Call to dump Trump
SENATE Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the US Senate, has called for Donald Trump’s immediate removal from office through the vice-president’s invocation of the 25th Amendment in the wake of Trump supporters’ violent insurrection attempt inside the Capitol.
Should he refuse, “Congress should reconvene to impeach the president,” he said.
Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger, the first among Republican lawmakers in Washington to demand the invocation of the 25th Amendment, has also called for the President’s swift removal from office, with less than two weeks to go until President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.
Meanwhile Mr Trump, fresh from his 12-hour Twitter band after a series of statements deemed provocative, has pledged there will be an orderly transition after Congress formally validated Mr Biden’s presidential election victory on a day
that saw a time-honoured ceremony become a nightmare of unprecedented political terror.
The House and Senate certified the Democrat’s electoral college win after a violent throng of proTrump rioters spent hours running rampant through the Capitol.
A woman was fatally shot, windows were smashed and the mob forced shaken legislators and aides to flee the building, shielded by Capitol police. City police said three other people died from medical emergencies.
Mr Trump, in a statement tweeted by his social media director Dan Scavino: “Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20. I have always said we would continue our fight to ensure that only legal votes were counted. While this represents the end of the greatest first term in presidential history, it’s only the beginning of our fight to Make America Great Again.”
The rampage began shortly after Mr Trump repeated his unfounded claims of election fraud to thousands of rallying demonstrators he had invited to Washington. Many then surged to the Capitol after he incited them to go there as legislators debated the electoral votes.
More than six hours after the violence erupted. The assault made some Republicans squeamish about trying to overturn Mr Biden’s win and challenges were lodged only against Arizona and Pennsylvania. Both lost overwhelmingly.
Mr Biden defeated Mr Trump by 306-232 electoral votes and will be inaugurated on January 20.
A number of White House aides were discussing a potential mass resignation.