Capitol riots: Chief says back-up denied over ‘optics’, as 15,000 troops requested ahead of ‘uprising’

Follow the latest updates on impeachment live

House speaker Nancy Pelosi (AP)

Ousted police chief Steve Sund said he requested help or back up six times before and during the Capitol riots but was denied over the “optics”.

In his first interview since resigning, Sund said he asked House and Senate security officials permission to request the National Guard be placed on standby but that House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving wasn’t comfortable with the “optics” of formally declaring an emergency ahead of pro-Trump demonstrations.

The insight into what went wrong comes as the FBI warned an 'armed uprising' could take place in all 50 state capitols between now and the inauguration of Joe Biden if Congress moves to remove Donald Trump before 20 January.

As a result, the Pentagon has approved an additional 15,000 National Guard to be deployed or remain on stand by to for Inauguration Day.

Democrats, meanwhile, introduced an article of impeachment to the floor of the House of Representatives as lawmakers prepare to vote on a  resolution asking the vice president, Mike Pence, to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove Donald Trump from office.  

For his part, Pence reportedly had his first call with Trump since the riot and committed to working together until the end of his term, appearing to douse speculation he could invoke the 25th Amendment to remove the president from office.

With Republicans expected to resist the unanimous resolution, it is likely to return to the floor for a full vote on Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said. From that point, Pence will have 24 hours to respond, and if not the House will move to impeach the president.  

In conversation with House Republicans, House GOP minority leader Kevin McCarthy reportedly said Trump bears some responsibility for the riot at the US Capitol. Even so, he said opposes impeachment but would be open to supporting a motion of censuring the president.

The work to remove Trump comes as his supporters planned to protest outside Twitter’s HQ in San Francisco, furious at the firm for suspending the outgoing president’s account.  

Twenty people have now been arrested and await trial for their roles in the assault on Congress, while a Capitol Police officer who was videoed bravely confronting rioters inside the halls of Congress has been named as Eugene Goodman. 

At least two Capitol police officers were suspended for taking selfies with rioters, while one was supposedly arrested for wearing a Maga hat and leading them around, according to Chair of the House subcommittee that oversees Capitol Police, congressman Tim Ryan.

• What is impeachment, who invokes it and what is the House voting on?
• ‘Storm the Capitol’ was used online 100,000 times before riot
• Trump supporters plotting second ‘insurrection’ before Biden’s inauguration, says Scaramucci

Key points

• Trump declares emergency in DC ahead of Biden inauguration, reports
• Capitol Police chief says back-up denied over ‘optics’
• Up to 15,000 additional National Guard requested in DC ahead of more protests and inauguration
• ‘Armed group intending to travel to Washington DC on 16 January’
• Nancy Pelosi sets out plan for impeachment, saying Mike Pence has 24 hours to respond
• FBI warns protests could be seen in coming days, as Congress seeks Trump’s removal
• Capitol Police officer who confronted Trump rioters hailed a ‘hero’, as rioters arrested

[11 January 2021 13:37 · Gino Spocchia]

Hello and welcome to the Independent’s rolling coverage of the fallout from last week’s riot on the Capitol,  as lawmakers work towards impeaching the US president. 

[11 January 2021 13:51 · Gino Spocchia]

Pelosi calls on Pence to remove Trump before introducing impeachment articles

Congress will start working to remove Donald Trump from office on Monday, with a unanimous resolution calling on vice president Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment and immediately remove the president from office.  

House speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Sunday that if Mr Pence does not do so,  the House will introduce articles of impeachment against Mr Trump, which could come as early as Wednesday. 

Republicans in the House of Representatives are unlikely to allow Monday’s resolution to pass, which will lead to a full vote on Tuesday, according to Ms Pelosi’s plans. 

From that point, Mr Pence and cabinet secretaries will have 24 hours to invoke the 25th Amendment, before the House works to impeach Mr Trump for a second time. 

[11 January 2021 14:01 · Gino Spocchia]

Pelosi outlines impeachment plans

In a letter to House Democrats on Sunday, House speaker Nancy Pelosi outlined her plans for a second impeachment process against Donald Trump, which she said will begin if Mike Pence does not remove the president. 

With a resolution calling on Mr Pence appearing in the House on Monday, Ms Pelosi wrote: “If we do not receive Unanimous Consent, this legislation is planned to be brought up on the Floor the following day.” 

