House Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern, D-Mass., leads a hearing to consider a resolution calling on Vice President Mike Pence to activate the 25th Amendment to declare President Donald Trump incapable of executing the duties of his office, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 7:21 AM PT – Wednesday, January 13, 2021
The House of Representatives approved a motion to call on Vice President Mike Pence to strip President Trump of his executive powers. The vote took place Tuesday with heated debate on both sides of the aisle.
This largely symbolic move can not force the Vice President to action, but appears to have been approved in an effort to pressure him.
Democrats are pushing for the President’s removal due to the infamous protest on Capitol Hill. They are blaming him for the actions of a few bad actors despite his calls for them to go home in peace.
“We don’t like it at all: incitement to insurrection, treasonous activity,” stated House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “And if you are associating yourself with that as the proper execution of the President’s duties, you are associating yourself with sedition and treason.”
President Trump slammed the removal efforts by suggesting Democrats are further dividing the nation. He also said this is just a continuation of “the greatest and most vicious witch hunt in the history of our country.”
“…is causing tremendous anger and division and pain…far greater than most people will ever understand, which is very dangerous for the USA,” stated the President. “Especially at this very tender time.”
One Republican on the House floor, Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), stood up for the President and the rule of law by stating it’s not the lower chamber’s place to make this decision. The representative went on to discuss Pence’s dismissal of the 25th Amendment, while pointing out the decision is his to make.
“His record of sound judgment should speak to us on this issue as such,” Cole stated. “I urge my colleagues to reject the resolution, I urge a ‘no’ vote on the rule, a ‘no’ vote on the underlying measure and I reserve the balance of my time.”
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Vice President Mike Pence talk as a joint session of the House and Senate convenes to count the Electoral College votes cast in November’s election, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. (Erin Schaff/The New York Times via AP, Pool)
Pence has been under fire in the last few days for not falling in line with Democrat wishes. He sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi in which he outlined his opposition. Pence wrote, “I do not believe that such a course of action is in the best interest of our nation or consistent with our Constitution.”
The Vice President went on to note the 25th Amendment should only be enacted if the President is incapacitated or has a disability that would deem them unfit to serve. He urged Democrats to avoid such actions, which would divide the country, and, instead, encourage unity throughout the nation.
The House will next take up the Raskin legislation in regular order, and we are further calling on the Vice President to respond within 24 hours of passage.
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 11, 2021
