As Congress moved Monday toward a second impeachment of President Donald Trump or otherwise removing or censuring him, Utah Sen. Mitt Romney said that Trump must face a “meaningful consequence” for helping to incite a riot at the Capitol.
“When the president incites an attack against Congress, there must be a meaningful consequence,” Romney said in a short written statement. “We will be considering those options and the best course for our nation in the days ahead.”
That comes after Romney in a Senate speech after the rioting last week said, “What happened here today was an insurrection, incited by the president of the United States.”
On Monday, House Democrats introduced an article of impeachment against Trump — and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House will move to impeach Trump if Vice President Mike Pence does not seek to remove him under the 25th Amendment by declaring him unfit to serve within 24 hours after the House is expected to pass a resolution encouraging that on Tuesday.
Meanwhile on Monday, Utah Republican Blake Moore also weighed in — saying moves to oust Trump from office early would only further divide America.
“I look forward to a peaceful transition of power and having a productive relationship with President-elect Biden and his administration,” Moore said in a written statement. “At a time when our nation needs to unite and heal, invoking the 25th Amendment would only divide us even further.”
(Bill Clark | CQ Roll Call via AP Images) Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, walks through Statuary Hall in the Capitol on Sunday January 3, 2021 as the new Congress was sworn in.
Others among Utah’s six members of Congress have yet to respond to requests for comment on the proposals.
Meanwhile, Matthew Basso and Eric A. Hinderaker of the University of Utah joined an open letter from more than 300 historians and academics calling for Trump’s impeachment, saying his continuation in office poses “a clear and present danger” to American democracy.
“Since November 2020,” the letter says, “Trump has refused to accept the results of a free and fair election, something no president before him has ever done.”
It adds, “Trump has defied the Constitution and broken laws, norms, practices and precedents, for which he must be held accountable now and after he leaves office. No future president should be tempted by the example of his defiance going unpunished.”
That comes as Utah’s members of Congress have debated whether Trump’s actions hurt the nation.
Last week, Moore said in an interview that “he was “frustrated and disheartened” with Trump for “disparaging Vice President Pence for doing the duty that he was supposed to” in counting electoral votes, and for posting a video as rioters were storming the Capitol that “started with comments about the election and election fraud. That’s not the time. That’s not what we need out of presidential leadership.”
Still, instead of seeking removal of Trump, Moore said then that the main goal is “peaceful transfer of power. And I believe we can get to that point without taking that measure” of invoking the 25th Amendment or impeachment.
Similarly, Rep. John Curtis said last week in an interview that “we’re all becoming experts on the 25th Amendment.” But he said if Trump fights it, as he likely would, the process of removal may take days — so “I don’t even see that it’s actually going to be an option” for quick removal given that the inauguration now is 10 days away.
Curtis also said of Trump’s egging on protesters who stormed the Capitol, “What happened was an act of domestic terrorism inspired and encouraged by our President” — similar to what Romney said.
Sen. Mike Lee voted last week against proposals by fellow Republicans to overturn the presidential election by challenging electoral votes. However, Utah Reps. Burgess Owens and Chris Stewart did join those challenges, and voted to support them even after rioting at the Capitol.
Both Owens and Stewart have tweeted condolences to families of U.S. Capitol officers who died after those violent protests.
For example on Monday, Stewart tweeted about an officer reported to have committed suicide a few days after the riot, “I am heartbroken to hear of the passing of @CapitolPolice Officer Howard Liebengood who selflessly protected our nation’s Capitol Building for nearly 16 years. My prayers go out to his family and friends during this unimaginable time.”
Burgess similarly mourned in a tweet, “My heart breaks for the tragic loss of Officer Liebengood, and my prayers are with his family, loved ones, and the entire @CapitolPolice community. Officer Liebengood’s sacrifice & many years of service will never be forgotten. God bless the brave men and women in law enforcement.”
Of note on MSNBC on Friday, former GOP Rep. Denver Riggleman said he spoke with Owens about violence at the Capitol. “He told me that Antifa was involved in the storming of the Capitol, that we should be looking at Antifa,” a loose collection of left groups, rather than at Trump supporters. Owens’ office did not respond to a request for comment.
— The Tribune will update this story.
