Wisconsin Congressional Delegation on Removing Trump
Democrats want him gone, Republicans support him.
Two days after a violent mob took over the U.S. Capitol, the nation’s top Democrats are calling for the removal of President Donald Trump before his term expires — and every Democratic member of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation is at least considering it.
All four of the Democrats in the state’s congressional delegation have called for Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office and all but U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, have called for Trump’s immediate impeachment.
Either step would require some bipartisan cooperation in Congress, less than two weeks before Trump is scheduled to leave office.
But the Constitution also gives the sitting president the chance to argue that he is fit for office and make his case before Congress, where two-thirds of the U.S. House and Senate would have to decide on the outcome.
Similarly, while Democrats will soon hold majorities in both chambers of Congress, impeachment would also require a two-thirds vote to convict in the U.S. Senate, which would require Republicans to sign on.
Here’s where members of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation stand on utilizing the 25th Amendment or pursuing impeachment proceedings:
Democratic US Sen. Tammy Baldwin
Democratic U.S. Sen Tammy Baldwin issued a statement on Thursday in support of removing the president from office, either via the 25th Amendment or impeachment.
In the statement, Baldwin accused Trump of “(inciting) a violent insurrection against Congress.”
“This attack on our democracy makes it clear he has broken his oath to support and defend the constitution, and that he is unfit to serve,” she said.
She urged Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment, “so that the American people can have confidence that there will be a peaceful transition of power in the few remaining days of this disgraceful and dangerous presidency.”
She said if the vice president “fails to act,” Congress should move to impeach the president.
Republican US Sen. Ron Johnson
Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson’s office did not respond to a request for comment from WPR.
In an interview with NBC News earlier this week, Johnson said Trump should not be held accountable for the actions of the violent mob that overtook the U.S. Capitol.
Johnson did not vote to uphold objections to 2020 presidential election results on Wednesday, but released a statement shortly after the vote outlining his rationale for initially planning to object.
Republican US Rep. Scott Fitzgerald
U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, and U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany were the only members of Wisconsin’s delegation to vote in support of objecting to 2020 presidential election results on Wednesday.
Fitzgerald’s office didn’t respond on Friday to a request for comment from WPR about the 25th Amendment or impeachment.
Republican US Rep. Mike Gallagher
U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Green Bay, issued a written statement suggesting that he did not support either impeachment or invoking the 25th Amendment.
“More than anything our country needs reconciliation,” Gallagher said. “The best, most immediate way we can do so is by repeatedly and thoroughly endorsing the peaceful transition of power.”
Gallagher referenced a video Trump released on Twitter Thursday night where he for the first time conceded the election.
“I am glad that President Trump did that in his video statement tonight. The transition — not the removal of the president — should be our priority.”
Republican US Rep. Glenn Grothman
U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Glennbeula, told WPR’s “Central Time” Friday that he was opposed to removing the president before his term expires.
“No, no, no, President Trump is going to be stepping down,” Grothman said. “I mean the idea of rushing back to Washington and having another circus would be very unproductive.”
Democratic US Rep. Ron Kind
U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, who represents Wisconsin’s most competitive congressional district, said Friday the vice president should consider invoking the 25th Amendment, but stopped short of embracing the idea of impeachment proceedings.
“I’m a bit skeptical given the time limitation that we have,” Kind said. “I’m a little worried, too, about the precedent that could be established by rushing to an impeachment formality in Congress without the due diligence, without the necessary hearings and the evidentiary fact gathering that should take place.”
“I think ultimately what would influence the president the most is if more of my Republican colleagues in Congress went to him and asked for his resignation and to make clear that they no longer have his back and that if he refuses, that they then would be supporting an article of impeachment against him,” Kind said.
Kind said if Trump won’t step down, forcing him out using the 25th Amendment would be appropriate.
“He is still president of the United States, which means he is still in control of the most formidable military in the world and tremendous other types of resources,” Kind said. “And the power of his words still influence millions of Americans, as again we saw last Wednesday.”
Democratic US Rep. Gwen Moore
U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Milwaukee, was one of the first members of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation to call for Trump’s removal through the 25th Amendment, and later through impeachment.
“Trump has incited this chaos & violence. The 25th amendment must be invoked. If not, Congress must impeach & convict Trump,” Moore tweeted Wednesday afternoon, hours after the Capitol insurrection.
