Democratic representatives Steven Horsford, Dina Titus and Susie Lee said they would support the impeachment of President Donald Trump, after calls from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer for the removal of Trump after the sacking of the US Capitol by Trump supporters.
Lee and Titus expressed their support on Thursday. House Democrats are making a conference call Friday on the subject.
Trump “deserves to be removed from office, whether by invoking 25º Amendment, impeachment or resignation, ”said Lee, but she cast doubt that Congress would act to remove him before President-elect Joe Biden took office on January 20.
“While I fully support his dismissal, without broad bipartisan support, the likelihood of Donald Trump’s dismissal from office in the next 13 days is extremely low,” Lee continued. “Especially after the political theater that consumed the Electoral College certification process in Congress, we must be honest with our constituents. ”
According to the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, the vice president and the majority of the cabinet, or a committee established by Congress, can declare Trump unable to serve. If Trump disputes and the vice president and cabinet, or committee, persist, a two-thirds vote from both houses is needed to decide the issue.
Pence has indicated that he does not support the use of the 25th amendment.
At least two Republican congressmen, Congressman Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and Rep. Steve Stivers of Ohio, said they support the removal of Trump. But most Republicans, like Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said they would not support such an effort.
Representative Mark Amodei, the state’s only Republican congressman, was not immediately available for comment.
Democrats sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen declined to say whether they would support the impeachment. Instead, they defended bipartisanship and rebuilt the nation’s institutions.
“I understand that the American people are seeking responsibility for what happened yesterday,” Cortez Masto said in a statement provided by his office. “I am working in a bipartisan manner with my colleagues to protect the safety of the American people and the health of our democracy. No matter what else happens, Joe Biden will open on January 20. My first priority is to ensure that we are prepared to work with him to move this country forward. ”
Later, she added to her statement:
“If the removal process – which must have its origin in the House – reaches the Senate in the next two weeks, I will be ready to fulfill my constitutional responsibility and judge the facts,” said Cortez Masto.
Rosen emphasized bipartisanship.
“Now that Congress has certified the presidential election, it is important that we focus on our work to rebuild our country and strengthen our democratic institutions,” said Rosen. “I remain committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the corridor to keep our country safe for the next 13 days until President-elect Joe Biden takes office, because protecting our country and our democracy is a priority, now more than ever. ”
Horsford issued his statement calling for Trump’s removal on Wednesday night. On Thursday, he co-sponsored impeachment articles written by other Democrats.
In his statement on Thursday, Titus said: “If I had the opportunity, I would vote to challenge him again.”
Trump was previously charged by the House on December 18, with all Democratic Nevada members voting in favor and Amodei voting against the articles. But that was after an investigation that began in late September. Cortez Masto and Rosen voted to condemn, but Trump was acquitted on February 5.
The previous Thursday, Pelosi and Schumer asked Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th amendment. Now that he has rejected them, an open question remains whether the House will try to return to force an impeachment or other effort to remove Trump.
Pelosi, before Pence responded, did not give a definitive answer when pressed at his weekly press conference about the timing of any action by Congress, only indicating that it could be done. And White House officials are preparing for a possible impeachment fight next week.
Stivers, the former president of the Republican Party’s campaign arm, the National Republican Campaign Committee, agreed with Lee that there just isn’t enough time.
“I don’t think an impeachment can happen in 13 days, and I don’t think it would give the president enough time to mount a meaningful defense,” said Stivers