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As it happenedended1563319009

Trump news: Fresh calls for impeachment as House condemns president's racists attacks on Democratic congresswomen

House votes to condemn president's racist tweets

Chris Riotta
New York
,Joe Sommerlad
Tuesday 16 July 2019 18:32 BST
Comments
Donald Trump falsely claims Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar had praised al-Qaeda

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The US House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to condemn Donald Trump’s tweets telling four Democratic congresswomen of color to “go back” to their countries of origin.

The vote was 240-187 and was solidly opposed by Republicans. It came after Mr Trump and top congressional Republicans denied he is a racist and urged GOP lawmakers to oppose the Democratic measure.

The resolution says the House “strongly condemns” Mr Trump’s “racist comments that have legitimized and increased fear and hatred of new Americans and people of colour.”

The president responded angrily on Twitter after the four Democratic congresswomen he attacked in a series of racist tweets – Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib - staged a press conference on Monday night strongly condemning his behaviour and calling for his impeachment.

“The Democrat Congresswomen have been spewing some of the most vile, hateful, and disgusting things ever said by a politician in the House or Senate, & yet they get a free pass and a big embrace from the Democrat Party,” the president wrote on Twitter. “Horrible anti-Israel, anti-USA, pro-terrorist & public shouting of the F... word, among many other terrible things, and the petrified Dems run for the hills.”

With Republicans still desperate to avoid being drawn on the matter, Representative Omar attacked President Trump’s “white nationalist agenda” and said: “It is time for us to stop allowing this president to make a mockery of our constitution. It’s time for us to impeach this president.”

Immediately after the resolution vote, a Texas Democrat announced he would file articles of impeachment against Mr Trump in a move that could force a politically fraught vote by the end of the week.

Under House rules, a single member of the House can force an impeachment vote. Mr Green did so twice, unsuccessfully, when Republicans controlled the House.

For now, a majority of House Democrats appear to oppose impeachment.

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And House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has resisted launching official proceedings without broad bipartisan support.

Additional reporting by AP. Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load

1563310111

Al Green, one of the first Democratic congressmen to call for Donald Trump's impeachment, has announced he will file articles of impeachment against the president tonight -

Chris Riotta16 July 2019 21:48
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The US's largest provider of reproductive health care has fired its president, as the Trump administration rolls back access to abortion.

Against the backdrop of various states passing new regulations on a women’s access to an abortion, and the introduction of similarly restrictive rules imposed by the federal government, Planned Parenthood said it was replacing Leana Wen as its president, just 10 months after she took the high profile job.

Chris Riotta16 July 2019 22:11
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Justin Amash joins the Democrats in voting not to strike Nancy Pelosi's words from the congressional record -

Chris Riotta16 July 2019 22:36
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Donald Trump has tweeted about tomorrow night's rally in North Carolina -

Chris Riotta16 July 2019 23:02
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Here's The Independent's Andrew Buncombe on the plight facing migrants from Honduras -

Chris Riotta16 July 2019 23:19
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A vote has begun on whether to condemn Donald Trump's racist tweets.

Chris Riotta16 July 2019 23:24
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Civil rights activist and Congressman John Lewis has spoken out ahead of the resolution vote -

Chris Riotta16 July 2019 23:34
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At least four Republicans have voted along with Democrats to condemn Donald Trump's racist tweets in a House resolution.

Chris Riotta16 July 2019 23:41
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BREAKING: The US House of Representatives has approved a resolution condemning Donald Trump's attacks on four progressive Democratic newcomers as racist. Democrats were joined by at least four House Republicans and one Independent.

Chris Riotta16 July 2019 23:53
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Here's our breaking story on the House vote condemning Donald Trump's racist attacks on four Democratic congresswomen: 

Chris Riotta16 July 2019 23:55

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