KQED's Forum

House Democrats introduced an article of impeachment Monday charging President Trump with "incitement of insurrection" for his role in last week's riot at the U.S. Capitol. The insurrection "was a direct attack on our democracy," wrote Congresswoman Katie Porter, who represents California's 45th district in Orange County and is a member of the House Financial Services Committee and the House Oversight and Reform Committee. She amassed a national profile over the past year by directing tough questions to Trump administration officials and corporate executives in congressional hearings. We'll talk with Rep. Porter about the impeachment effort as well as her fight for equity in COVID-19 testing and vaccines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support for the second impeachment of President Donald Trump grew among House Democrats Friday, following Wednesday's violent pro-Trump insurrection that left five people dead at the U.S. Capitol. We'll discuss the latest developments.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California announced plans last week to administer the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine to a million people in the course of only ten days. The decision came as the state continues to see a surge in cases, and as it faces criticism over a slow vaccine rollout for health care workers and nursing home residents. We'll get the details on the vaccination push. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

QAnon conspiracists, white nationalists, business professionals and Proud Boys militants. Those are some of the perpetrators of the deadly pro-Trump insurrection at the U.S. Capitol last week that law enforcement officials have identified and begun to charge with federal crimes. We’ll talk about what we know about the insurrectionists, what they were planning and why some investigators say the violence could have been far worse. And we’ll look at some of the raid’s historical antecedents, and its racist roots. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The siege of the U.S Capitol by Pro-Trump extremists on Wednesday has many grappling with questions of accountability and justice. Democratic leaders Thursday demanded that President Trump be removed from office. Several White House officials have resigned, but what will be the punishment for members of Congress who supported Trump’s attempt to steal the election? Lawmakers are also calling for congressional hearings on the failure of law enforcement to protect what should have been one of America’s most secure buildings. We’ll discuss the aftermath of Wednesday's violence and who should be held accountable.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than one million California state unemployment claims--approximately 1 in 7-- were suspended this week in an attempt to avoid more fraudulent payouts. The California Employment Development Department has lost up to $4 billion on fraudulent claims since the pandemic started. We break down the latest problems besetting the state’s EDD, as a record number of Californians await much-needed financial relief. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called on Vice President Mike Pence and President Donald Trump’s Cabinet to use the 25th Amendment to remove the president from office. Pelosi said if not, the Democrats could seek to impeach the president a second time. This comes after the president tried to tamper with election results in Georgia and incited a riot at the U.S. Capitol that left five people dead. Experts say taking either path would be challenging for Democrats. We explain the various scenarios for forcing a president out of office and what it means for Trump’s limited time in the White House.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Thursday, Facebook announced it banned President Donald Trump from posting on its platform and on Instagram for at least the next two weeks. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the risks of allowing Trump to post "are simply too great" after the president posted a video calling violent insurrectionists "very special" as they rioted on Capitol Hill. Many see the bans as too little, too late, after years of allowing Trump to spread lies, conspiracy theories and disinformation online that fueled a base of extremist supporters. In her piece “Trump’s Internet is Celebrating” for The Atlantic, Kaitlyn Tiffany writes that the insurrectionists, known as the #StopTheSteal movement online, did exactly what they’d promised to do for months and are gleeful over yesterday’s riots. We’ll talk to Tiffany about how Trump’s attempted coup was born online and where social media companies go from here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Violent extremists loyal to President Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol Wednesday in an attempt to prevent Congress from confirming electoral votes for president-elect Joe Biden. The mob smashed windows, clashed with police and four people are dead. In response, Trump called on the rioters to go home but at the same time reiterated false claims that the election was stolen. Many across the country are reeling in the aftermath of a stunning attack on this country's democratic process. We get the latest on the riots. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After violent supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol, many Americans are dismayed at the chaos and lawlessness that has unfolded. Some observers questioned the lax response from police, as well as galling discrepancies between the treatment of Black Lives Matter protesters and the pro-Trump mob. And the incident is sparking calls for a second impeachment of Trump, who invited the rioters to Washington D.C. In this statewide call-in special, we'll talk about the political and legal fallout from Wednesday's violence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices