In Annapolis, calls for Trump’s removal grow
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said he would be in favor of President Donald Trump’s resigning or being removed from office after a violent mob of his supporters stormed the U. S. Capitol.
“There’s no question that America would be better off if the president would resign or be removed from office,” Hogan said Thursday during a news briefing in Annapolis. “If that’s going to happen or how that should happen, I don’t know.”
The governor joined a growing chorus of calls from top Maryland officials calling for the removal of the president in the wake of a violent occupation that left four people dead and shook the nation.
More than half of the state’s 10- member delegation joined officials across the county in calling for the president’s ouster by Thursday evening, a day after a previously unthinkable confrontation at the Capitol. Trump supporters stormed the building after the president encouraged a crowd rallying on the National Mall to oppose Congress’ certification of Electoral College votes. The crowd clashed with limited security on the building’s stairs and people forced their way inside, sending lawmakers into hiding and delaying the certification process by several hours.
“Over the last two months, this sacred tradition has come under attack from our own president, who has chosen to fan the flames of hate and mislead millions of voters through lies and conspiracy theories, rather than face the reality of his own defeat,” the Republican governor said at a news conference at the State House in Annapolis.
Republican Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford,
who appeared at Hogan’s side, did not speak at the news conference. But he tweeted Wednesday that it was an “impeachable offense to incite violence as @realDonaldTrump has done.”
Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger was among the Maryland lawmakers who called for the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution to be invoked to remove Trump from office. In a statement from the Democrat representing Maryland’s 2nd District, he accused the Republican president of inciting an “attempted coup” using “dangerous rhetoric and false claims of a rigged election.”
Ruppersberger said Trump’s actions were impeachable but said the 25th Amendment would be a more “expedient and appropriate” way to remove the president, who has less than a month left in office. Trump was defeated in the November election by Democrat Joe Biden, a decision Trump disputed for more than two months despite having no factual basis for his claims.
“President Trump should be removed from office now,” said Ruppersberger, who represents part of Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties. “He is a threat to our national security and a menace to democracy.”
The 25th Amendment, which became law following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, outlines procedures for replacing a president or vice president in the event of death, removal, resignation or incapacitation.
The vice president and a majority of Cabinet officials can issue a written declaration stating the president is unable to discharge the duties of his office. The vice president then assumes the office. That plan, however, requires presidential approval, a near-impossible scenario.
Should the vice president and cabinet declare Trump to be incapacitated, he could reclaim his powers by writing to legislative leaders. If the vice president and cabinet members persist, the matter then falls to Congress, which has 21 days to act.
Several members of the Maryland delegation called for Trump’s immediate removal from office but did not specify how that should be accomplished.
Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen said Thursday that every day Trump remains in office is a “grave danger to the public.” Senior Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin said the country can ill afford to wait until Trump’s term has expired.
“The president has repeatedly violated his most sacred responsibility to protect the American people. And yesterday he incited more violence — resulting in the loss of life and putting the lives of countless other Americans and the future of our democracy at risk,” Van Hollen said in a statement. “While there are only 13 days left of his presidency, each day Trump remains a ticking time bomb aimed at the heart of our democracy.”
“Donald Trump has forfeited his right to serve,” Cardin said. “We cannot wait 13 days. He must resign or be removed from office quickly — either through the 25th amendment or by impeachment — before he does even more damage to our nation.”