By JAMES WILHELM
Every member of Congress of the United States of America, specifically the Senate and House of Representatives, takes a solemn oath to “… support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
One of the greatest challenges our Constitution has ever faced occurred on Jan. 6, 2021, when an insurgent and violent mob, encouraged by then-President Donald Trump, attacked our nation’s capitol in an attempt to prevent Vice President Mike Pence from accepting the vote of the Electoral College, which is the final step in the election process as established by the Constitution.
The objective of the attempted coup was to deny the legitimacy of the election results and to allow Donald Trump to remain in office by force.
In response to Trump’s endless and baseless assertions that he won the 2020 election, the results have been investigated over and over. No evidence in support of his charges has ever been found. In an attempt to remain in office, he has willingly violated his sworn oath to support and defend the Constitution. In addition, his constant repetition of his “Big Lie” has convinced many people that the election was fraudulent, calling into doubt the integrity of our electoral system, and creating a division in our country which has seldom been equaled.
At the very heart of our representative government is the fact that our leaders are selected by the people and for the people. No part of our Constitution is more sacred to the principles of our Republic than the choosing of our leaders through the election process. The attempt to deny the election of President Joe Biden and cause the defeated Donald Trump to remain in office by force was one of the most serious threats to our Constitution since it was ratified in 1789. The insurgents struck at the very heart of all that makes us the greatest country in the history of the world.
Any member of Congress who violated their oath of office by refusing to defend our Constitution when it was challenged by that act of insurrection, or who continued to support the action of that mob in the aftermath of the election should be subject to removal from their office on the basis of their violation of their sworn oath, and their refusal to defend our Constitution against a domestic enemy.
Because the defeated Donald Trump was the principle advocate of the action of the insurgents, he should never again be allowed to hold any office in our country in his lifetime. In addition, if he is found to have violated any laws, he should be prosecuted accordingly.
It is hard to imagine how our elected representatives could have done more damage to the greatness of our country than do nothing to support our Constitution when challenged, as they swore to do.
— James Wilhelm is from Peoria