U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney is forcefully calling on President Trump to resign. He said if the president does not resign, he and his colleagues will try to force him out.
“I think if he doesn’t, the vice president and the cabinet should invoke the 25th Amendment," Maloney said. “Failing that, the House of Representatives will move to impeach.”
At Monday’s press conference to celebrate a new law banning barge anchorages on this stretch of the Hudson River, Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus said he and other Republicans feel “embarrassed” to be Republicans after others in the party used lies and inflammatory language to whip their followers into a frenzy ahead of Wednesday’s attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Neuhaus said he was nervous and concerned about the next week and a half with President Trump still in power.
“The fact that we are even talking about this and not being united about what’s going on, to me, is a little confusing,” he said. “I think most Americans would feel more comfortable if Mike Pence was president for the next week and a half.”
Maloney said to move forward, sensible Republicans must set their supporters straight.
He referenced New York Assemblyman Colin Schmitt, who received criticism for visiting with a group of pro-life activists just before they left for the deadly rally on Wednesday. During an interview on Thursday, several of the protesters began pushing a popular conspiracy theory with no proof.
As the group tried to explain why they believed Antifa and Black Lives Matter protesters infiltrated the rally, a reporter turned to Schmitt and asked if he believed the conspiracy theory.
Schmitt shrugged.
“I wasn’t there,” he said.
Rep. Maloney said reality is bigger than partisan politics, adding that there must be a “political and moral reckoning” to begin healing.
“There are good people in the Republican Party who know this is crazy,” he said. “They need to find their voice and say that. There are others, sadly, in that party who have allowed themselves to participate in this lie that the election was stolen — some of them here locally, by the way. I think there’s no place for that.”
The House of Representatives introduced an impeachment resolution Monday, and may hold a vote Wednesday. The House will vote Tuesday on whether to formally request Vice President Mike Pence remove President Trump from power under the 25th Amendment.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story mischaracterized Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus’ stance on President Trump’s removal from office. Neuhaus is advocating for Vice President Mike Pence to assume office, saying it would lead to a jumpstart of “the healing process.”