CT Lawmakers Call For President Trump's Removal

CONNECTICUT — President Donald Trump's last day in office is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 20, which is when Joe Biden will be sworn in as the country's 46th president after Congress completed its certification of the Electoral College results early Thursday.

But some Democratic members of Connecticut's federal delegation are making a push to end Trump's presidency early by removing him from office, citing the 25th Amendment, which allows Congress to remove sitting presidents if it's determined they can't do their job.

After a mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol building Wednesday afternoon, Rep. John B. Larson, representing Connecticut's 1st District, said it's time for Trump to go.

“President Trump and everyone who encouraged these rallies that resulted in this attack on the Capitol are responsible," Larson said. "(Wednesday’s) events amount to an attempted coup that was encouraged by the sitting President to disrupt the certification of electoral college results. President Trump’s actions raise serious concerns about whether he’s mentally fit.

"Some would say he has malignant narcissism psychosis. He attacked his own Vice President, tried to coerce the Georgia Secretary of State, and without any evidence found by any state, he still claims he won the election in a landslide. I encourage Vice President Pence and the cabinet to proceed with the 25th Amendment. I am very concerned about President Trump’s ability to govern our country over these next 14 days."

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, representing Connecticut's 3rd District, said, "I support every constitutional effort to remove Donald Trump from office immediately. The survival of our democracy depends on it."

On Wednesday, a California woman was fatally shot inside the Capitol and three others died of medical emergencies, according to the police chief of Washington, D.C.

The nation watched as thousands of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, smashing windows, running through the halls and ransacking leaders' offices — all seemingly undeterred by authorities.

After Biden's win was certified by Congress Thursday, Trump said he was committed to an orderly transition of power.

"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 20th," Trump said through a spokesperson.

As for invoking the 25th amendment, it's likely a long shot at best. Vice President Mike Pence, a majority of Trump's Cabinet and a two-thirds supermajority of Congress would have to approve, according to CNN.

Rep. Jim Himes, representing Connecticut's 4th District, said Trump incited the riot.

“(Wednesday's) seditious riot, attempting to overturn the rightful election of Joe Biden, is the inevitable and tragic result of months and years of lies and incitement by Donald Trump and his craven enablers," Himes said. "There is blood on their hands. This is domestic terrorism, and the traitors who brought this violence to the hallowed halls of democracy are the shame of the nation and must be brought to justice."

DeLauro called what occurred at the nation's capitol "acts of terror."

“Make no mistake, this was a coup attempt instigated by President Trump," she said. "Everyone who has aided and abetted him for the past four years bears responsibility for (Wednesday’s) violence. January 6 will go down as a dark day in United States’ history, but our democracy will prevail over the violent mob that ransacked our Capitol. In two weeks, President-elect Biden will take office and begin the work of healing our nation."

Rep. Jahana Hayes, representing Connecticut's 5th District, said Wednesday should have been a "ceremonial verification of an election."

"Enabled and incited by the President, and with intentions to discredit our Democracy, sow fear, and incite violence, these rioters stormed the United States Capitol," Hayes said. "This disgraceful mob assaulted Capitol Police officers, vandalized the floor of the United States Senate, attempted to break into the House Chamber in an armed standoff, broke Capitol windows, destroyed property and forced the campus into lockdown. The lives of my colleagues, law enforcement, Congressional staff and even the protesters were put in danger today by this assault on the rule of law.

“These actions are an affront to the American people, to our democracy, and to the sacred nature of our electoral system. While voters have a right to be disappointed at the outcome and even a constitutional right to dispute the results, they have no right to violence or to violate the American tradition of a peaceful transfer of power.

"In my nearly 15 years of teaching American history, I could have never found the words to explain this act of sedition to my students. The damage that this President and these rioters have done to our democracy is incomprehensible. The work of repairing the chasms in our electorate and faith in our republic rests squarely on our shoulders."

Sen. Richard Blumenthal spoke on the Senate floor late Wednesday night about what transpired earlier in the day.

“Today was indeed disgusting and sickening, it was shocking and despicable, it was heartbreaking, but it was not surprising,” he said.

Blumenthal was highly critical of his colleagues in the Senate who didn’t speak out against Trump before Wednesday.

“And most disturbing, these actions by a president who demonstrated that contempt for the rule of law were met with silence from many political leaders, our colleagues here in the Senate among them," he said.

He called the Senate vote challenging state election results a dangerous political stunt.

“The political students themselves driven by opportunism blaze a path that can be followed by more competent challenges just as the dictatorial instincts and actions of this president can be followed by more effective would-be tyrants intent on destroying our republic.”