“13 days is simply too long to permit him to remain in power where he has access to his sycophants at the Department of Defense and the formal levers of power. America can’t wait, Trump must be removed now,” Moore said in a written statement Thursday.
Democratic US Rep. Mark Pocan
U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Town of Vermont, told WPR’s “The Morning Show” that while he supported the idea of impeaching Trump, the process would take too long, making the 25th Amendment the preferred alternative.
“But the 25th Amendment could happen within hours if the cabinet and the vice president got together and said, look, what he’s doing is dangerous to the country, we have to remove him,” Pocan continued. “It is the most effective way to make sure that we don’t have additional problems in the next two weeks, but that people have to stand up and have a backbone.”
Pocan said he was hearing there was a chance the House could start the impeachment process next week, but he stressed again that it would not move quickly, especially in the Senate where Democrats remain in the minority until two Democratic senators-elect from Georgia are officially certified as winners and sworn into office.
Republican US Rep. Bryan Steil
U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Janesville, released a statement Friday strongly opposing impeachment.
“Joe Biden must condemn this reckless move,” Steil said. “I oppose Pelosi’s efforts to impeach President Trump. Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer have already tried and failed to remove President Trump through impeachment. Enough already!”
Steil said that from the riots in Kenosha to what happened at the U.S. Capitol this week, what was needed was for leaders to tone down their actions, not inflame the situation.
Steil’s statement did not address whether he supported invoking the 25th Amendment.
Republican US Rep. Tom Tiffany
U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Hazelhurst, said Friday he does not support removing the president from office before the end of his term, noting few days remain.
Tiffany, who was first elected in a May 2020 special election, has been a strong supporter of Trump during his brief time in Congress.
Tiffany and Fitzgerald were the only members of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation who voted to object to counting President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania. Tiffany also told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that he would have objected to Wisconsin’s Electoral College votes had he been given the chance.
Here’s Where Wisconsin’s Congressional Delegation Stands On Removing President Trump From Office was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real, independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits.
More about the Chaos at the Capitol
- Hayward, WI Man Sentenced for Jan. 6 Attack - Frank Zufall - Jul 17th, 2024
- Police Officer Who Survived Jan. 6 Has a Warning for America - Erik Gunn - Apr 10th, 2024
- 3 Years After Jan. 6 Insurrection Where Do Wisconsin Cases Stand? - Sarah Lehr - Jan 7th, 2024
- Wisconsin Man Arrested for Assaulting Law Enforcement During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach - U.S. Department of Justice - Sep 7th, 2023
- State’s Top Elections Official Interviewed By Jan. 6 Investigators - Anya van Wagtendonk - Jul 19th, 2023
- Op Ed: Kaul Should Charge Ron Johnson, 10 Fake Electors - Matt Rothschild - Jan 8th, 2023
- WisDems Chair Ben Wikler Statement on the Anniversary of 1/6 - Democratic Party of Wisconsin - Jan 6th, 2023
- Congresswoman Gwen Moore Statement on Two-Year Anniversary of January 6th - U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore - Jan 6th, 2023
- Wisconsin GOP Chair Expressed Concern About Fake Electors Plan, Then Joined In - Shawn Johnson - Dec 23rd, 2022
- Report Calls For Criminally Charging State’s Fake Electors - Henry Redman - Dec 19th, 2022
Read more about Chaos at the Capitol here
no, mr. gallagher is wrong. this is not the time for reconcilliation, this is the time for reckoning and holding people accountable. everyone who participated in the riot in d..c.. needs to go home permanently. everyone who supported this insane president and thinks his own state’s election was rigged, needs to go home permanently.
The man is dangerous and he needs to be taken out of office NOW. The best would be for him to resign, and an appropriate entourage of Senators could be instrumental in making that happen (ala Nixon). Next best would be for Pence to invoke the 25th.
Impeachment would take too long and just tear the fabric of our democracy even further. BUT…both houses of Congress could display some courage by taking a vote of censure, to clearly shown their determination that what he did was wrong, immoral, and likely against his oath.
