Rep. Ilhan Omar says she is drafting articles of impeachment after angry mob storms U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, following inflamed speech by Trump.
Rep. Ilhan Omar says she is drafting articles of impeachment after an angry mob stormed the U.S. Capitol and occupied the Senate and the House, sending Congress members running for safety and claiming the life of at least one person.
"Donald J. Trump should be impeached by the House of Representatives & removed from office by the United States Senate," posted Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota. "We can't allow him to remain in office, it's a matter of preserving our Republic and we need to fulfill our oath."
The NAACP also called for Trump's immediate impeachment for encouraging supporters to descend on Congress. Former President George W. Bush, a Republican called the violence an "insurrection," as did Democratic President-elect Joe Biden.
"The violent assault on the Capitol, and disruption of a constitutionally mandated meeting of Congress, was undertaken by people whose passions have been inflamed by falsehoods and false hopes," Bush said.
The Capitol building was placed on lockdown for hours after vigilantes loyal to President Trump roamed the halls, shouting and forcing their way into the chambers of Congress, where some stood on the podium and falsely proclaimed "Trump won!"
Armed security officers stood with guns drawn as protestors tried to storm a barricaded door in the House chambers. At one point, Congress members were told to don face masks because tear gas was going to be deployed. One member called the violence "a coup attempt."
The chaos followed a rabid speech by Trump, who encouraged them to march to Congress and declaring "We will never concede. We will not take it anymore."
Congress members prayed and Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were escorted to safe locations as hundreds of people, some of them armed, broke windows and pressed inside, CBS reported.
At 5:34 p.m. EST, the Sergeant at Arms announced the House had been secured, following hours of unrest.
The insanity set social media on fire, with calls for the immediate impeachment of Trump, who continues to falsely claim the election was rigged and stolen.
A woman shot in the Capitol later died of her injuries, multiple media outlets reported. Two IEDs were found on the grounds.
Congress had been debating the certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory before the lockdown was ordered. Video posted to social media showed the throng outside barreling through barricades and Capitol police, shouting and pushing, and knocking police to the ground.
Pelosi vowed the debate would resume Wednesday night, despite the insurrection.
The mayor of Washington, D.C. ordered a 6 p.m. curfew, and homes around the Capitol were ordered evacuated. But vigilantes continued to swarm the Capitol area Wednesday night, despite the stay-at-home order. The National Guard was ordered in by the White House.
Trump did not criticize the violence, but rather doubled-down on his false assertions that the election was stolen, via Twitter video posted later in the day. "We love you," he told supporters who stormed Congress.
This is a developing story. Check back here for updates here, or click here for CBSN's coverage as developments follow.
