VP Mike Pence rejects Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s demand for invoking 25th Amendment

@prashanthamine

Mumbai: The showdown between the Republicans and the Democrats over removal of out-going Republican US President Donald Trump has got brusque as US Vice President Michael @ Mike R Pence rejecting his counterpart House of Representative Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s demand that he (Pence) invoke the section 4 of the 25^th Amendment of the US Constitution and remove Trump from office.

In a letter addressed to Speaker Nancy Pelosi dated January 12, the US Vice President stated “But now, with just eight days left in the President’s term, you and the Democrat Caucus are demanding that the cabinet and I invoke the 25^th Amendment. I do not believe that such a course of action is in the best interest of our Nation or consistent with our Constitution”

He further adds, “Just a few months ago, when you introduced legislation to create a 25^th 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”.

“Madam Speaker, you were right Under our Constitution, the 25^th Amendment is not a means of punishment or usurpation. Invoking the 25^th Amendment in such a manner would set a terrible precedent”, said Pence.

The US VP further said “After the horrific events of this last week, our Administration’s energy is directed to ensuring an orderly transition… I urge you and every member of the Congress to avoid actions that would further divide and inflame the passions of the moment”.

Mike Pence also sought to remind Speaker Nancy Pelosi of his resolve in not overturning the November 2020 US President election and the challenge to the Electoral College Vote Count. “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”, added Pence.

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Section 4 of the 25^th Amendment reads thus:  “SECTION 4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President”.

The letter of Mike Pence is more likely to further intensify the showdown between the Republicans and the Democrats as the latter have already begun the process of finalizing the articles of Impeachment of US President Donald Trump. Critics argue that the move could backfire on the Democrats as it could project Trump as the “political martyr” and could potentially harass the Democrats for the next four years and vie for a second term in 2024-25.