Local politicians demand action against President

Illinois lawmakers join bipartisan vote to impeach Trump an historical second time

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Trump supporters and right wing rioters climb the West wall of the Capitol, attempting to nullify President-elect Biden’s victory in the 2020 election

Earlier last week, rioting protesters attempted to overturn President Trump’s defeat in the 2020 presidential election by causing a raucous outside of Capitol Hill.

With a week left before President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated to become the 46th president, members of Congress worked on confirming Biden as well as impeaching Trump for inciting the mob during the violent protests.

Locally, governor J.B. Pritzker put in an order for more policing near the State Capitol in Springfield in order to prepare for local riots aiming at individual state legislatures. The FBI has been warned that there are plans for each of the 50 state capitols on Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20.

The National Guard and State Police are in constant communication with their counterparts around Illinois and in other states to monitor activity and any threats,” said a spokesperson from the governor’s office.

Representative Lauren Underwood, Representative Brad Schneider, and even Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger voted for impeachment of the president this Wednesday

Other than deploying security near government buildings in the capital of the state, Pritzker also called to remove President Trump from office. According to Pritzker, two weeks is too long for Trump to stay in office where he could possibly incite more violence.

There is no doubt in my mind that his efforts to encourage a coup represent high treason to this democracy, our Constitution and all Americans,” said Pritzker in a statement calling on Congress to take action.

Pritzker isn’t alone, though. Several local representatives and lawmakers have stood up and asked for Trump’s removal from office. Representative Lauren Underwood, Representative Brad Schneider, and even Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger voted for impeachment of the president this Wednesday.

This is not a vote I took lightly, but a vote I took confidently. I’m at peace,” said Kinzinger, putting aside partisan polarization and calling it “sobering” to impeach President Trump.

While some lawmakers focused on removing President Trump from office, others thought that removing the president wouldn’t fix the issue of white supremacy in the United States. Representative Tammy Duckworth, who served 22 years in the Army and who lost both her legs in an attack in Iraq, implored several military law enforcement agencies to investigate members of the Armed Forces for the purpose of finding participants in the insurrection that rocked the country.

“We must address deeply troubling reports that members of the U.S. Armed Forces, retired members of a regular component of the U.S. Armed Forces and members of the Fleet Reserve/Fleet Marine Corps Reserve, may have violated their Oath of Enlistment or Oath of Office by participating in a violent insurrection,” said Duckworth in a statement this Monday.

Many legislators are concerned about the timeframe that is required for Trump to be removed from office. With less than a week before President-elect Biden’s inauguration, hopes of reaching a decision, especially in a Republican-dominated Senate, are low. 

I worry a little bit about impeachment because of the time frame,” said Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

With the rise of white supremacy came consequences. The years of developing interest in the belief apexed at the Capitol riots, and many believe that more has to be done than removing President Trump from office. Some representatives aren’t helping the cause of suppressing white supremacy, either.

On Jan. 5, two days after being seated in the state house for the 15th Illinois congressional district, Mary Miller quoted Adolf Hitler while addressing the right wing group “Save The Republic.”

This is the battle. Hitler was right on one thing. He said, ‘Whoever has the youth has the future.’ Our children are being propagandized,” said Miller one day before the Capitol riots. Miller has since then apologized, though many have spoken out against her speech, and Democrats are calling for her resignation.