Editor’s note: It’s become a truism, but these are unprecedented times. Though we stress local news, we believe that reporting on our area’s U.S Representative, is important for electoral accountability. This does not mean that we are in any way endorsing the rep.; we are merely conveying his actions and stances to the voters of this district.
WILLITS, 1/11/21 — In response to the riot and storming of the Capitol last week, which Democrats are characterizing as an “insurrection,” Rep. Jared Huffman has joined many of his colleagues in calling for a slew of actions to, in his words, “defend our democracy.” Democrats in the House have already moved forward with one big step, introducing articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump for the second time. (Read our interview with Rep. Huffman)
Huffman sent a letter to constituents this morning, listing out the various actions he is joining his colleagues in pushing for. In the letter he urges the impeachment and removal of Trump, and a call for Vice-President Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment. He also asks for reviews into the failures of the Capitol Police in defending the seat of American government from rioters; and an investigation into a delayed response from the National Guard. Other measures include requests to federal law enforcement to investigate and prosecute the rioters and right-wing extremists.
Perhaps most unusual is a call for “A resolution to sanction and remove lawmakers who supported the insurrection under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.” The 14th Amendment, one of the “Reconstruction amendments,” was passed after the Civil War and includes several provisions to protect the recently freed former slaves. However, it also includes certain provisions dealing with other hang-overs from the Civil War, including a clause in Section 3, which states, “No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress…who…shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion…” This provision was intended to bar former Confederate politicians from being elected to federal office.
Prominent members of the Congress, including Huffman, are now saying that that Republican lawmakers who attempted to subvert the confirmation of the election could be removed under this section. This procedure has been used rarely since Reconstruction. One of the last times was in 1919 when Congress voted not to seat a Socialist Party elected by Wisconsin voters.
Around midday House Democrats took the unprecedented step of introducing articles of impeachments a second time against President Donald Trump. The articles are lengthy, and include boilerplate on Constitutional standards, as well as justifications, and explanations. But the meat of the articles reads:
“In his conduct while President of the United States — and in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, provide, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed — Donald John Trump engaged in high Crimes and Misdemeanors by inciting violence against the Government of the United States, in that…”
Here is the note from Huffman:
Hello,
It has been a traumatic week for America. The actions taken to incite insurrection at the Capitol last week demand accountability. Many of you have reached out asking what steps I am taking to defend our democracy and hold President Trump accountable, so I’d like to share with you this update on my recent actions.
I have joined:
- Articles of Impeachment that I expect to vote on this week, which were introduced in the House today along with 213 colleagues.
- A resolution calling for invoking the 25th Amendment to immediately remove Trump from office. We attempted to pass this resolution by unanimous consent today, however House Republicans objected. In the upcoming days we will hold a recorded vote to pass this resolution.
- A letter calling on Department of Justice to charge perpetrators.
- A resolution to sanction and remove lawmakers who supported the insurrection under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.
- A letter calling for investigation into why Capitol Police allowed rioters to enter the Capitol, while peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters were met with militarized presence.
- A letter calling for inquiry into the National Guard’s delayed response.
- A letter urging that Congress remain in session to address the assault on our democracy.
- A letter calling for the creation of an independent commission to investigate the security breach and United States Capitol Police failures.
- A letter to the FBI on the role of online extremism in the insurrection.
To track my efforts as your representative, please subscribe to my newsletter, and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. As I continue my important work for the people of California’s Second District, please don’t hesitate to contact my office for assistance if you are in need.
Thank you, and stay well,
Jared Huffman
Member of Congress
It is appropriate for the Representative to be referencing civil war era sentiment. After all, it is the direction the Democrat Party is taking the country today. Where else can dividing the country further lead us if not to another civil war? Some have written we are already in a “Cold Civil War” so why throw more fuel on the fire. Trump will be out of office in a week. Gone. Biden wants to hit the ground running instead of keeping Trump on the front page of the news after he is out of office. He is looking ahead. We need leadership during these times, not more division. I hate to be the one to break it to the Rep., but Trump’s supporters will remain among us as fellow Americans for quite a long time. Yes, breaking into the Capitol building was unlawful, but I think the cheering on of BLM, ANTFA riots, burning government buildings, and tearing down statues over the summer just naturally led to this outcome. Meanwhile, your average American citizen is not concerned about impeachment. We worry about C-19, our jobs, and the safety of our families. It does not seem to be a priority in our Congress, does it?
You are a lOoNiE. A raving, havering, trumplicking lOoNiE blatherskite. And, like all raving, havering, trumplicking lOoNiE blatherskites, you are also a gomeral, a gowk, and wee pea-brained heidthebaw. But I won’t spend much more time than this – or the 2 seconds it took me to scan the first lines of your demented screed above – because attempting to teach swine how to sing opera is a fool’s errand: it’s a waste of one’s time, and only serves to confuse the swine further.
Many people are delusional these days, some naturally and some by design. Name calling only serves to stoke the fire and is of no constructive value. It can delude a valid point.
Right on, Dennis. So Huffpuff (the word “man” and other terms has been banned by the 2021 Rules of the House for which he voted, non-sexual terms must be substituted) wants to remove those in Congress who challenged the votes of certain states. If that is the case how about also dumping Maxine Waters and, oh yes, Nancy Pelosi for doing the same thing (allowed by the Constitution) in earlier presidential elections. What happened on January 6th was appalling and an offense to millions across the country in all political parties. But “insurrection” or a “coup”. Hardly, it was a riot less damaging than those that occurred in Seattle, Portland, Minneapolis or other cities across the country last summer. The only difference was that this one was directed at the Capitol building in Washington, DC. But whereas the Democrats in Congress were silent to the summer riots (“Silence is consent”?) this one landed right in their lap. What goes around, comes around, so NOW they are indignant. Welcome to the club – a little late. Unlike the rioters last summer, these rioters will be prosecuted under the law – and they should be. But keep in mind, 1) Speech transcripts show that President Trump encouraged the demonstrators in Washington, DC to go to the Capitol and PEACEABLY make their feelings known and 2) those that entered the Capitol were a very small minority of the hundreds of thousands that attended the demonstration from across the country. So now there is a movement to silence the 74+ million voters who voted to reelect the President. This isn’t the country that I spent 20 years in the U.S. Air Force defending.
I spent 20 in the US Army. You and I defended the entire country, not just one political party. Thank you for your service. In my limited capacity to make a difference these days, I would buy the next round of beer at a local bar, if they were open. Back to the main topic, our Representative could make a difference in Congress if he rose above partisan party talking points and represented all of us. He is limited by lacking the military viewpoint, that we used to call “the big picture.”