House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rips up President Trump's 2020 State of the Union address on Feb. 4, 2020 (Video screenshot)
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who promoted the now-debunked Russia collusion claim and failed to remove President Trump through impeachment last year, has snubbed Vice President Mike Pence's request for civility during the transition of power established by the Constitution.
She announced late Tuesday it was her "privilege" to name nine managers for a second impeachment trial of Trump. Democrats charge he's guilty of incitement to insurrection for the mayhem at the Capitol that transpired after his speech in front of the White House last week in which he encouraged supporters to "stay peaceful" as they "cheer on" Republican lawmakers who were about to employ the constitutional process of objecting to Electoral College votes.
In a letter Tuesday, Pence asked Pelosi "and every member of Congress to avoid actions that would further divide and inflame the passions of the moment."
He asked her to "work with us to lower the temperature and unite our country as we prepare to inaugurate President-elect Joe Biden."
The vice president explained the administration's energy "is directed to ensuring an orderly transition."
"The Bible says that 'for everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven … a time to heal, … and a time to build up.' That time is now. In the midst of a global pandemic, economic hardship for millions of Americans, and the tragic events of January 6th, now is the time for us to come together, now is the time to heal," Pence wrote.
In his letter, Pence rejected a demand from the House, adopted earlier Tuesday, for him to attempt to remove President Trump from office by using the 25th Amendment. The provision allows for continuity of government should a president be unable to perform his duties due to a health issue.
"The 25th Amendment is not a means of punishment or usurpation," he wrote. "Invoking the 25th Amendment in such a manner would set a terrible precedent."
Pelosi's nine impeachment managers are Reps. Jamie Raskin, Diana DeGette, David Cicilline, Joaquin Castro, Eric Swalwell, Ted Lieu, Stacey Plaskett, Joe Neguse and Madeleine Dean.
They include some of the most strident Trump critics in Congress.
The Washington Examiner noted that Swalwell, a member of the powerful judiciary and intelligence committees who also briefly ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 2019, has recently been criticized for his relationship with a suspected Chinese spy and has faced calls for his resignation. Last month, 17 GOP lawmakers sent a letter to Pelosi demanding Swalwell be stripped of his committee assignment."
The impeachment is accompanied by a crackdown by Twitter, Facebook, Amazon and other tech giants on President Trump and conservative voices that have challenged the legitimacy of the 2020 election.
Federal prosecutors already have filed charges against hundreds of individuals who participated in violence at the Capitol last week, which left four people dead, including a woman shot and killed by police and three others who experienced medical conditions. One police officer also later committed suicide.
House Democrats, while discussing their course of action earlier this week demanded that Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio declare to them that the election "was not stolen."
Jordan insists that there is considerable evidence -- dismissed by establishment media as "baseless" -- that requires further investigation, pointing to thousands of sworn affidavits from witnesses.
It was Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., who demanded: "So my question for you is: Will you admit that Joe Biden won fair and square, and the election was not rigged or stolen?"
Jordan argued that Republicans followed "the process" for certifying the Electoral College vote.
"Those of us who spoke against the unconstitutional ways several states conducted their election were following the process," he said.
Jordan has pointed out on Twitter: "Over 50 million Americans think this election was stolen. That's more than one third of the electorate. For that reason alone, we owe it to the country to investigate election integrity."
Over 50 million Americans think this election was stolen.
That’s more than one third of the electorate.
For that reason alone, we owe it to the country to investigate election integrity.
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) December 4, 2020
Rep. Ed Perlmutter of Colorado then joined the attack on Jordan, demanding he admit, "Joe Biden won the election, yes or no."
When Jordan said there are problems that deserve a review, Perlmutter doubled down: "Please, we're trying to bring this nation back together, Jim. Jeez."
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