25th Amendment Resolution: How NY's Delegation Voted

NEW YORK — The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution late Tuesday asking Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove President Donald Trump from office. Pence has already sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying he would reject the plan, The New York Times reported.

But according to multiple sources, House leaders plan to begin impeachment proceedings as soon as Wednesday.

The resolution, which passed 223-205 along party lines with Republican Adam Kinzinger of Illinois joining, states that Trump “widely advertised and broadly encouraged” protests that led to last week’s violence and insurrection at the Capitol building, according to a report from NPR. It urges Pence to invoke his powers to declare Trump unfit for office immediately and assume all powers and responsibility of the presidency.

The New York delegation voted along party lines, with 19 Democrats voting in favor and seven Republicans voting against. You can see the full roll call here. The delegation was down a member because the winner of the race for the 22nd Congressional District has not yet been decided.

Rep. Kathleen Rice, a Democrat who represents the 4th Congressional District on Long Island, said she intended to vote for the resolution for Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment, and failing that, she said she will vote to impeach the president.

"For the sake of our democracy, Trump must be held accountable and removed from office," she tweeted.

Democrat Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, whose district covers Orange and Putnam counties and parts of Westchester and Dutchess counties, voted in favor of the resolution, saying that if Pence doesn't follow through, the House will do its duty and proceed with impeachment.

"The president of the United States is a clear and present danger," Maloney said in a news release. "He has shown he is unfit to serve, and must step down before more violent, deadly acts are carried out by his mob — in our nation's capital and across the country."

Rep. Elise Stefanik, a Republican who represents the 21st Congressional District, said she voted against the resolution.

"We must work together to unify at this challenging time for the American people," she tweeted. "This political resolution sets a very dangerous Constitutional precedent and further divides our country."

Stefanik added she believes the focus should be on "ensuring a safe transfer of power on January 20th."

If Trump is impeached this week, he would become the first president in United States history to be impeached a second time. To be removed, he will need to be convicted by the Senate. Some Republican leaders in the Senate have already expressed support for the measure.

"What took place (the Capitol riot) is absolutely intolerable and unacceptable," Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland said in support of the resolution. "(It is) very clear the president did not discharge the proper duties of office."

Rep. Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican, called the resolution "misguided and inappropriate."

"The majority is asking the House to assume a power it does not have," Cole said, pointing to the power of invoking the 25th Amendment that lies with "the vice president and Cabinet alone."

Trump is eight days away from the end of his term, with President-elect Joe Biden set to become America’s 46th president Jan. 20.

Written by Kara Seymour, Patch staff. Additional reporting by Michael Woyton, Patch staff.