Former Attorney General William Barr, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, and others associated with the Trump administration have condemned the President and resigned over the events that took place yesterday at the Capitol.
Barr, who had disagreed with Trump over the scope of election fraud, called the statements and actions of Trump a “betrayal of his office and supporters.”
Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao resigned on Thursday on the heels of the rally, saying that the actions of Trump supporters had “deeply troubled her.”
William Barr, Trump’s former Attorney General, accused the President of “orchestrating a mob to pressure Congress” and called his conduct a “betrayal of his office” in response to pro-Trump riots that took place at the US Capitol on Wednesday. https://t.co/AcFljr1Hjp
— CNN (@CNN) January 7, 2021
Barr had been viewed as a fierce loyalist of Trump until he disagreed with the president on the existence of voter fraud.
Other Trump administration officials to tender resignations include Stephanie Grisham, First Lady Melania Trump’s Chief of Staff and Mick Mulvaney, a former acting Chief of Staff and now U.S. special envoy to Northern Ireland.
It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the U.S. Department of Transportation. pic.twitter.com/rFxPsBoh6t
— Sec. Elaine Chao (@SecElaineChao) January 7, 2021
RELATED: Joe Scarborough Questions ‘How Many Of These Capitol Hill Cops Are Members Of Donald Trump’s Cult?’
Barr and Chao both strongly condemned the actions of Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol building on Wednesday, breaching security, and causing damage.
The gathering had been billed as a rally, a gathering for Trump supporters to voice their outrage at what many of them felt was a stolen 2020 presidential election.
The Senate had begun the proceedings yesterday to officially certify the 2020 presidential election, with former Vice President Joe Biden as the victor, when the entire building was evacuated because protesters had breached security and were entering the senate chamber.
In announcing her resignation, Chao stated, “Yesterday, our country experienced a traumatic and entirely avoidable event as supporters of the President stormed the Capitol building following a rally he addressed.”
According to CNBC, Barr stated that “Trump was responsible for orchestrating a mob to pressure Congress.” He called the president’s actions, “inexcusable.”
In another report from Politico, Barr called the outbreak of violence, “outrageous and despicable,” and that “Federal agencies should move immediately to disperse it.”
“Orchestrating a mob to pressure Congress is inexcusable." Former Attorney General William Barr said that President Trump betrayed his office by encouraging a mob of supporters to intimidate lawmakers into overturning the election results.https://t.co/Uzxq6rwpXm
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 7, 2021
RELATED: Dan Crenshaw Condemns Capitol Protests – Calls On Trump To Tell Supporters He ‘Misled Them’
In light of yesterday’s violence, and the condemnation of it not only by Barr and Chao, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has called for the invoking of the 25th Amendment.
She stated earlier today that if the Vice President and the Cabinet did not do so, that Congress would consider a second impeachment.
Several members of Congress, including Republicans, have also joined in for the call for the immediate removal of the president from office.
Illinois Representative Adam Kinzinger stated that Trump was, “unmoored, not just from his duty, or even his oath, but from reality itself.”
He urged Vice president Mike Pence and the remaining Cabinet to “end this nightmare.”
The post Former Trump AG Bill Barr Condemns Trump, Cabinet Member Resigns Over Capitol Protest appeared first on The Political Insider.
President Trump, in a statement posted by White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino, vowed an “orderly transition” of power on January 20th.
President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration and swearing-in ceremony are expected to take place on that day. It will be mostly virtual due to the pandemic.
In the statement posted by Scavino, the President vowed to continue fighting the election results regardless.
“Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th,” the statement read.
“I have always said we would continue our fight to ensure that only legal votes were counted,” Trump continued. “While this represents the end of the greatest first term in presidential history, it’s only the beginning of our fight to Make America Great Again!”
Statement by President Donald J. Trump on the Electoral Certification:
“Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th. I have always said we would continue our…
— Dan Scavino
(@DanScavino) January 7, 2021
…fight to ensure that only legal votes were counted. While this represents the end of the greatest first term in presidential history, it’s only the beginning of our fight to Make America Great Again!”
— Dan Scavino
RELATED: House Members Nearly Come To Blows As Congress Preaches Unity To America
The Political Insider reported earlier today that members of Trump’s cabinet are considering using the 25th Amendment to remove the President from office before the 20th.
CNN reporter Jim Acosta cited a source close to Trump in reporting the possibility of invoking the Amendment.
Some cabinet members are holding preliminary discussions about invoking the 25th amendment to force Trump’s removal from office, a source familiar with the matter tells CNN. It’s unclear whether the effort would ultimately be successful at this stage.
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) January 7, 2021
Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger also called on the 25th Amendment to be invoked.
In a video message, Kinzinger accused President Trump of causing the violence that took place at the Capitol on Wednesday.
“The president caused this. The president is unfit and the president is unwell,” the anti-Trump lawmaker said. “And the president now must relinquish control of the executive branch voluntarily or involuntarily.”
