Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, DN.Y., on Sunday attacked the invasion of the US Capitol by Trump supporters, saying that half of the legislators in the House “almost died”.
Ocasio-Cortez made the comments during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week” program with presenter George Stephanopoulos.
Stephanopoulos read a letter from Republican lawmakers to President-elect Joe Biden in which they opposed President Trump’s impeachment efforts so close to inauguration day. Lawmakers said moving forward was “unnecessary” and “inflammatory”.
Ocasio-Cortez countered the tone of the letter, calling the invasion of the United States Capitol on Wednesday “an insurrection against the United States”. She said that both Trump and the rioters were accomplices.
Ocasio-Cortez said any “cure” – as Republican lawmakers alluded to in his letter to Biden – would require accountability.
“And so, if we allow the insurrection against the United States with impunity, without accountability, we are inviting it to happen again,” said Ocasio-Cortez. “Almost half of the house died on Wednesday.”
A violent group of Trump supporters dominated the police, breached security lines and windows and stormed the Capitol on Wednesday, forcing lawmakers to spread out as they finalized Biden’s victory over Trump at the Electoral College.
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Ocasio-Cortez noted that if a foreign head of state ordered an attack on the United States Congress, most people would request a lawsuit.
“Would we say that there should be absolutely no response to that? No. It is an act of insurrection. It is an act of hostility. And we must take responsibility because, without it, it will happen again,” she said.
Her comments were made hours before House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Sunday that the House will pursue legislation for Trump’s impeachment as she pressures the vice president and cabinet to invoke constitutional authority to expel him, warning that Trump is a threat to democracy after the deadly attack on the capital.
In a letter to his colleagues, Pelosi said the House will vote first to pressure Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment’s powers to remove Trump from office. After 24 hours, she said, the House would move forward with impeachment legislation. Trump could become the only president of the United States to face two charges.
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“By protecting our Constitution and our Democracy, we will act urgently, because this President poses an imminent threat to both,” said Pelosi, and added: “The horror of the continued attack on our democracy perpetrated by this President is intensified and so is the need immediate action. “
The Associated Press contributed to this report.