Toomey said he believed that “Trump’s behavior this week disqualifies him from serving. But we have 10 days left, 11 days left”.
“I don’t know if logistically it is really possible or practical and I’m not sure if it is desirable to try to force him out, that day or two or three before the day he is going to end anyway,” Toomey said. “So I’m not sure that this is the best way to go.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Friday that Democrats are prepared to move forward next week with the president’s impeachment for his role in Wednesday’s deadly attack on the United States Capitol, if he does not resign. House Democrats plan to present their impeachment resolution on Monday.
But on Saturday, seven Republican members of the House sent a letter to Biden asking the president-elect to formally request that Pelosi not seek impeachment. These Republicans had previously issued a joint statement opposing the objection made by several of their Republican colleagues against the certification of the Electoral College’s vote.
“A second impeachment, just days before President Trump leaves office, is as unnecessary as it is inflamed,” says the letter. “This impeachment would undermine its priority to unify Americans and would be an additional distraction for our nation at a time when millions of our fellow citizens are suffering from the pandemic and the economic collapse.”
The letter was signed by Republican representatives Ken Buck of Colorado, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Tom McClintock of California, Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Chip Roy of Texas, Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota and Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin.
CNN’s Phil Mattingly, Michael Warren and Jamie Gangel contributed to this report.