WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th January, 2021) Hundreds of armed National Guard troops have been deployed to secure the US Capitol as the impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump commenced on Wednesday.
Some of the troops were seen standing guard behind a fence erected around the Capitol grounds as the Congress debates a motion to impeach President Donald Trump over what Democrats and some Republicans say was inciting an insurrection, a Sputnik correspondent reported.
Members of the National Guard have camped out in front of the US Capitol building ahead of the impeachment session and dozens can be seen sleeping on the floor in the Capitol building halls with their rifles next to them.
According to acting Chief of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department Robert Contee, more than 20,000 National Guard troops will be on hand to help secure the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden next week.
Earlier on Wednesday, the US House of Representatives convened a session to impeach Trump for a second time over inciting an insurrection following last week's riot at the Capitol.
The Democrat-majority House is expected to easily pass the resolution impeaching Trump for "high crimes and misdemeanors" over his role in the storming of the Capitol by a group of Trump supporters, making him the only president in US history to have been impeached twice.
The House is now proceeding with one hour of debate on the rule governing impeachment debate, and will hold a vote on the rule afterward. Lawmakers will then proceed with two hours of debate on the impeachment resolution before holding a final vote.
On January 6, a group of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol building after the president urged them to protest against the certification of electoral slates by Congress, some of which they believe are invalid. Five people, including a police officer, died in the riot.
