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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown Says Republicans Should Take Trump Out Of Office Now

Jo Ingles
U.S. Sen Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) speaks to reporters during teleconference

Democratic US Sen Sherrod Brown is calling on President Trump’s cabinet to remove him from office using the 25th amendment. That would allow Vice President Mike Pence and a majority of the cabinet to declare Trump unfit for office.

U.S. Sen Sherrod Brown (D-OH) condemned the mob that stormed the Capitol and he wants Trump’s cabinet to invoke the 25th amendment. That would put Vice President Mike Pence in charge for the next 12 days, until the inauguration of President Elect Joe Biden later this month.

Brown is also calling on Republican leaders to set the record straight with voters who believe the election was stolen.

“We need our Republican colleagues in Ohio and across the country to say specifically, ‘There was no fraud. The president isn’t telling the truth.’ They still won’t say that," Brown told reporters in a Friday news conference.

Brown says he’d also support impeachment of Trump though he admits getting that done before Inauguration Day could be a challenge. He says his strong preference would be for the 25th amendment to be invoked now.

“A huge number of Americans, including a number of high ranked Republicans over the years are very concerned about what this president might do in the next twelve days. That’s why I hope that the cabinet and the Vice president invoke the 25th amendment because then it will not look partisan," Brown said.

Five people, including one Capitol Police officer, were killed as a result of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The mob broke into the building and vandalized it, causing members who were certifying the Electoral vote inside to flee from the House and Senate chambers. Yet, Brown noted the mob that was responsible with Wednesday's event was was not met with the same forceful police presence that "Black Lives Matters" protestors experienced last summer. And he said that difference is one more thing that underscores the need for systemic change – something he said hasn’t been addressed under this Congress and the Trump administration.

“So much of this was so difficult with a president that always played to people’s baseless motives and a sycophantic Congress that always went along with this president.”

President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris are to be sworn into office on January 20th. Much of that ceremony will be virtual due to coronavirus concerns. That decision was made before Wednesday's insurrection.