As for our delegation from Wisconsin, Ron Johnson will NEVER get my vote for ANY office and I’m sorry to say that Fitzgerald represents the 5th; I didn’t vote for him in the last election, and I won’t vote for him in any upcoming election. To me he’s a coward and a bobbing head yes man. His comments regarding how he would of voted against the Wisconsin Electoral College just reinforce that he no conscience and no problem of disregarding his oath. Further, he doesn’t understand that his vote effectively would have effectively disenfranchised me as a voter in the last election.
As a conservative leaning independent, I would often turn to the Republican Party to search for people to support. Not any longer. To me, the GOP under Trump has turned to a party of egotistical fascists. I’m gonna look for a new conservative party that can work along side the Democrats in a bipartisan manner to get something done and move this country ahead.
Many believe that removal of Trump is, at this point, unnecessary and an exercise in futility, given that he has less than 2 weeks left in office. Some absurdly claim again, that this is partisan politics at its worse. But then what was this attempt to discredit the last election if not partisan politics under the claim of fraud and that the election was stolen? Glen Grothman a Republican in WI doesn’t think Trump should step down, calling it a ‘strange thing’, and goes on to state “I would assume it’s going to be an uneventful 12 days and move onto the next administration.” Apparently he has not heard the social media chatter for further attempts at violence and insurrection in the coming days.
Grothman did not leave it at that. He condemns Trump Jr. and Giuliani for encouraging rioters, while forgetting (intentionally?) and/or neglecting to condemn the ‘ring leader’ who ‘pulled the trigger’ and ‘lite the match’ which anybody who was listening to the news heard. And, it was not ‘Fake News’.
So much is known about what happened and what didn’t happen and already there are already attempts to ‘spin’ this to blame antifa or radical leftist for the carnage. Now for reports, although not yet independently verified. It has been reported, again not yet verified, that allegedly high ranking officials at the Department of Defense, who were Trump loyalists (who replaced others who recently resigned or were fired) refused requests from DC and Capitol police for assistance and back up until the destruction and insurrection at the Capitol was well underway. Assistance did arrive but after several hours had passed.
Again, refreshing everyone’s memory, when the protests (not this one) for Black Lives Matter took place DC was well prepared and there was a heavy police presence. Not this time, even though there was plenty of social network chatter that indicating what was being planned or intended.
So, do we accept Grothman’s belief that the next 12 days will be uneventful? I would like to believe that but then the past 4 years tells me otherwise along with what transpired with Trump, Trump Jr., Ted Cruz, Rep. Mo Brooks from Alabama, and Giuliani all calling for ‘action’ just before before the insurrection.
Again, the past 4 years has shown that even Trump’s later semi-conciliatory speech, having been either forced or threatened by his inner circle, to state he was going to move forward in a ‘peaceful transition’ has either ignored or dismissed the recent events or believes as Grothman does that it will be an ‘uneventful 12 days’.
As some have no trust or faith in our government or in our next president I have no trust, no faith in our current president to do what’s right. He needs to go before the end of his term and needs to be prevented from ever holding office again, along with any of his family members.
It would be reckless to leave Trump in office. Anyone who has no regard for the U.S. Constitution or the law and attempts a coup should not be President.
The riot Wednesday, January 6, 2021 was a direct result of his manipulations:
• Trump implored his base to protest, “wildly”, the constitutional process to acknowledge the election results.
• He inflamed and incited his followers to charge the capitol to force Congress to change the results of a lawful election to keep him in power. He told them they had to “take the country back”.
• During the riot, he was disappointed others were not as pleased with the riot as he was. He continued to call Congressional members to pressure them to vote to object to the legal election while the riot was underway.
Consider that Trump, over the last 4 years:
• Attempted a coup on Wednesday.
• Lied to the public over 30,000 times, normalizing lies, leading some people to believe his falsehoods.
• Lied and corrupted the election and political process with his lies about voter fraud and a stolen election.
• Continues to call the legitimate media “fake news”, while praising fascistic media groups putting out his propaganda.
• Continues to use divisive rhetoric to pit citizen against citizen, to inflame the fires of racism and otherism.
• Has plans for more “protests” for January 17 and 20.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/capitol-riot-fbi-hostages/2021/01/08/df99ae5a-5202-11eb-83e3-322644d82356_story.html
Trump is a very dangerous individual, in the most powerful position on the planet. He should be out as President, out of the White House, and in jail.