ILLINOIS (WBAP/KLIF News) – The fallout continues in the wake of the deadly insurrection at the Capitol this week as Congress convened to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.
Four people died, one woman shot and killed by police and the other three of medical emergencies.
In addition to the deaths, at least 52 people were arrested and 14 police officers were injured after a group of President Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol on Wednesday.
Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill) is the first GOP member to publicly call for President Trump’s removal from office via the 25th Amendment.
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
Kinzinger has become one of the president’s strongest critics among his own party.
In his statement, Kinzinger said in part:
“Sadly, yesterday it became clear that the president not only abdicated his duty to protect the American people and the people’s house, he invoked and inflamed passions that gave fuel to the insurrection we saw here,” he said. “When pressed to move and denounce the violence he barely did so, while, of course, victimizing himself.”
After the violence broke out, Trump issued a statement via Twitter calling for an end to the violence and also stating unproven claims about the integrity of the election. It said in part:
“I know your pain. I know you’re hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us. It was a landslide election and everyone knows it especially from the other side but you have to go home now. We have to have peace.”
The night of the chaos, dozens of Democrats sent a latter to Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment.
Section 4 of the Amendment would allow Pence and a majority of cabinet members to vote to install him as president for the remainder of President Trump’s term.
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