House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., urged members of Congress on Jan. 13 to vote to impeach President Donald Trump for his role in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. She quoted words from Presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy in reminding lawmakers of their power and duties to bear responsibility during moments of crisis.
Pelosi argued that Trump was responsible for inciting the Capitol insurrection, telling House members: “He must go. He is a clear and present danger to the nation that we all love.”
The House speaker argued that convicting Trump through impeachment was a means to keep America “safe from this man who is so resolutely determined to tear down the things that we hold dear, and that hold us together.”
“Those insurrectionists were not patriots,” Pelosi said. “They were domestic terrorists, and justice must prevail.” She added that they did not appear out of a vacuum, but were sent by the president himself, who has tried to cling to power ever since the election was called for Joe Biden.
On Jan. 6, while Congress was in the process of counting electoral votes and certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s win, a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol, clashed with police, and forced lawmakers to pause their sessions and evacuate to safety.
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