Cori Bush proposes legislation that would remove House members "who incited this domestic terror attack"
Congresswoman Cori Bush will introduce a resolution to sanction or potentially remove from office House members who supported challenges to certified election results. The Missouri Democrat's proposed legislation comes in response to a violent pro-Trump mob that stormed the Capitol building Wednesday. The riot resulted in four deaths.
The violence sent members of Congress who gathered to verify President-elect Joe Biden's win over President Trump fleeing. During the hourslong siege, the congresswoman tweeted her intention to remove House Republicans who backed attempts to overthrow Biden's victory.
"I believe the Republican members of Congress who have incited this domestic terror attack through their attempts to overturn the election must face consequences," Bush wrote. "They have broken their sacred Oath of Office."
Ahead of Wednesday's count, CBS News reported more than 100 GOP House members and 12 senators would object to the electoral votes cast in key states, charging elections were rife with fraud despite a lack of evidence.
Authorities said one woman was shot and killed by police and three people died from medical emergencies after Trump supporters – fueled by the president's unsubstantiated claims of a fraudulent election – descended upon Washington D.C. to protest the election results. Bush blamed Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, who was seen raising his fist to protesters hours before they broke in the Capitol, for the bloodshed. Hawley was one of 12 Republican senators who pledged to object certain state's Electoral College votes.
"Josh Hawley said he was doing this for the people of Missouri," she said Wednesday. "Let me tell you something, Josh. You are supposed to represent St. Louis too, but you do not speak for us. You have blood on your hands, and that's why I'm calling for your removal from Congress."
Hawley followed through following the disruption on his promise to object to Pennsylvania's results. The Senate rejected it 92-7, leaving the House to debate it for two hours before it was rejected after 3 a.m. Thursday. Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Arizona Congressman Paul Gosar also objected to Arizona's electoral results. The Senate rejected the objection 93-6, and the House rejected it 303-121.
In the early hours of Thursday, Vice President Mike Pence announced Biden won the presidency after Congress completed the counting of votes.
Melissa Quinn contributed to this report.
