House impeaches Trump for role in deadly Capitol riot

The fence line securing the US Capitol complex is currently expanding after a small but vocal group of anti-fascist demonstrators approached the barricades.  

New eight-foot metal fencing is currently going up on 3rd St. NW. It expands the security perimeter by about 250 yards.  

Earlier today, a group of over a dozen protestors marched with large banners to the fence line, chanting and yelling at police with bullhorns.  

Capitol police carrying a large number of flexible handcuffs moved quickly to push the demonstrators back to 3rd St.  An officer announced on a loudspeaker that the demonstrators were assembled without a permit and needed to leave.

The demonstrators eventually folded their banners and left.  

The street is now lined with dozens of officers. Lined behind them for reinforcement are National Guard troops carrying semiautomatic rifles.  

 After the protesters left, utility vehicles carrying the fencing arrived fencing arrived.  

States across the country are increasing security measures at their capitol buildings ahead of what the FBI warned are "armed protests" being planned at all 50 state capitols.

Online chatter about more violent demonstrations "is off the charts right now," one official told CNN. Facebook has seen online signals indicating the potential for more violence following last week’s insurrection, a company spokesperson said.

Here's how some states are preparing for potential unrest:

Multiple layers of security are also in place around the US Capitol as the House debates on impeaching President Trump. Heightened security is also planned for President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20.

Today, National Guard members are surrounding the entire grounds of the Capitol. They were just issued weapons, many of them carrying semi-automatic rifles.

California GOP Rep. Young Kim, who narrowly won her seat in November, said she supports censuring President Trump but opposes impeaching him.

"I believe censuring the president is a better option. This would be a strong rebuke of his actions and rhetoric and unite our country and chamber, rather than divide it," she said.

Read her full statement:

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said he fully supports lawmakers impeaching President Trump. 

"To those of you who think, well he's only got one week left, this is not about time. It's about doing what's right, it's about setting a higher bar for the presidency of this country, it's about standing up for the Constitution and the rule of law," Murphy said during a news conference Wednesday. 

Murphy, a Democrat, praised Republican Rep. Liz Cheney for supporting Trump's impeachment.

"I don't think I'll often find myself in agreement with Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney, the third highest member of the House Republican leadership but I do here and I give her a huge shout out for being on the right side of this from moment one, never equivocated," he said.

"Representative Cheney said of President Trump's last actions last week and I quote her, 'there has never been a greater betrayal by a president of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution,' and that he hits it on the head," Murphy added.

A lectern of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, which was seen being held by a rioter as a pro-Trump mob stormed the US Capitol last week, was set up for an enrollment ceremony tonight in the House of Representatives.

Adam Johnson, of Florida, was arrested in the state Friday and booked into the Pinellas County Jail just days after he was allegedly caught on camera carrying the House speaker's lectern.

In opposing the impeachment resolution, Texas Republican Rep. Lance Gooden said, “And I also want to thank my Democratic colleagues for finally joining Republicans in condemning mob violence after six months of refusing to acknowledge it.” 

Facts First: This accusation is false. Numerous Democrats — including President-elect Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and other senior members of the party’s congressional caucus — condemned rioting and looting last year while also supporting peaceful protests against racism and police brutality. 

Republicans are entitled to argue that Democrats should have issued such condemnations more forcefully or frequently, but it’s just inaccurate to say they didn't issue the condemnations at all. 

The Justice Department appears to be hitting up against the potential limits of the law, as they try to keep people detained who came to Washington last week for a coup attempt.

A judge is already asking for more from the Justice Department on why he should keep one defendant locked up who brought guns and ammo to Washington and wrote in text messages about shooting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and DC Mayor Muriel Bowser.

One of the more serious cases so far, against Cleveland Meredith Jr., who is accused of threatening Pelosi and bringing hundreds of rounds of ammo and guns to Washington, DC, is where this came up today. 

Prosecutors had asked for Meredith's detention. Meredith's lawyer countered that keeping him locked up because of perceived "dangerousness" alone is not enough under the law. 

"Congress restricted the government’s ability to request detention," Meredith's lawyer wrote in a court filing Wednesday afternoon, citing the Bail Reform Act limitations that reasons defendants can be kept in jail must be because they are a flight risk, potentially obstructive or charged with crimes of violence, a drug offense, or an offense that could merit a life sentence or death. 

His lawyer argued Meredith should be released while he awaits his trial.

Meredith has not yet been indicted, and was arrested last week on a criminal complaint alleging that he illegally possessed weapons and made the threats.

He was set to have a judge decide whether he should be detained today. That is now being postponed until tomorrow, and DOJ is getting another opportunity to argue for why he should remain in jail.

Meredith is still detained.

He has no prior convictions on his record, his lawyer also argues.

Democratic Rep. Jason Crow, a veteran, called on his Republican colleagues to show a fraction of the courage of US troops by voting to impeach President Trump despite their fear of consequences.

"I have dedicated my life to the defense of our nation. And Donald Trump is a risk to all that I love," Crow said.

See the moment:

Heightened airport security measures around inauguration in some cases include a second screening of passengers boarding flights, the Transportation Security Administration acknowledged to CNN.  

The second check at the boarding gate is in addition to the standard screening procedures done at TSA checkpoints.   

“This is a routine practice and represents one of the multiple layers of security that we employ,” agency spokesperson Carter Langston told CNN when asked about an account of TSA officers stopping passengers at the gate of a Washington-bound flight to check identification and bags.  

“It may occur with greater frequency due to recent and upcoming events, but it is a routine practice,” Langston said.   

The screening of DC-bound passengers is in addition to a heightened security and police presence at the three Washington-area airports that has included armored vehicles and a notable number of visible officers in terminals. 

TSA told CNN on Monday that the agency is on “high alert.”  

The developments come after rowdy incidents on airplanes and in airports as the rioters who ransacked the Capitol building traveled to and left Washington.   

The Federal Aviation Administration has warned individuals who "interfere with, physically assault, or threaten to physically assault aircraft crew or anyone else on an aircraft face stiff penalties including fines of up to $35,000 and imprisonment."   

Steven D'Antuono, a senior Federal Bureau of Investigation official in the nation’s capital, said Tuesday that officials are “actively looking at” adding rioters to the federal No Fly List.