Democrat California Rep. Maxine Waters rebuked President Donald Trump on Wednesday, blaming him for “inciting” his supporters to siege the Capitol last week, claiming “he is capable of starting a civil war.”
Trump may become the only president in U.S. history to be impeached twice after last week’s Capitol riot, where Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to stop the Congressional certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. The House voted and approved a resolution Tuesday demanding Vice President Mike Pence invoke the 25th Amendment to oust the president; however, Pence has told Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi he would not do so, as previously reported.
“I rise in support of impeaching again the worst president in the history of the United States,” Water proclaimed on the House floor. “Since his first day in office, this president has spent four years abusing his power, lying, embracing authoritarianism, radicalizing his supporters against democracy. ”
“This corruption poisoned the minds of his supporters, inciting them to willing join with white supremacists, neo-Nazis and paramilitary extremists in a siege of the United States Capitol Building, the very seat of American democracy,” the California congresswoman continued. “The Republican Party is now the Trump party.”
Waters then claimed that Trump intends to “exercise power long after he is out of office” and that “he is capable of starting a civil war.”
“He must be impeached. He must be stopped now,” she concluded.
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The House is set to vote on impeaching Trump Wednesday. However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced he would not “consent” to reconvening the Senate before Biden’s inauguration. (RELATED: McConnell Confirms The Senate Won’t Hold Trump’s Impeachment Trial Before Biden’s Inauguration)
Five individuals died in events related to the riot, including Ashli Babbit, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran, who was shot by law enforcement. Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick also reportedly died after being injured “while physically engaging with protesters.”