US House tells Mike Pence to do his duty and remove Trump from office
- Non-binding resolution passes 223-205 in favour of using 25th Amendment to end turbulent presidency after mob violence
- But the vice-president has already said he will not consider the move, paving way for second impeachment
The resolution, which is not binding, passed by a 223-to-205 majority, with a sole Republican breaking ranks to support the motion. Five Republicans did not cast votes.
The Republicans’ sole dissenting vote came from Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, an outspoken Trump critic who has called on the president to resign and signalled over the weekend he would “vote the right way” if given the option to impeach.
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By the time the vote was conducted late on Tuesday, however, the motion had become entirely symbolic, following an announcement earlier in the evening from Pence that he would not agree to the Democrats’ request.
The resolution cites the Constitution’s 25th Amendment, which authorises the vice-president to seize power if the US leader is deemed “unable to discharge the powers and duties” of his or her office, provided that most cabinet members approve.
The resolution cited Trump’s remarks at a rally just before his supporters breached the Capitol last Wednesday, including his calls for them to “fight like hell”.
In the wake of the attack, which resulted in five deaths, Trump told those who had stormed the Capitol they were “very special”, and said: “These are the things and events that happen” when elections are stolen, reiterating a baseless conspiracy theory that Biden won in November because of coordinated voter fraud.
