Members of Congress from North Texas were divided Thursday on calls for removing President Donald Trump from office after the intrusion by rioters at the U.S. Capitol Wednesday that some claim the President incited.
U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Fort Worth) supported use of the 25th Amendment that would allow a Vice-President to take command if a President is deemed unfit.
“He is a cancer on this country,” Veasey said about Trump. “His most trusted advisors are starting to describe a man who is delusional, who is anxious, who is bitter.”
U.S. Rep. Van Taylor (R-Plano) did not mention action against President Trump Thursday but did question the fitness of the U.S. Capitol security after rioters were able to disrupt a session of Congress where Trump’s election defeat was to become official.
“I think the U.S. Capitol is going to have to take a hard look at how it secures itself and take it to a whole other level. It is clearly not secure. We were very fortunate that the rioters did not try to burn the place down because I think they certainly could have,” Taylor said.
Taylor supported holding the rioters accountable for what happened and praised the Capitol Police.
“They were assaulted with pipes, with sticks, with tear gas, all kinds of manner or means,” Taylor said. “That’s just terrible. That is not what our country is about.”
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Veasey accused the White House of declining to provide National Guard troops that were requested by the Washington D.C. mayor as the demonstration escalated Wednesday.
Veasey said past demonstrations involving African American’s received higher levels of security at the U.S. Capitol, even though this demonstration posed a known threat.
“Why didn’t people take it more seriously? We want to find those things out. There’s a double standard,” Veasey said. “Why did they get in the building? Why was the support for extra back-up denied when the mayor requested it? Why wasn’t this threat taken more seriously when you could see the night before that this was going to be a mess.”
Police reportedly made 68 arrests, 41 on the Capitol grounds and posted photos to identify more rioters.
Rep. Taylor said he voted to certify the election results.
“It’s very clear in my view that there is a separation of powers. Congress is not supposed to pick the President of the United States,” Taylor said. “If an electoral college fails, then Congress picks and it’s only if it fails. And it didn’t fail and it hasn’t.”
Other North Texas Republicans provided a written statements to NBC 5.
"While the violence we witnessed in the Capitol is unacceptable, none of the facts that led us to question the integrity of the election have changed. We were asked to certify results the American people do not have faith in. I voted against certification in solidarity with the millions of Americans who demand more from their government. Confidence in our electoral system must be restored," U.S. Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Terrell) said.
Freshman Republican Beth Van Duyne from Irving condemned the riot but opposed certification of electors from Pennsylvania.
“Like many of you, I worked tirelessly on behalf of, and prayed fervently for, a different outcome. While that did not occur, we must commit to forge forward together: agreeing where it makes sense and promotes the general welfare of all Americans, while vigorously but peacefully disagreeing where ideology and visions diverge. Regardless, we move forward together in this dream, this experiment, this wonderful nation that we are all blessed to call our home, that we are all blessed to call our United States of America,” Van Duyne said.
Republican Ron Wright of Arlington said Wednesday was a sad and dark day in our nation’s history. He condemned the violence in the strongest possible terms.
“Thank you to all the heroic Law Enforcement Officers from Capitol Police, FBI, Secret Service, MPD, the National Guard, and others, for putting their lives on the line to protect us and secure the Capitol so my colleagues and I could finish the People's business on the House Floor. No angry mob was going to stop us from fulfilling our constitutional duty.
"Although what we saw yesterday was inexcusable and reprehensible, it doesn't change the fact that election laws were broken, and evidence of voter fraud has been presented. Both deserve to be investigated. Last night, I objected to certifying the Electoral College votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania to fight for the integrity of our elections and to give certainty to millions of Americans that our electoral process is safe and secure.
"Civil discourse, debate, and peaceful protests are vital to our democracy, but violence is never and will never be the answer. God Bless our great nation,” Wright said.
