Neguse calls for Trump’s removal after president, Boebert stoked unrest

Congress, despite being delayed for hours and physically threatened by an angry mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday at the behest of President Donald Trump, certified Joe Biden as the next president of the United States.

U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, who was part of Wednesday’ House reponse team during unfounded and outright fabricated Republican accusations of widespread election faud, is calling for Trump’s removal from office — a growing push that now includes Republican U.S. Rep. Adam Kingzinger of Illinois and Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat who used to represent the Vail area in Congress, issued a joint statement with U.S. Rep. Ken Buck, a Republican who heads up the Colorado Republican Party:

“In America, we hold free, fair, and secure elections and we honor the outcome. We respect the rule of law and an assault on our democratic republic is an assault on all of us who believe in our constitution and what makes our country extraordinary. We respect the peaceful transition of power. The alarming scenes that are unfolding in Washington are something you might expect to see in countries far from our shores, not in our nation’s capitol, and certainly not in the hallowed halls or on the floor of Congress. We are relieved that Colorado’s federal delegation is safe. We all must step up to protect the institutions of our republic, free and fair elections, and the rule of law.”

Neguse, a Lafayette Democrat who replaced Polis in Colorado’s 2^nd Congressional District — which includes the eastern third of Eagle County – is calling on Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25^th Amendment to remove Trump from office. Here’s his full statement:

Washington D.C.—Congressman Joe Neguse issued the following statement [Wednesday’s] events at the United States Capitol: 

“Today was a very dark and difficult day for our country and for our Republic. The seat of our nation’s government was breached in a violent attack incited by the President of the United States and fueled by baseless claims from some of my Republican colleagues in Congress. 

“Let me be clear. This violence was an assault on our very democracy. In the United States of America, this is not how we settle political disputes. In the United States, we respect the rule of law. We accept the results of free and fair elections. We do not ignore the will of the voters and attempt to install a preferred candidate into power. 

“Today’s events are the direct result of violent rhetoric perpetrated by the highest levels of our government, harmful efforts to spread misinformation and lies told to the American people about the validity of November’s elections. Along with several of my colleagues I have sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence calling for him to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove President Trump from office. The President’s efforts over the last few weeks to overturn the results of the election and misinform the American people and his role in today’s events cannot go without consequence. He is not fit to execute the duties of the President any longer. 

“While the division and violence evidenced today are deeply troubling, I am confident that our Republic will endure. 

“This evening, the House and Senate reconvened to finish our work and complete our duty to the American people. As the United States Congress we will not be intimidated. We will always fulfill our oath to the constitution. 

“We are committed to ensuring the will of the American people is defended and that our democracy is preserved.”

View Congressman Neguse’s earlier remarks on the House floor here.

U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Republican who represents most of Colorado’s Western Slope and the western two-thirds of Colorado, tweeted “the violence we saw today is inexcusable,” but she was one of the House members objecting to free and fair elections in Arizona and Pennsylvania that selected Biden as the next president. Boebert, arguably, helped incite Wednesday’s attack.

In late December, Boebert tweeted, “Who is going to be in DC on January 6^th to stand with President Donald Trump” and then on Wednesday morning before the attack tweeted, “Today is 1776.”

Morgan Carroll, Chair of the Colorado Democratic Party, issued this statement: “The Colorado Democratic Party condemns the attempted coup and lawless behavior displayed at the US Capitol, carried out by domestic terrorists in the name of Donald Trump. This is the consequence of elected officials and political candidates entertaining harmful disinformation and unfounded conspiracy theories and spreading them to their followers. This is not a matter of political ideology. This is a matter of putting our country, and the laws on which it was founded, first. Elected leaders and officials from both parties must stand together against this unprecedented threat to our democracy.”

The Eagle County Democratic Party issued this statement Thursday:

“While we have had some positive news in the election of President Elect Joe Biden, and the wins in Georgia that mean Democrats will also control the Senate…yesterday’s act of violence and insurrection on our nation’s Capitol, not to mention the seditious acts of Senators and Representatives, including CD3 Rep. Lauren Boebert, show that we have a lot of work to do.

“Yesterday was a call to action for everyone who believes in our democracy. It is time for everyone to step up and get involved in the efforts of the Democratic Party as we prepare for the mid-terms in 2022.”

Editor’s note: On Friday, Jan. 8, the anti-Boebert political action group Rural Colorado United, organized rallies at Boebert’s district offices in Pueblo and Grand Junction calling for her resignation if not expulsion from Congress. Boebert also blocked a former state lawmaker from Pueblo on Twitter, which could open her up to legal action.

Rural Colorado United’s statement: 

“Lauren Boebert has betrayed the American people and is a conspirator in the insurrection that occurred at Capitol Hill on January 6th. As the citizens she represents in Congress, we cannot recall her and we cannot impeach her, but we do not accept that she is fit to represent the people of Colorado District 3 in Congress. We can only hope that her colleagues in Congress expel her.

“During her election and in her brief time in office, Lauren has done nothing except to fan the flames of insurrection and violence, even going so far to signal her steadfast support of a violent overthrow of the United States government by tweeting “Today is 1776” and her insistence on bringing a gun into the US Capitol for the purpose of “hunting tyrants.” None of her district offices have phone numbers or staff that are working.  

“Our hope is that her colleagues in Congress, led by Representative Cori Bush, vote to expel her from Congress and that word of our rallies in support of her expulsion reach those with the power to do so. There need to be consequences for the actions of those in power who pledged their full-fledged support to an attempted coup of the United States government and a ‘Second Revolution’. Lauren Boebert must be held accountable for her betrayal of the citizens she claims to represent.”

Rural Colorado United, which is run by two Pueblo-based military veterans, followed that press release with this later in the day on Friday:

“After 36 hours of social media silence, Lauren Boebert has released a new video on her campaign pages stating she is ‘proud of taking a stand’ during Wednesday’s insurrection. 

“She goes on to claim that many of the Capitol Police have ‘have gone out of their way to tell me that they support my efforts’ to bring a gun into the capitol. It is not known if she was wearing her gun at the time of filming the newly released video. 

“Boebert began Wednesday morning by tweeting ‘Today is 1776’ and followed up with a floor speech objecting to the Electoral College which ended with shouted claims that ‘our Republic will cease to exist.’

“’Lauren Boebert has shown that she will gladly rip apart America in order to boost her own fame,’ said Rural Colorado United Co-Chair George Autobee. ‘She has betrayed our country, her oath of office, and her constituents. She is unfit to serve in the United States Congress and we urge her colleagues to join together in expelling her from the very government she urged to be overtaken.’”