Democrat lawmakers urge VP to remove Trump from office

WASHINGTON

Seventeen Democratic House members on Wednesday urged US Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the Constitution's 25th Amendment to remove President Donald Trump from office amid protests.

The group, led by David Cicilline of Rhode Island and Ted Lieu of California, said Trump has shown he is unwilling to protect democracy and carry out duties of the presidential office.

"For the sake of our Democracy, we emphatically urge you to invoke the 25th Amendment and begin the process of removing President Trump from office," said the lawmakers in the letter.

"Dear @VP @Mike_Pence: You need to start the 25th Amendment. @realDonaldTrump is detached from reality," Lieu wrote on Twitter earlier.

The request came amid violence in the US capital of Washington, D.C. after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building.

According to the amendment, in case of the removal of the president from office or of his death or resignation, the vice president shall become the president.

The president can be removed if the vice president and a majority of the cabinet determines he or she is "unable to discharge the powers and duties" of the office.

Separately, another Democratic House member, Ilhan Omar, said Trump should be removed from office and she will initiate procedures towards that end.

"I am drawing up Articles of Impeachment. Donald J. Trump should be impeached by the House of Representatives & removed from office by the United States Senate. We can’t allow him to remain in office, it’s a matter of preserving our Republic and we need to fulfill our oath," Omar wrote on Twitter.

The Capitol was overrun earlier in the day as lawmakers were set to convene a joint session of Congress that is traditionally a mundane affair of Electoral College vote counting.

Security officers were seen in photos posted on social media drawing their pistols as rioters attempted to breach the House chamber where the vote counting was to take place.

At least one woman was shot amid the ongoing pandemonium, according to video footage aired on television. It is unclear who fired the shot. Her death was later confirmed by D.C. police.

Multiple police officers have also been injured, according to reports.