Friday morning news - January 8, 2021

Ongoing fallout from protest; calls to remove Trump » Some Democratic lawmakers, and at least one Republican are now urging Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove President Trump from office. 

They say Wednesday’s siege of the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump rioters shows Trump cannot be allowed to lead until January 20th. 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday…

SCHUMER: Make no mistake about it, the reprehensible acts yesterday were incited by the president of the United States. Yesterday’s events would not have happened without him.

President Trump did call on protesters not to resort to violence, but critics say his calls were less than convincing. 

Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger of Illinois said “when pressed to move and denounce the violence, he barely did so.” 

KINZINGER: While of course victimizing himself and seeming to give a wink and a nod to those doing it; all indications that he has become unmoored not just from his duty or even his oath, but from reality itself.

He has also called for the president’s removal. 

Several House Democrats also introduced articles of impeachment on Thursday. And Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested that impeaching the president for a second time is a possibility. 

Numerous Trump admin. officials resign after Capitol riots » Also in the wake of Wednesday’s riots, more than a half-dozen Trump administration officials resigned on Thursday. 

Among them, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, the wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.  

And Trump’s former chief of staff Mick Mulvaney told CNBC that he was stepping down from his post as special U.S. envoy to Northern Ireland. 

MULVANEY: I’m not condemning those who choose not to resign. I understand that. But I can’t stay here, not after yesterday. You can’t look at that yesterday and think I want to be a part of that in any way, shape or form.

Others resigning include: Deputy national security adviser Matthew Pottinger and Tyler Goodspeed, who chairs the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

Also first lady Melania Trump’s chief of staff and former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham as well as deputy press secretary Sarah Matthews. 

Pelosi calls on Capitol Police chief to resign over “failure of leadership” » Meantime, on Capitol Hill, the chief of the U.S. Capitol Police Steven Sund has stepped down.

His announcement followed remarks by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi hours earlier. 

PELOSI: I am calling for the resignation of the chief of the Capitol Police, Mr. Sund. And I have received notice from Mr. Irving that he will be submitting his resignation. 

Paul Irving is the House Sergeant-at-Arms. 

Steven Sund faced more tough questions after an Associated Press report on Thursday. The AP reported that three days before the Capitol protests, the Pentagon contacted Capitol Police and offered National Guard manpower, but police officials said no thanks. 

Rioters breached the Capitol on Wednesday, vandalizing and even looting the offices of lawmakers. 

More than 50 Capitol and D.C. police were injured and several were hospitalized.

One officer fatally shot a woman inside the Capitol Wednesday. She has been identified as 35-year old Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt.

Three other people died of medical emergencies during the riot.

Facebook blocks Trump account until after inauguration » Facebook has blocked President Trump’s account until after the January 20th inauguration and possibly longer. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin has that story.

KRISTEN FLAVIN, REPORTER: CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the decision in a post on Thursday. He said it’s too risky to allow Trump to continue posting on the platform. 

Zuckerberg said Wednesday’s events on Capitol Hill show that President Trump—quote—“intends to use his remaining time in office to undermine the peaceful and lawful transition of power.”

Facebook subsidiary Instagram will also freeze the president’s account for at least the next two weeks.

Twitter also temporarily suspended President Trump’s account after removing several of his tweets on Wednesday. One of those posts included a video calling on protesters to go home but in it, he also repeated claims about voter fraud, triggering its removal.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin. 

Hong Kong releases U.S. lawyer on bail » An American human rights lawyer arrested in Hong Kong has been released on bail. Police arrested John Clancey and about 50 other activists on Wednesday under a new so-called national security law. 

The central Chinese government has used the law to crack down on liberties in what used to be a semi-independent territory. 

Authorities accused Clancy and others of participating in an unofficial primary election last year. Pro-democracy groups held the event to pick candidates to run for seats in Hong Kong’s legislature.

But Chinese government officials say that was part of a plan to subvert state power.

Chinese officials have also charged pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong on suspicion of violating the national security law. He’s already serving a 13-month sentence for organizing and participating in unauthorized protests in 2019.

(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, Pool) Vice President Mike Pence listens after reading the final certification of Electoral College votes cast in November’s presidential election during a joint session of Congress after working through the night, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021.

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