Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) on Thursday introduced articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.
Lee said the storming of the U.S. Capitol by protesters during the joint session of Congress on Jan. 6 compelled her to act.
“Yesterday, we saw domestic enemies incite violence and invade the people’s house with intent to harm. Enough is enough! The President has completely lost whatever moral authority he had and is unfit as Commander in Chief,” Lee said in a statement.
She and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) later said they had not heard from Pence on the matter.
Requests for comment to the White House and Pence’s office weren’t returned.
Lee echoed the Democrat leaders, calling on administration officials to invoke the amendment, which stipulates that the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet may transmit a written declaration that the president is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. The move would elevate Pence to acting president.
The newly introduced impeachment resolution alleges Trump abused the powers of the presidency when he on Jan. 2 called Georgia’s secretary of state and asked him to look into alleged election irregularities. Trump during the call also claimed he won the state, despite President-elect Joe Biden being certified as the winner following several recounts.
Trump “will remain a threat to national security and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office,” the resolution states.
A Biden spokesman told news outlets that the president-elect and vice president-elect “are focused on their duty—preparing to take office on Jan 20th—and will leave it to VP Pence, the Cabinet, and the Congress to act as they see fit.”
The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives impeached Trump early last year over a call he had with Ukraine’s president. That was the third time in history a president was impeached.
Trump was ultimately acquitted by the Republican-controlled Senate. No American president has ever been impeached and convicted. The Senate is currently controlled by Republicans.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told reporters at the Capitol that he doesn’t support trying to remove Trump from office.
“I don’t support an effort to invoke the 25th Amendment. Now, if something else happens, all options would be on the table,” he said.
“To all of my wonderful supporters: I know you are disappointed but I also want you to know that our incredible journey is only just beginning,” he said.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a press conference that the Trump administration is “working to ensure an orderly transition of power.”
“Now it is time for America to unite, to come together, to reject the violence that we have seen. We are one American people under God,” she added.
