United States Vice President Mike Pence must “seriously consider” removing the President from office to “preserve democracy”, a leading industry group said after a violent mob loyal to Donald Trump violently stormed the U.S Capitol on Wednesday.
Thousands of Trump’s supporters had gathered in Washington for demonstrations, which quickly turned violent as protesters moved to keep Democrat Joe Biden from replacing Trump in the White House.
Congress was debating a counting of electoral college votes confirming Biden’s victory when the proceedings were abruptly halted by the mob, forcing lawmakers to hide under desks and put on gas masks while police failed in attempts to barricade the building.
A woman was reportedly shot and killed along with three others inside the Capitol, the entire D.C. National Guard was activated, and the mayor of Washington imposed a curfew to contain the violence, which is one of the most rattling scenes ever to occur in a seat of American political power.
The rioters were encouraged by Trump, who lost the popular and electoral college vote but continues to dispute the results and has spent weeks attacking the integrity of the election, without evidence.
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The outgoing president was on stage to egg on the roaring crowds, falsely claiming he had won the election and urging them to descend on Washington to protest Congress’ formal approval of Biden’s victory.
Trump’s objections to the results and the violent attempt to overturn the election, largely condemned by leaders across the world, represents the biggest challenge to America’s democracy in decades.
Some of the largest U.S. companies under the auspices of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) on Wednesday had asked Pence to invoke the 25th amendment, under which a U.S. president and vice president may be replaced.
“This is not the vision of America that manufacturers believe in and work so hard to defend. Across America today, millions of manufacturing workers are helping our nation fight the deadly pandemic that has already taken hundreds of thousands of lives.
“We are trying to rebuild an economy and save and rebuild lives. But none of that will matter if our leaders refuse to fend off this attack on America and our democracy—because our very system of government, which underpins our very way of life, will crumble.
“Vice President Pence, who was evacuated from the Capitol, should seriously consider working with the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to preserve democracy,” NAM said in a statement on its website, which further shows Trump has all but lost support – in his cause to subvert the elections – among America’s biggest organisations, most of which are headed by staunch conservatives.
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NAM represents 14,000 member companies from across the country, in every industrial sector, and has on its board senior executives from corporate giant ExxonMobil, Pfizer, Dow Inc., Schneider Electric, and Caterpillar Inc.
Congress reconvened in the evening after the Capitol riot, finished confirming the Electoral College vote all night, and announced Biden won the presidential election early Thursday. Vice President Pence, presiding over the joint session, announced the tally, 306-232.
Trump, who has spent the last two months refusing to concede the election, said in a statement immediately after the vote confirmation that there will be an “orderly transition” of power on inauguration day.
“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,” Trump said in a statement posted on Twitter by an aide. “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!”
That signals a conclusion to Trump’s Presidency – a four-year ride marred with divisions coursed through the country with an unpleasant end that has stressed the nation’s democratic barricade.
