US Vice President Mike Pence has ruled out invoking the 25th Amendment to force President Donald Trump out of office after an insurrection at Capitol Hill by the president’s supporters.
Praising the response of Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, in a letter to her on Tuesday, Pence said it would unconstitutional for him to invoke the 25th Amendment, which allows the cabinet to declare the president incapable of performing his duties.
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Pence said, “But now, with just eight days left in the President’s term , you and the Democratic Caucus are demanding that the Cabinet and I invoke the 25th Amendment. I do not believe that such a course of action is in the best interest of our Nation or consistent with our Constitution.
“Last week, I did not yield to pressure to exert power beyond my constitutional authority to determine the outcome of the election, and I will not now yield to efforts in the House of Representatives to play political games at a time so serious in the life of our Nation.”
He said, “As you know full well, the 25th Amendment was designed to address Presidential incapacity or disability.
“Just a few months ago , when you introduced legislation to create a 25th Amendment Commission , you said, “ [ a ] President’s fitness for office must be determined by science and facts.”
You said then that we must be “ [ v ]ery respectful of not making a judgment on the basis of a comment or behavior that we don’t like, but based on a medical decision.”
The vice president added, Madam Speaker you were right. Under our Constitution, the 25th Amendment is not a means of punishment or usurpation. Invoking
the 25th Amendment in such a manner would set a terrible precedent.”