While he said in a statement Wednesday that the House’s vote “to impeach and hold the president accountable” was “a bipartisan vote cast by members who followed the Constitution and their conscience,” Biden wants to hit the ground running on a broad spectrum of economic and public health initiatives when he takes office next week. He said the Senate needs to 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 reeling economy,” Biden continued. “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.”
Biden has made clear he’s not particularly enthusiastic for Trump’s impeachment, remaining silent for several hours on the historic action. Aides had told CNN that the President-elect was planning to release a statement Wednesday night on the President’s impeachment, but the timing certainly underscores that the Biden team had other priorities on Wednesday.
Yet the reality is that impeachment will now be one more thing Biden inherits from the Trump presidency.
At least four confirmation hearings for Biden’s Cabinet nominees are already scheduled for the week of January 20, for Secretary of State nominee Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary nominee Lloyd Austin, Treasury Secretary nominee Janet Yellen and Secretary of Homeland Security nominee Alejandro Mayorkas. Senators could be called on to draft legislation having to do with the pandemic or economic relief, as Biden wants to increase relief checks to $2,000.
2021-01-13 19:26:40
