National Association of Manufacturers asks Pence to invoke 25th Amendment
Photo | Grant Welker
A quiet Main Street in downtown Worcester
In the midst of a pro-Trump mob’s riot at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, the National Association of Manufacturers released a statement condemning the attack, and urging Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the Constitution’s 25th Amendment, which allows for the vice president and cabinet members to remove presidential powers from Donald Trump and place the vice president in charge of the nation.
The statement, released just after 3:30 p.m. and attributed to the group’s president and CEO Jay Timmons, blamed Trump for the attack, which took place while Congress was in the midst of confirming President-elect Joe Biden’s electoral win. Timmons blamed Trump’s unwillingness to accept defeat in the election and accused the Republicans of cheering on the dissent that led to Wednesday’s violent outbreak.
“Anyone indulging conspiracy theories to raise campaign dollars is complicit,” Timmons said. “Vice President Pence, who was evacuated from the Capitol, should seriously consider working with the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to preserve democracy.”
Manufacturers around the country, Timmons said, are working to fight the coronavirus pandemic and rebuild the country’s economy. He suggested that the president’s behavior, as well as the attack on the capitol, fly in the face of that work.
“But none of that will matter if our leaders refuse to fend off this attack on America and our democracy -- because our very system of government, which underpins our very way of life, will crumble,” Timmons said.
On Monday, Timmons and NAM urged Congress to accept the election’s outcome and certify the 2020 presidential vote, arguing that democracy has allowed for the protection of free enterprise, competitiveness, individual liberty and equal opportunity.
“In every election, many Americans are disappointed by the results,” Timmons said in Monday’s statement. “But disappointment does not justify harming our democracy or undermining faith in our elections based on unproven charges and conspiracy theories. We have always found a way to move forward. This time should be no different, and the need to focus on critical policy priorities is more urgent than ever.”
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