She added: "We are calling on the Vice President to respond within 24 hours. Next, we will proceed with bringing impeachment legislation to the Floor.”

It is thought impeachment articles will appear as soon as Wednesday, with Mr Pence not expected to invoke the 25th Amendment.

[11 January 2021 14:20 · Gino Spocchia]

Impeachment article being introduced today

An article of impeachment is expected to be formally introduced to the House floor on Monday, according to CNN’s Manu Raju, with a vote coming on Wednesday or Thursday.

The article will accuse Donald Trump of the “incitement of insurrection”, after his role in last week’s assault on Congress. It comes after Representative Jim McGovern, chairman of the Rules Committee, told CNN on Monday morning that "We expect this up on the floor on Wednesday. And I expect that it will pass."

[11 January 2021 14:35 · Gino Spocchia]

Impeachment article has more than 200 co-sponsors

More than 200 members of the House have signed-on to the impeachment article - set to be formally introduced on Monday.

Representative Abigail Spanberger, one of those co-sponsors, said on Monday that “if Vice President Pence, a target of this insurrection, will not do his duty and invoke the 25th Amendment, then all who hold our oaths to protect our nation and its Constitution dear will be forced to impeach President Donald Trump for inciting this insurrection.”

She went on to call out “terrorists” who “hoisted a flag adorned with this man’s [Donald Trump’s] face after lowering the American flag from the Capitol.”

[11 January 2021 14:51 · Gino Spocchia]

At least 25 people under investigation after Capitol riot

At least 25 people are being investigated for domestic terrorism in relation to Wednesday's Capitol riot, a Defence official and a member of Congress has said, with concerns around the involvement of “active and reserve duty” members of the military, according to USA Today.  

A defence official, who remained anonymous, told the outlet that "There is concern that military members may have been involved in the riot," which left five people dead and delayed lawmakers from confirming Joe Biden as Donald Trump’s successor.  

It comes as 13 others were said to have been arrested and charged, and awaiting federal trial, for their roles in Wednesday’s assault. 

[11 January 2021 15:05 · Gino Spocchia]

Second ‘insurrection’ coming, warns Scaramucci

Anthony Scaramucci, the former White House communications director, said on Monday that the US president's supporters were planning “another insurrection”, and called on vice president Mike Pence to remove him before it happens.

“There’s another insurrection coming. They’re signaling 17 January and possibly 20 January,” Mr Scaramucci said on Good Morning Britain. “It’s impossible to say how deranged they’ll become.”

Mr Scaramucci went on to suggest that recent social bans against the president and Parler, an alternative chat app for the alt-right, were partially due to preparations for a second ‘insurrection’ in the days surrounding Joe Biden’s inauguration on 20 January, which is due to take place on the steps of the Capitol. 

[11 January 2021 15:20 · Justin Vallejo]

Capitol Police officer celebrated as ‘hero’

Eugene Goodman, the Capitol Police officer who was videoed bravely confronting the pro-Trump mob that stormed Congress last week, has been celebrated as a ‘hero’ who deserved the Congressional Medal of Honor, Democrat Jamie Harrison has suggested.  

Mr Goodman fooled the rioters into heading away from the Senate floor - potentially preventing an assault on lawmakers who were sheltering there, as well as damage to the Senate chamber. 

[11 January 2021 15:30 · Gino Spocchia]

Rioter who wanted to shoot Nancy Pelosi among those arrested

A man who allegedly wanted to shoot Nancy Pelosi’s “noggin” during the Capitol riots and is accused of having texted acquaintances about those plans has been arrested.

The rioter, who brought ammunition and firearms to Washington DC, is currently among those facing federal charges after last week’s insurrection.  

[11 January 2021 15:45 · Gino Spocchia]

Calls for Senate impeachment trial to be delayed by 100 days

An impeachment trial in the Senate should be delayed, the House majority whip James Clyburn has suggested. 

“Let's give President-elect Biden the 100 days he needs to get his agenda off and running,” Mr Clyburn argued, saying that “maybe we will send the articles some time after that.”

The House, which is all but expected to introduce and approve the impeachment article against Donald Trump by Wednesday, would delay sending the impeachment article to the Senate, under such a plan.