Rep. Al Green co-leading effort to impeach President Trump
HOUSTON - Following the chaos at the US Capitol Wednesday, several lawmakers have been calling for the removal of President Trump from office. One of those lawmakers leading the charge is from the Houston area.
US Rep. Al Green is co-leading the effort to remove President Donald Trump from office through a lightning-quick impeachment process.
"It is a constitutional remedy for a president that is causing harm to society. He incited the violence that we saw at the capitol," said Green.
SIGN UP FOR FOX 26 HOUSTON EMAIL ALERTS
Green said the chaos and harassment followed him home to Houston on Thursday evening. On his flight back from Washington, Green said he became the target of heckling from fellow passengers in the air.
"At 500 miles per hour, 35,000 feet in the air, you do not need chaos. On this flight coming in, there were people who called themselves Trump supporters who were yelling, screaming, calling names — traitor and other names," Green said.
The heckling came just a day after a violent mob of pro-Trump supporters stormed into the US Capitol as certification proceedings were underway.
RELATED: US Capitol police officer dies of injuries sustained during pro-Trump riots, officials say
Green was inside the building on his way to the chambers when he was stopped and asked to shelter in place. Green said he hid in his office for hours with his staffers.
"The president went too far this time and for this alone, he should be impeached," Green said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has also said the House would impeach Trump for his seditious acts. However, Rice University political science professor Mark Jones doesn’t think there’ll be enough time.
"That’s pure political theatre on Pelosi’s part. Even on the most expedited timetable possible for an impeachment trial, there wouldn’t be time between now and January 20. Not by a long shot," Jones said.
Jones said the fastest approach for Trump’s removal would be for Vice President Mike Pence and a majority of his cabinet members to invoke the 25th amendment in an unprecedented move, declaring the President unfit to serve.
RELATED: Houstonians react to storming of U.S. Capitol
"The 25th amendment was not designed to remove an unpopular president. It was designed in the case that you had a President that was in a coma or was incapacitated or had a stroke and could not physically function," Jones said.
"We’ve never had an instance where a vice president has invoked the 25th amendment to remove a president from office," Jones continued.
TIMELINE: Pro-Trump riot at the US Capitol: How the chaos unfolded
According to Jones, the 25th amendment's only been invoked three times in history; once by President Ronald Reagan and twice by President George H.W. Bush.