ALL NEWS

Calls grow in Congress for President Trump to be removed by impeachment or the 25th Amendment

Jan 7, 2021, 12:13 PM

congress impeachment...

FILE -US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, speaks during a press conference at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, January 6, 2021. - Donald Trump faced one of the darkest days of his presidency Wednesday with the US Congress poised to certify Joe Biden's White House victory and Democrats on track to take control of the Senate with a pair of stunning upset victories in Georgia. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

(Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (CNN) — A growing number of lawmakers — including from Democratic leadership — are calling for President Donald Trump to be removed from office either through impeachment or the 25th Amendment to the Constitution after a violent mob of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday.

The calls have come largely from Democrats so far, but at least one congressional Republican has joined in. GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, a frequent critic of the President, has called for the 25th Amendment to be invoked, saying in a video message on Thursday, “the President must now relinquish control of the executive branch voluntarily or involuntarily.”

The top Democrat in the Senate has also embraced the 25th Amendment push.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer put out a statement Thursday denouncing the “insurrection” at the Capitol “incited by the President,” and saying, “This president should not hold office one day longer.”

“The quickest and most effective way — it can be done today — to remove this president from office would be for the Vice President to immediately invoke the 25th amendment. If the Vice President and the Cabinet refuse to stand up, Congress should reconvene to impeach the president,” he said in the statement.

Invoking the 25th Amendment would require Vice President Mike Pence and a majority of the Cabinet to vote to remove Trump from office due to his inability to “discharge the powers and duties of his office” — an unprecedented step.

Any 25th Amendment push faces an unprecedented steep hill to come to fruition with little time left before Biden’s inauguration. The calls in Congress, however, underscore the extent to which lawmakers are reeling and furious with the President in the wake of the devastation at the Capitol on Wednesday.

Sen. Patty Murray, the No. 3 in Senate Democratic leadership, has also said it’s time to invoke the 25th Amendment.

“The most immediate way to ensure the President is prevented from causing further harm in coming days is to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove him from office. As history watches, I urge Vice President Pence and the President’s cabinet to put country before party and act,” she said in a statement.

House Oversight Committee chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, a New York Democrat, on Thursday backed removing Trump from office either through the 25th Amendment or impeachment.

“Invoking the 25th Amendment is the quickest way to do this, and expedience must be our goal,” she said, adding, “If the Vice President and Cabinet fail to act, we have a duty to pursue impeachment.”

Other prominent Democrats have urged impeachment in the wake of the mob violence at the Capitol that took place as a joint session of Congress met to count the electoral votes affirming President-elect Joe Biden’s win amid false claims from Trump that the election was rigged against him.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic caucus chairman, tweeted on Thursday, “Donald Trump should be impeached, convicted and removed from office immediately.”

Three members of the House Judiciary committee — Reps. Jamie Raskin, David Cicilline and Ted Lieu — are circulating to colleagues an impeachment resolution calling Trump’s actions an abuse of power. They wrote that Trump violated the Constitution by “willfully inciting violence against the Government of the United States.”

All four members of the progressive “squad” of Democratic lawmakers — Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley — have also spoken out in support of impeachment in the wake of the violent siege of the Capitol.

“I am drawing up Articles of Impeachment. Donald J. Trump should be impeached by the House of Representatives & removed from office by the United States Senate. We can’t allow him to remain in office, it’s a matter of preserving our Republic and we need to fulfill our oath,” Omar tweeted Wednesday.

“This is on Donald Trump, period. He called folks to D.C. and gave them marching orders. He needs to be impeached and removed immediately,” Tlaib tweeted Wednesday.

With Biden’s inauguration date fast approaching on January 20, it is highly unlikely that there would be adequate time or political will in Congress for any kind of impeachment effort.

The Democratic-led House of Representatives impeached Trump already in 2019. In order to remove a President from office through impeachment, the Senate must vote to convict after an impeachment trial. That did not happen in the GOP-controlled Senate where Trump was ultimately acquitted.

After the pro-Trump mob was cleared from the Capitol, lawmakers reconvened late in the evening to continue the Electoral vote count. Congress completed the count and finalized Biden’s win in the early hours of Thursday morning.

This story has been updated with additional developments Thursday.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

All News

Rain and snow expected Easter...

Adam Small

More rain and snow on it’s way for Easter

More rain and snow is headed to Utah on Thursday, and the wet weather is expected to hang around through Easter.

20 minutes ago

Rep. Phil Lyman, R-Blanding, speaks during the Utah Eagle Forum's annual conference at Salt Lake Co...

Emma Keddington

Rep. Phil Lyman defends post correlating DEI policies with Baltimore bridge collapse

Rep. Phil Lyman is defending a post made Tuesday, that said Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies had something to do with the Baltimore bridge collapse. 

47 minutes ago

The Powder Baby Dry Shampoo team poses with its check after winning the 2024 Utah Entrepreneur Chal...

Logan Stefanich, KSL.COM

BYU student startup wins $30K at Utah Entrepreneur Challenge

BYU entrepreneur Kylee Black, who founded Powder Baby, said the cash prize will be instrumental in advancing her business.

2 hours ago

Utah Jazz Collin Sexton...

Ben Anderson

Jazz 3-18 Since Trade Deadline After Loss To Spurs

At 3-18 since the trade deadline, the Jazz now sit behind the 4-19 Portland Trail Blazers as the league’s worst team since February 8.

2 hours ago

Myrtle Spurge is often touted as deer-resistant and drought-tolerant, but the plant is rapidly inva...

Eliza Pace

Salt Lake County Health warns of harmful myrtle spurge plant

Myrtle Spurge was originally introduced to Utah as a decorative plant but is an invasive species that has spread to natural areas.

3 hours ago

IRS texts are bogus. Picture shows a sign saying "warning, scam alert" on a keyboard...

Britt Johnson

Millions to be paid for Utah’s largest real estate scheme settlement

Over $10 million in refunds will go to victims of a Utah-based real estate scheme following the settlement of a lawsuit.

4 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

Calls grow in Congress for President Trump to be removed by impeachment or the 25th Amendment