U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) kisses House Speaker Nancy Pelosi when he and Sen. Mitch McConnell come to a joint session to certify election results of 2020, inside the Capitol Hill House in Washington, USA, January 6, 2021.
Jonathan Ernst | Reuters
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called for the removal of President Donald Trump on Thursday a day after a crowd spurred by the president passed the Capitol as lawmakers calculated President-elect Joe Biden’s presidential victory.
“What happened yesterday at the U.S. Capitol was an insurrection against the United States, incited by the president. That president should not hold office for another day,” the New York Democrat said in a statement.
“The quickest and most effective way (it can be done today) to remove this president from office would be for the vice president to immediately invoke the 25th Amendment, “he continued.” If the vice president and the cabinet refuse to stand up, Congress should meet to accuse the president. “
Biden will become president on Jan. 20 after Trump for months revealed conspiracy theories that widespread election fraud would cost him a second term. More lawmakers have warned two more weeks that the Trump presidency could further erode U.S. democracy or cause further loss of life after the deaths of four people during Wednesday’s Capitol attack.
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Schumer’s statement.
– CNBC’s Dan Mangan contributed to this report
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