'Dark Stain On Our Nation's History': Rep. Garamendi Calls For Invoking 25th Amendment And Impeaching Trump

DAVIS (CBS13) — More local congressional leaders are coming out in support of invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Pres. Donald Trump from office after a violent day where a mob stormed the US Capitol building.

A worker pushes a trash bin at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021. Joe Biden was formally recognized by Congress as the next U.S. president early Thursday, ending two months of failed challenges by his predecessor, Donald Trump, that exploded into violence at the U.S. Capitol as lawmakers met to ratify the election result. Photographer: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Sources have told CBS News that members of the president's own cabinet have considered invoking the amendment.

Several Northern California Democratic leaders, including Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento), have already called on Vice President Mike Pence to start the process.

"The President continues to put himself above the American people and his reckless actions to undermine our democracy must be met with equal consequence," Matsui wrote on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Rep. John Garamendi (D-Walnut Grove) also joined the call to invoke the amendment.

He also urged Congress to pursue articles of impeachment.

"The President has committed two impeachable offenses: He pressured the Georgia Secretary of State to illegally "find" 11,780 votes in the November election, and incited a riotous mob to storm the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to obstruct the Presidential election process," Rep. Garamendi tweeted.

In 2019, Trump became just the third president in US history to be impeached by the House of Representatives. The charges - abuse of power and obstruction of Congress - were later dropped by the Senate, which was under Republican control.

Other local Democratic leaders calling for the 25th Amendment include Rep. Jackie Speier (D-San Mateo) and Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Napa).

More from CBS Sacramento:

While at least one Republican congressman - Illinois representative Adam Kinzinger - has called on invoking the 25th Amendment, none of California's GOP contingent has echoed that sentiment so far.

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