WASHINGTON, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a letter Sunday that the House is taking actions early this week that seek to remove President Donald Trump from office.
Monday morning, Pelosi says Majority Leader Hoyer will request unanimous consent to bring up the Raskin resolution, which calls on Vice President Mike Pence to convene and mobilize the Cabinet to activate the 25th Amendment to declare Trump incapable of executing the duties of his office. Afterwards, Pelosi says Pence would immediately exercise powers as acting president.
If they don’t get unanimous consent, the House leadership plans to bring the legislation to the floor on Tuesday for a vote.
Pelosi added that the House is calling on Pence to respond within 24 hours.
Next, Pelosi says the House will “proceed” with bringing impeachment legislation to the floor.
Trump has less than two weeks left in office before President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in to take his place, but many Democrats and a growing number of Republicans say they want him out before then. Those lawmakers believe Trump played a large role in the assault on the U.S. Captiol on Wednesday, when Congress gathered for a joint session to confirm Biden's Electoral College victory.
At least five people died after the riots at the Capitol, including a police officer who suffered injuries from the pro-Trump protesters.
“In protecting our Constitution and our Democracy, we will act with urgency, because this President represents an imminent threat to both,” wrote Pelosi to her colleagues. “As the days go by, the horror of the ongoing assault on our democracy perpetrated by this President is intensified and so is the immediate need for action.”
