'This president has betrayed our country': Gov. Cooper joins NC Democrats call to remove President Trump from office
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Gov. Roy Cooper has joined North Carolina Democrats in the call to remove President Trump from office following the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
"This president has betrayed our country and is therefore unfit to lead it. He should resign or be removed from office," Cooper said in a statement.
His call to action follows a violent day at the Capitol that resulted in four deaths and disrupted Congress' electoral count. At least seven North Carolinians were arrested during the incident.
As of Thursday afternoon, the Democratic governor was joined by Rep. G. K. Butterfield, who represents the 1st district, and David Price, who represents the 4th district. The two Democratic representatives have both called upon Congress to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office despite there being less than two weeks remaining in his term.
Butterfield wrote, "What we have seen over the last few weeks rises to the level of impeachable conduct. The president is unstable, which should alarm his family, his cabinet, and supporters. Unfortunately, we do not have sufficient time to engage in an impeachment proceeding. However, the Presidential cabinet should immediately discuss invoking the 25th Amendment. The American people deserve better."
President Trump on Thursday acknowledged the results of the election but maintained his stance that Democrat Joe Biden won in suspicious fashion. Nevertheless, Trump announced there would be an "orderly transition on January 20th" after Congress concluded the electoral vote count early Thursday.
"Since before the election, President Trump has fomented rage among his supporters with baseless conspiracies about the election, and yesterday it manifested into a violent attempted coup at the U.S. Capitol. The President and his Republican enablers in Congress are responsible for the mob and their acts of insurrection," Price wrote in part. "I call on Vice President Pence and cabinet members to uphold their oath to the Constitution and invoke the 25th Amendment immediately to remove President Trump from office. President Trump's erratic behavior, his refusal to honor his constitutional duties, and his incitement of an attack on the very seat of democracy leave us no choice. It is too dangerous to wait until January 20th."
As the unrest unfolded in the country's capital, North Carolina lawmakers chimed in denouncing the violence. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-NC, called the chaos "a national disgrace."