It’s with a heavy heart I am calling for the sake of our Democracy that the 25th Amendment be invoked. My statement: pic.twitter.com/yVyQrYcjuD
— Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) January 7, 2021
RELATED: Ilhan Omar, Squad Members Call For Trump’s Impeachment, Expulsion Of Republican Lawmakers
Mick Mulvaney, President Donald Trump’s former chief of staff, told CNBC on Thursday he has resigned from the administration where he was serving as U.S. envoy to Northern Ireland.
“I called Mike Pompeo last night to let him know I was resigning from that. I can’t do it. I can’t stay,” Mulvaney said.
“Those who choose to stay, and I have talked with some of them, are choosing to stay because they’re worried the president might put someone worse in.”
Mick Mulvaney resigns from Trump administration: “I can’t do it. I can’t stay here.” https://t.co/yw0KPvCy1V
— Katie Phang (@KatiePhang) January 7, 2021
Meanwhile, President Trump took aim at his own Vice President for not rejecting the electoral votes.
Mike Pence on Wednesday issued a statement to Congress saying he didn’t have the Constitutional authority to refuse the certification of the Electoral College votes.
“Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify,” Trump tweeted.
Twitter blocked the tweet and demanded it is taken down.
A video showing Trump from many years ago discussing loyalty recently surfaced on social media.
Just in case you are still confused as to what’s happening right now! @realDonaldTrump @DanScavino @GenFlynn @SidneyPowell1 pic.twitter.com/gBFJBe5MKh
— Sweet Tea
(@sweettea4517) January 7, 2021
“Someday I’d like to maybe lose everything for a period of time to see who’s loyal and who’s not loyal,” Trump says.
“You think certain people would be loyal no matter what,” he added. “And it turns out that they’re not.”
Will there be anybody loyal left in Trump’s inner circle by the time the orderly transition takes place?
The post Trump Vows There Will Be An ‘Orderly Transition’ Of Power On January 20th, Promises To Keep Fighting Election Outcome appeared first on The Political Insider.
Rep. Ilhan Omar said she is drafting articles of impeachment against President Trump and Rep. Cori Bush drafted a resolution calling on the expulsion of Republican lawmakers after the protests at the Capitol Wednesday.
Washington D.C. police report that four people are dead – including Ashli Babbit, an unarmed 14-year Air Force veteran who was shot by Capitol Police – and 52 arrested following demonstrations that eventually breached the Capitol building.
Omar, who called for President Trump’s impeachment earlier in the week over a phone call he had with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, is renewing that call following the protests.
“I am drawing up Articles of Impeachment,” Omar (D-MN) tweeted. “Donald J. Trump should be impeached by the House of Representatives [and] removed from office by the United States Senate.”
She added, “We can’t allow him to remain in office, it’s a matter of preserving our Republic and we need to fulfill our oath.”
I am drawing up Articles of Impeachment.
Donald J. Trump should be impeached by the House of Representatives & removed from office by the United States Senate.
We can’t allow him to remain in office, it’s a matter of preserving our Republic and we need to fulfill our oath.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 6, 2021
RELATED: Woman Shot, Protesters Storm U.S. Capitol After Trump MAGA Rally
Meanwhile, one of the newer members of the Squad, Cori Bush (D-MO) sought to hold Republican lawmakers responsible for the violence at the Capitol for the crime of challenging the Electoral College results.
“I believe the Republican members of Congress who have incited this domestic terror attack through their attempts to overturn the election must face consequences,” Bush tweeted.
“They have broken their sacred Oath of Office. I will be introducing a resolution calling for their expulsion.”
First of all, challenging the integrity of the election isn’t inciting violence.
Second, if ‘inciting violence’ were grounds for removing lawmakers from office Bush would be the first to go, having led protests in Ferguson, Missouri over the justified shooting of Michael Brown.
Bush’s actions exemplify the perils of casting one’s vote for a completely unprepared, completely unknowledgeable person to a crucial office in Congress.
The one-page resolution is no more impressive an attempt than one might expect from a juvenile and has little chance of moving anywhere.
Interestingly, it appears Bush’s resolution was drafted on January 5, the day before the protests.
I believe the Republican members of Congress who have incited this domestic terror attack through their attempts to overturn the election must face consequences. They have broken their sacred Oath of Office.
I will be introducing a resolution calling for their expulsion. pic.twitter.com/JMTlQ4IfnR
— Congresswoman Cori Bush (@RepCori) January 6, 2021
President Trump’s impeachment, on the other hand, could very well move through the new Democratic Congress despite the short time he has remaining in office.
RELATED: Trump Tells His Supporters To Go Home In Peace After They Storm The Capitol
The violence that took place at the Capitol on Wednesday was distressing for people on both sides of the political aisle.
Assigning blame to President Trump and pursuing impeachment, or blaming Republicans contesting the election and threatening with expulsion is the work of people motivated by emotion, not reason.
During Trump’s speech at the rally, the President encouraged his supporters to march to the Capitol and protest, but simultaneously posted multiple messages against violence.
“Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement,” he tweeted. “They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!”
In a follow-up message, Trump wrote, “No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law [and] Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue.”
I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2021
The post Ilhan Omar, Squad Members Call For Trump’s Impeachment, Expulsion Of Republican Lawmakers appeared first on The Political Insider.
