Rep. Mike Levin Statement on 25th Amendment and Impeachment Votes
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Mike Levin (D-CA) issued a statement on his upcoming votes to hold President Donald Trump accountable for violating his oath of office by inciting an insurrection against the United States government. Today, he will support a resolution calling for Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment. If Vice President Pence does not confirm within 24 hours that he will invoke the 25th Amendment immediately, Rep. Levin will support an expected vote tomorrow on an article of impeachment against President Trump for incitement of insurrection. The full article of impeachment is available here.
“When I took the oath of office, I raised my right hand and solemnly swore to ‘support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.’ I intend to keep that solemn oath as long as I have the honor of serving California’s 49th Congressional District. President Trump took a similar oath when he took office – an oath he violated when he repeatedly encouraged his followers to reject the results of a free and fair election and incited an insurrection. After President Trump told his followers, ‘if you don’t fight like hell you’re not going to have a country anymore,’ individuals who are now considered domestic terrorists violently breached and vandalized the United States Capitol, injured and killed law enforcement officials, and sought to prevent Congressional certification of the 2020 Presidential election results. Law enforcement agencies have indicated the terrorists had even more sinister intentions and are planning additional attacks.
“President Trump incited an insurrection against the United States government, violating his oath of office, and I believe he should be removed from office as soon as possible. I support a resolution calling on Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove President Trump from office. If that does not happen immediately, I will support an article of impeachment against President Trump for incitement of insurrection.
“I believe that every president must be held accountable for upholding their oath, from their first day in office to their last. We must not set a precedent that allows any president to violate their oath of office with impunity simply because their time in office is nearly over. It is also critically important that we forbid President Trump from ever holding federal office again. Finally, I do not believe that we can begin a process of healing in our country until those responsible for this insurrection are held accountable. My great hope is that Republicans will join us in that effort, and then we can do the hard work of uniting Americans and addressing the extraordinary challenges our nation faces.”
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