Elected Officials to Protect America condemns the domestic terrorist attack of January 6, 2021 on the United States Capitol in Washington D.C. during the official ceremonial process of tallying the votes from the 2020 Presidential Election. The process had already become a mockery by Sen. Ted Cruz and other Senate and House Republicans who disrupted the proceedings insisting on an investigation into voter fraud in an attempt to invalidate the election, even though over 60 courts and numerous officials have declared the election for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Although the process was delayed by the riot, a brave Congress reconvened the same day to do their Constitutional duty. Early in the morning of January 7, 2021 President elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris were officially declared by Congress as the next President and Vice President of the United States.

“Not only is our democracy built on a sacred covenant of the people’s trust, our Constitution ensures we act to uphold it. All elected officials are sworn in — pledging their allegiance to our Constitution — to the laws of our democracy. President Trump started the insurrection on January 6, 2021 that resulted in five deaths. In that domestic terrorist act, The United States Capitol, the people’s house, was violated, desecrated. He is unfit to serve as President and needs to be swiftly removed from office, and held accountable for his sedition. To allow him to remain is dangerous, and it would signal to future generations, and the world, that something like this can occur with impunity,” said Elected Officials to Protect America President, former Marine combat veteran, and Maine State Legislator Alex Cornell du Houx.

The difference in the way Black Lives Matter protesters were treated last summer and the way insurrectionists were treated on January 6 was worlds apart. BLM protesters were tear gassed for doing nothing. White supremacists took selfies and looted without being arrested. While we mourn the loss of the Capitol Police officer who lost his life, and understand there are many dedicated Capitol Police officers who were on duty that day, it’s apparent from photographic evidence some aided the insurgents. A full investigation must take place. 

While Capitol Police officers were overwhelmingly outnumbered, they shouldn’t have been. The planning of the insurrection had been posted on social media platforms and fueled by the President since he lost the election. Security forces knew it was going to happen. Under a different President they would have been prepared. When the riot became apparent President Trump did nothing, yet as commander in chief he should have.

Newsweek, along with other news outlets, reported that Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R) received a call from Representative Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) from an “undisclosed bunker” to send in the National Guard. The D.C. National Guard had been denied permission to act. And Hogan was stalled by the Pentagon for 90 minutes, before he could send his troops. Hogan, a Republican, is calling for the President’s resignation or to be removed from office.

Clearly there was intent on some of the rioters to take hostages, as there are documented photographs of some of them dressed in military gear carrying plastic ties, called flex-cuffs, that are used by police to cuff people. There were guns brought into the temple of democracy and unused Molotov cocktails were found on the Capitol grounds, where a noose had been erected. Many reporters heard rioters say they were going to “hang” Vice President Pence. Outside the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee lethal pipe bombs were found.

Elected Officials to Protect America was concerned about the possible disruption of the transition since Trump’s first debate against President-elect Biden. Right afterwards we issued a sign on letter to hopefully make him comply with his Constitutional oath of office. This is the letter’s content:

Dear President Trump,

As elected officials from across the United States of America, we have sworn an oath to our country to uphold and defend the Constitution. We urge you, in the strongest possible terms, to protect our democracy and commit to a peaceful transition of power after all the votes are counted in this presidential election. It is the sworn oath and solemn duty of every elected official to uphold this core tenant of our democracy. 

Furthermore, publicly state you do not support any White supremacist groups. The health of our nation and survival of our democracy depends on elected representatives honoring our oaths of office. We must faithfully serve the public that we are elected to represent, and put the interests of our nation before political affiliations or private interests. To dismiss the commitment to a peaceful and timely transition of the power of the office of President of the United States is a violation of the rights of Americans and of the rule of law.

Now we are proud to sign on to a letter demanding immediate impeachment of President Trump and supporting. Rep. Cori Bush’s draft resolution for an investigation into those House members that supported Trump’s efforts to invalidate the 2020 election and incited the mob at the Capitol.   

“This week’s White supremacist violence and effort to overturn an election is, not only the product of Donald Trump and his enablers’ incessant lies and incitement, it is the latest and most shocking in a series of attacks designed to undermine our democracy at its roots. Voter suppression, dark money, and gerrymandering are all efforts to install a powerful minority in power despite the will of the people, just as this attempted coup was,” said New Mexican State Representative Debbie Sariñana, Air Force Veteran, EOPA National Co-Chair.  The President has to be removed from office as he is a danger to our democracy and national security.”

Before the Georgia run-off elections, that determined the make-up of the United States Senate, Donald Trump was recorded on tape buttering up and threatening Georgia’s secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, to “find 11,780 votes,” enough to give him a winning margin in a state that he lost. According to Title 52, Section 20511 of the United States Code, anyone who “knowingly and willfully deprives, defrauds, or attempts to deprive or defraud the residents of a state of a fair and impartial conducted election process” for federal office can be punished by up to five years in prison. He most likely also broke federal conspiracy law and Georgia election law.

“Whenever a public official puts their own partisan benefit or personal gain before the public good that person knowingly, or unknowingly, forfeits the right to lead. This is especially true when that person is the commander of the most powerful military in history. I now believe POTUS has lost control of his mental faculties and is demonstrating behaviors consistent with a break with reality — actions with very human consequences. When a member of the US Military with duties associated with nuclear weapons becomes compromised or incapacitated, the person loses their security clearance and is removed from the situation. There are important reasons for this policy,”  said Oregon State Representative Major Paul L. Evans USAF (Ret.), EOPA National Co-Chair. “It is time for the President to be removed from his responsibilities. The Cabinet has clear cause to use the 25th Amendment. Failing that, it may well be time for Impeachment and removal. Partisan politics aside, the national security needs of our people and place must take precedence. Accordingly, we cannot allow a person as damaged as this POTUS has become continued access to weapons of mass destruction.”

Binarism momentum is building for the removal of the President. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.) became the first Republican congressman to call on Trump’s Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment. Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska, told The Anchorage Daily News that she wanted Trump to resign.

EOPA is a non-profit organization principally made up of current and former elected officials, who care deeply about protecting our planet, and people, from the dangers of climate change. EOPA educates through value-based storytelling, trains lawmakers, shares critical climate change information, and connects elected officials to inspire strong environmental policy.

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