Good morning, NBC News readers.
President Donald Trump made history yesterday when he became the first president to be impeached twice. But will he become the first president to be convicted in the Senate?
Here's what we're watching this Thursday morning.
Trump impeached again on charge of 'incitement of insurrection'
The House impeached President Trump on Wednesday for a second time, charging him with "incitement of insurrection" for his role in the violent riot by a pro-Trump mob at the U.S. Capitol last week.
In a bipartisan rebuke, lawmakers voted 232-197 to approve the single impeachment article. Ten Republicans broke with their party and voted against Trump.
The final word on Trump's legacy now falls on the Senate where Trump will face a trial, which is likely to come after he's left office.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said that the trial would begin after the Senate reconvenes on Tuesday, the day before President-elect Joe Biden takes office.
If Trump is convicted in the Senate, he could be barred from ever seeking elected federal office again.
With a two-thirds majority required to convict, Democrats will need at least 17 Republican senators to break ranks to convict Trump — a high hurdle that will require changing the minds of lawmakers who have been fiercely loyal to the president.
The outcome could come down to McConnell, who has publicly flirted this week with supporting a conviction for Trump's role in the deadly attack on the Capitol.
If McConnell were to back conviction, he could lead more reluctant senators to follow suit. For now, he says he is undecided.
One way or the other, Trump's impeachment may define the shape of the divided Republican Party for generations to come, writes NBC News' Sahil Kapur.
More coverage of the impeachment:
- "Becoming radioactive": With just days to go in office, Trump is racing to rehabilitate his brand.
- Trump remains defiant, even as the moving boxes arrive and the White House becomes a ghost town.
- Impeachment 2.0: What happens next? NBC News' Steve Kornacki and Leigh Ann Caldwell break down what a Senate trial could look like in a new episode of our Article II podcast.
- Follow our live blog for all the latest developments.
One death every 6 minutes: How L.A. became the nation's largest coronavirus hot spot
In Los Angeles County, 10 people on average test positive for the coronavirus every minute. Every six minutes, someone dies from Covid-19, according to county public health data.
The startling figures come as California’s most populous county rapidly approaches 1 million confirmed coronavirus cases since the pandemic started last year.
Epidemiologists and elected officials are confronted with an uncomfortable question as L.A.’s Covid-19 crisis metastasizes: How did Los Angeles become the center of the pandemic?
"Once you get behind the eight ball, it's hard to put the genie back in the bottle," said one San Francisco epidemiologist.
The news comes as the U.S. vaccine rollout fails to meet demand across the country.
Follow our live blog for all the latest news on the pandemic.
Want to receive the Morning Rundown in your inbox? Sign up here.
Plus
- Former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has been charged in the Flint water crisis that killed 12 people.
- Stun guns, "stinger whips" and a crossbow: Here's what police found on the Capitol protesters.
- Jacob Blake thought he had told his children he loved them for the last time.
THINK about it
The CDC was damaged by marginalization and politicization — but here is how Biden can fix it, former CDC directors Tom Frieden, Richard Besser, Julie Gerberding and Jeffrey Koplan write in an opinion piece.
Live BETTER
Stuck in a cooking rut? (I know I am). Try Joy Bauer's weekly meal plan.
Shopping
A weighted blanket or comforter can help promote sleep — here's how to find the best one.
Quote of the day
"I have not made a final decision on how I will vote and I intend to listen to the legal arguments when they are presented to the Senate."
— Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in a note to GOP colleagues on Wednesday about Trump's upcoming Senate trial.
Stunning images
Law enforcement has flooded the area around the Capitol ahead of the House impeachment vote and Biden's inauguration next week.
As many as 1,000 armed National Guard troops slept inside the Capitol shoulder to shoulder on Tuesday night in order to defend our democracy if necessary.
NBC News' Lester Holt reflects on the extraordinary scenes.
Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown.
If you have any comments — likes, dislikes — send me an email at: [email protected]
If you'd like to receive this newsletter in your inbox Monday to Friday, please sign-up here.
Thanks, Petra
