Vermont governor calls for Trump's removal
Vermont's governor was one of the voices calling for the removal of President Donald Trump today, after thousands of the president's supporters attempted to take control of the Capitol building and stoked chaos in Washington D.C. The disorder Wednesday afternoon interrupted Congressional proceedings to count the presidential Electoral College votes.
At least one person died from the resulting violence, CNN confirmed. By early evening, rioters had been cleared from the Capitol grounds and a curfew was in place in Washington, D.C., from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Congress planned to resume the electoral vote count Wednesday night, as the D.C. National Guard and other law enforcement provided security.
Due to the unrest, several Congressional Democrats demanded Trump's removal either by impeachment or through invoking the Constitution's 25th Amendment. Trump later released a statement telling the crowd of supporters to "go home", but also sympathizing with their views on the election. Twitter also locked Trump’s account for 12 hours, with a warning to stop posting information that could lead to violence, or risk being banned, according to The Washington Post.
At 5:45 p.m., Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican and longtime critic of Trump, added his voice and said U.S. democracy was "under attack" by the president.
"President Trump has orchestrated a campaign to cause an insurrection that overturns the results of a free, fair and legal election," Scott said in a statement.
In an NPR interview shared by Vermont Public Radio, U.S. Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) recalled hearing the results of that campaign, as the crowd tried to force its way into the House chambers. As he and other lawmakers were being evacuated, Welch told NPR he heard a "crashing sound" as people tried to force their way inside.
"And then I saw our Capitol police, guns drawn, trying to find things that they could put against the door to hold back the incoming mob," Welch said. "And then the urgency that they displayed on their faces, again all the guns drawn, telling us to stay low, be on the floor."
In his statement, Scott noted that the presidential election results have long been confirmed.
"The fact is the results of this election have been validated by Republican governors, conservative judges and non-partisan election officials across the country,” Scott said. “There is no doubt that the president’s delusion, fabrication, self-interest, and ego have led us — step by step — to this very low, and very dangerous, moment in American history."
He added, "Enough is enough. President Trump should resign or be removed from office by his Cabinet, or by the Congress."
— Gareth Henderson
