term action is in the best interest of our Snapchat community.
"In the interest of public safety, and based on his attempts to spread misinformation, hate speech, and incite violence, which are clear violations of our guidelines, we have made the decision to permanently terminate his account."
Last week, Facebook confirmed it had banned Trump from posting until the end of his term while Twitter suspended his account.
YouTube said on Tuesday that it would be banning the President's channel for a week.
- Alex Winter
RIOT SHIELDS IN THE HOUSE
Members of the National Guard were seen with riot gear as the House met to debate ahead of the impeachment vote.
Image: AP Image: AP - Alex Winter
THE GOP MEMBERS VOTING TO IMPEACH
Trump's second impeachment comes after several key Republicans jumped ship, voting to oust him following the Capitol riots.
Ten GOP members – including Liz Cheney of Wyoming, Dan Newhouse of Washington, John Katko of New York, Fred Upton of Michigan, Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio, Peter Meijer of Michigan, Tim Rice of South Carolina and David Valadao of California – voted to impeach Trump.
- Alex Winter
WHAT HAVE YOU MISSED OVERNIGHT?
Good morning – if you're just waking up in the UK, there'll be a lot to catch up on…
Of course, the big news is that Donald Trump has been impeached in the House for a second time as ten Republicans turned on the president following the Capitol riots.
The president was charged with inciting insurrection for telling rally-goers in Washington DC to march to Congress and "fight like hell" on January 6.
Trump's second impeachment came as:
- Nancy Pelosi was slammed as a "hypocrite" for a resurfaced 2016 tweet claiming the election was "hijacked"
- Trump faces a charge of "incitement of insurrection"
- Trump called for calm and said there should be "no violent protests or vandalism" after five were killed in riots a week ago
- The House passed a powerless 25th Amendment vote to try and get Mike Pence to oust Trump
- FBI investigators probe "sedition and conspiracy " charges related to the riots as hundreds may be prosecuted
- 3,000 National Guard troops were deployed in DC ahead of the impeachment vote
20,000 NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS PREPPED FOR BIDEN'S INAUGURATION
Downtown Washington was fenced off and boarded up on Wednesday, with concrete barriers blocking avenues, police at street corners, and armed National Guard soldiers patrolling Capitol Hill as Congress impeached President Donald Trump for a second time.
The city at the heart of US democracy has been a shadow of itself during pandemic shutdowns, but now it is also under heavy guard after the January 6 deadly attack by Trump supporters on the Congress building.
National Guard soldiers in body armor and camouflage spent the night inside the Capitol, their black rifles leaning against the polished stone walls of the building's halls.
Some 20,000 National Guard soldiers are expected in Washington for Biden's inauguration, more than the combined number of US troops officially deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Lawmakers on Wednesday formally accused Trump of inciting the mob that attacked the Capitol last week in a failed effort to stop Congress from finalizing the president's November loss to Joe Biden.
TRUMP WAS BRIEFED ON VIOLENCE EARLIER THIS WEEK, OFFICIALS SAID
President Trump was briefed by federal officials on Monday regarding possible threats to Washington, DC, and state capitols ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, an official told CNN.
Trump cited the briefings in his video condemning violence.
An official said the briefings played a role in his decision to record the video.
- Claudia Aoraha
TRUMP FAN WHO WAS ARRESTED AFTER CAPITOL RIOT 'SHOT HIMSELF IN THE CHEST'
A Donald Trump fan reportedly shot himself in the chest and was found dead by his wife after his Capitol riot arrest.
Christopher Stanton Georgia, 53, was charged last week for his involvement in Wednesday's Capitol chaos, 11-Alive reported.
His wife found him on Saturday morning in the basement of their home and told police there was “blood everywhere.”
The father-of-two was found with a gunshot wound to the chest, the Daily Mail reported.
A medical examiner ruled that the Alpharetta, Georgia, man died by suicide, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
- Claudia Aoraha
PELOSI SIGNS ARTICLE OF IMPEACHMENT, SAYING 'NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW'
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has signed the article of impeachment against Trump.
She said: "Today, in a bipartisan way the House demonstrated that no one is above the law, not even the President of the United States.
"That Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to our country and that once again we honor our oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, so help us God.
"And now, I sadly and with a heartbroken over what this means to our country, of a president who would incite insurrection, will sign the engrossment of the article of impeachment."
Credit: Getty Images – Getty - Claudia Aoraha
OUR TOP STORIES TONIGHT
Trump's second impeachment came as:
- Nancy Pelosi was slammed as a "hypocrite" for a resurfaced 2016 tweet claiming the election was "hijacked"
- Trump faces a charge of "incitement of insurrection"
- Trump called for calm and said there should be "no violent protests or vandalism" after five were killed in riots a week ago
- The House passed a powerless 25th Amendment vote to try and get Mike Pence to oust Trump
- FBI investigators probe "sedition and conspiracy " charges related to the riots as hundreds may be prosecuted
- 3,000 National Guard troops were deployed in DC ahead of the impeachment vote
SCHUMER: THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL CAN 'BEGIN IMMEDIATELY'
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said an impeachment trial can "begin immediately" if they can reach an agreement with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
He said: "A Senate trial can begin immediately, with agreement from the current Senate majority leader to reconvene the Senate for an emergency session, or it will begin after January 19.
"But make no mistake, there will be an impeachment trial in the United States Senate; there will be a vote on convicting the president for high crimes and misdemeanours; and if the president is convicted, there will be a vote on barring him from running again."
MCCONNELL STATEMENT
232 VOTE FOR IMPEACHMENT
A total of 232 politicians voted to impeach Trump – including all House Democrats and ten Republicans – with 197 voting against.
- Claudia Aoraha
THE REPUBLICANS THAT JUMPED SHIP
A total of 10 Republicans voted to impeach President Donald Trump.
At least ten GOP members – including Liz Cheney of Wyoming, Dan Newhouse of Washington, John Katko of New York, Fred Upton of Michigan, Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio, Peter Meijer of Michigan, Tim Rice of South Carolina and David Valadao of California – all voted to impeach Trump.
- Claudia Aoraha
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Trump's impeachment will now head to the Senate, where members of Congress will again vote on whether or Trump will be convicted on the charge.
Proceedings would continue on January 19, when the Senate is set to meet next – but they could begin before then if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell calls members of Congress back to meet sooner.
Credit: AP:Associated Press - Claudia Aoraha
PRESIDENT TRUMP SET TO MAKE A STATEMENT
President Trump will make a statement reacting to today’s impeachment proceedings soon, an official familiar with the matter has told CNN.
It will likely be a video, according to the outlet.
- Claudia Aoraha
WHAT HAS TRUMP BEEN IMPEACHED OVER?
The impeachment resolution the House voted on charges Trump with a single article, "incitement of insurrection" for his role in last week's deadly Capitol riot.
There isn't such thing as a standard routine with impeachments – and this one is set on a very unprecedented backdrop.
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