Sen. Chuck Schumer, who will become the majority leader within a few weeks, called on Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove President Trump from office. He said Congress should also impeach the president.
Schumer, a New York Democrat, joined a growing list of Democrats who say Trump should not be in office a minute longer following a violent and deadly siege of the Capitol on Wednesday that they blame on him.
“What happened at the U.S. Capitol yesterday was an insurrection against the United States, incited by the president. This president should not hold office one day longer,” Schumer said in a statement issued Thursday. “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.”
Democrats have started discussing a second impeachment of Trump, that, if successful, would prevent him from seeking the presidency again. Trump was impeached last year, but the Senate did not convict him of the two charges. If they were to convict him a second time around, he would be banned from the presidency if he intended to run again.
Schumer will soon control the Senate floor. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, controls the House chamber, and many of her caucus members are clamoring for a second impeachment of Trump.
Trump delivered an impassioned speech near the Capitol on Wednesday, telling thousands of supporters the election was stolen.
He told protesters to go to the Capitol, although he did not call for violence. He called on them to “cheer on” the lawmakers contesting the congressional certification of Joe Biden’s victory.
The protesters marched to the Capitol, and a large group broke through police barriers, broke through doors and windows, and stormed the second floor and two chambers. A woman was shot and killed by police, and three others died from medical emergencies.
Lawmakers were evacuated, and the building was locked down for hours.
