Today on AirTalk, we discuss the ramifications of last night's insurrection on Capitol Hill. Also on the show, we break down where the Republican party goes following the insurrection and eventual end to Trump's presidential term; discuss the logistics of invoking the 25th amendment; and more.
How Washington, D.C. Is Recovering In Aftermath Of Capitol Siege, How It Impacts Inauguration Day, And Where The Deeply-Divided GOP Goes From Here
Congress confirmed Democrat Joe Biden as the presidential election winner before dawn Thursday after a violent mob loyal to President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday in a stunning attempt to overturn the election, undercut the nation’s democracy and keep Trump in the White House.
Lawmakers were resolved to complete the Electoral College tally in a display to the country, and the world, of the nation’s enduring commitment to uphold the will of the voters and the peaceful transfer of power. They pushed through the night with tensions high and the nation’s capital on alert. Shortly before 4 a.m. Thursday, lawmakers finished their work, confirming Biden won the election. Vice President Mike Pence, presiding over the joint session, announced the tally, 306-232. Trump, who had repeatedly refused to concede the election, said in a statement immediately after the vote that there will be a smooth transition of power on Inauguration Day.
The day after the siege at the Capitol, there were fresh questions and concerns across the government - about the president's fitness to remain in office for two more weeks, the ability of the police to secure the Capitol complex and the future of the Republican Party in a post-Trump era. One Republican lawmaker publicly called for invoking the 25th Amendment to force Trump from office before Biden is inaugurated. Others said there must be a review of the U.S. Capitol Police's inability to prevent the breach of the complex by the protesters.
Today on AirTalk, we’ll look ahead to how yesterday’s events will impact politics for the next two weeks, what we can expect to see on Inauguration Day, and we’ll analyze what yesterday means for both the GOP and President Trump’s role in it.
With files from the Associated Press
Guest:
Amber Phillips, political reporter at the Washington Post; she tweets
Pete Peterson, dean of the School of Public Policy and senior fellow at The Davenport Institute at Pepperdine University; he tweets
In Aftermath Of Last Night’s Siege, We Dive Into National Security And 25th Amendment
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer is calling on President Donald Trump’s Cabinet to remove him from office following Wednesday’s violent assault on the Capitol by the president’s supporters.
In a statement Thursday, Schumer said the attack on the Capitol “was an insurrection against the United States, incited by the president.” He added, “This president should not hold office one day longer.”
Schumer said Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet should invoke the 25th Amendment and immediately remove Trump from office. He added, “If the vice president and the Cabinet refuse to stand up, Congress should reconvene to impeach the president.”
Section 4 of the 25th Amendment has never before been invoked. It posits that if Cabinet secretaries and the vice president decide the president is “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office,” they can inform congressional leaders and subsequently the vice president would take over. But how exactly would this process work? Would the current situation meet the threshold of the 25th amendment? And would it be wise to invoke it less than two weeks from the inauguration of the next president?
With files from the Associated Press.
Guests:
M. Tia Johnson, visiting professor of law and former director of the National Security Law Program at Georgetown Law; she served in the Obama Administration as the Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2015-2017)
Ilya Somin, professor of law at George Mason University where he specializes in constitutional law; he tweets
Pratheepan Gulasekaram, professor of law at Santa Clara Law, where he specializes in constitutional and immigration law; he tweets