GOP leadership won't whip votes to oppose articles of impeachment for President Donald Trump, with one Republican senior aide telling Fox News it was "a conscience vote for the members."
The House is set to vote on a measure Tuesday evening urging Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from power. Then on Wednesday, one week before President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn into office, the House will take up a resolution to impeach the president for “incitement of insurrection” following the deadly riots at the U.S. Capitol last week as Congress was working to certify the Electoral College votes.
CNN on Wednesday said there are expectations that up to 10 House Republicans vote yes on impeachment articles.
Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y., on Wednesday became the first Republican to vote to impeach Trump for inciting the riot.
“To allow the president of the United States to incite this attack without consequence is a direct threat to the future of our democracy,” Katko said in a statement. “For that reason, I cannot sit by without taking action. I will vote to impeach this president.”
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., is the only other GOP House member who has signaled he would support an effort to remove Trump from office.
Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., on Monday told GOP members in a conference call that their impeachment decision is a “vote of conscience” and not a political vote.