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South Florida Representatives Weigh In On President Trump Impeachment Plans

CBS Miami / Karli Barnett / January 11, 2021

The House will be moving forward with the articles of impeachment, if Vice President Mike Pence does not act on invoking the 25th Amendment.

On Monday, House Democrats formally introduced an article of impeachment against President Donald Trump, charging him with "incitement of insurrection," citing the attack on the Capitol last Wednesday.

"Whatever happened on January 6th at the Capitol complex fell straight on his feet," said Rep. Frederica Wilson, of Florida's 24th Congressional District. "He is to blame for the deaths. He is to blame for the melee. He is to blame for all of the trauma that people are experiencing, for all of the police officers that were beaten."

She said Monday they presented a privileged resolution, asking Vice President Pence to invoke the 25th amendment. If he does not respond within 24 hours, she said on Wednesday they plan to move forward with impeachment.

Rep. Ted Deutch of Florida's 22nd Congressional District, also a Democrat, supports the move. He spoke Sunday on CBS4's Facing South Florida.

"This isn't a just a Democratic effort," he said. "There are Republicans who have called for the use of the 25th amendment. That's why we wrote to the Vice President and encouraged him to take that step that's available to him. This is not something anyone takes lightly. We don't want to do this, but after what we all witnessed this week, it is time to move on and to not risk our democracy or our institutions, even one day more."

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Republican Sen. Marco Rubio has declined CBS4's multiple requests for an interview since the attack on the Capitol. He did, though, speak on Fox News Sunday, saying impeachment would do more to divide the nation.

"Instead of saying everybody agrees, you know, we've hit rock bottom and we saw what happened Wednesday. If that did not cause this is a country to wake up and say ‘Guys, we all need to take a deep breath here. I mean look what we're turning into,' I don't know what will," Rubio said. "Instead of saying that to everybody, what's going to be the notion? Let's keep fighting this Trump stuff. Let's have an impeachment for someone who's not even in office anymore," referring to those who support impeachment.

CBS4 also reached out to Sen. Rick Scott. His office said he was not available for an interview, but they gave us this statement:

"The Electoral College has spoken, and President-elect Biden will be sworn in nine days from now. The president has committed to an orderly transition, and that process is underway. It's time to prepare for that, to take the crazy rhetoric down on both sides, and move our nation forward."

Congressman Carlos Gimenez did not respond to our request for an interview. CBS4's Jim Defede said he spoke with Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, who is being sworn in Tuesday, and said she told him she is still considering how she will vote on impeachment.