Connecticut Congresswoman Jahana Hayes is among those calling for the removal of President Donald Trump after pro-Trump rioters descended on the Capitol Wednesday and breached the building, interrupting Congress' count of Electoral College votes.
Hayes' statement echoes those made by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who have called on Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th amendment.
In an interview with NBC Connecticut Thursday, Hayes said though he only has a short time left, Trump could do significant damage in the remaining two weeks.
"There's no telling what this President is going to do in the last two weeks of his presidency because he seems fixated on proving that the election results are invalid. We need a leader. We need someone to make sure that we have a smooth transition of power that our country is safe, that our institutions are protected. And I just don't have confidence that President Trump has the ability to do that right now so I think he should be removed immediately from office and and potentially Vice President Pence, just usher in the transition of power," Hayes told NBC Connecticut.
Hayes also discussed her concerns about the police response to the rioters and how they were treated compared to Black Lives Matter protesters.
"This was a group that was mostly white protesters who appeared on the Capitol and from the onset were aggressive or assertive who pushed their way up, up the stairs, who broke windows who deface the Capitol. And this is not just this is not just an office building. This is the, the center of our institutions of government. This is the United States Congress," Hayes said.
"And we've, the images that we're seeing are horrific. I mean we've had tremendous Capitol police officers that keep us safe, all the time that we're doing the best that they could yesterday, but there were some clear breaches that happened yesterday and we really have to figure out what happened and make sure it never happens again," she continued.
In a video statement Thursday, Trump condemned his supporters who stormed the Capitol on Wednesday, saying they "do not represent our country." He also said there would be a smooth transition of power.
"America is and must always be a nation of law and order, the demonstrators who infiltrated the Capitol have defiled the seat of American democracy," Trump said.
