WASHINGTON DC, USA – JANUARY 6: Security forces block entrance after supporters of US President Donald Trumps breached Capitol security in Washington DC, United States on Jan 6, 2021. Pro-Trump rioters stormed the Capitol as lawmakers would sign President-elect Joe Biden’s election victory Wednesday in what should be a routine process on the way to inauguration day. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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The head of the National Association of Manufacturers, a group representing 14,000 US companies, said on Wednesday that clashes in Washington that interrupted a congressional rally to certify the Electoral College’s 2020 presidential election results, “ not America’s vision. were what manufacturers believe in. and called on Vice President Pence to “seriously consider” calling on the 25th Amendment to the Constitution to remove President Donald Trump from office.
The statement came when the Business Roundtable and leaders such as Citi CEO Michael Corbat and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff condemned the actions.
Jay Timmons, the group’s president and CEO and former executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, pointed out the millions of people in manufacturing jobs working to combat the coronavirus pandemic that sparked an economic recession.
Last year, the group awarded a prize to President Donald Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, for “extraordinary support” of manufacturing in America.
Here’s Timmons’ full statement:
Armed violent protesters who support outgoing President Trump’s baseless claim that he somehow won an election he overwhelmingly lost stormed the Capitol today by attacking police officers and first responders because Trump refused to accept defeat in free and fair elections. Throughout this whole disgusting episode, Trump has been encouraged by members of his own party, which has fueled the mistrust that has fueled violent anger. This is not law and order. This is chaos. It is the mafia rule. It is dangerous. This is incitement and should be treated as such. The outgoing president incited violence in an attempt to retain power, and any elected leader defending him violates their oath to the constitution and rejects democracy in favor of Anarchy Anyone who indulges in conspiracy theories to raise campaign dollars is an accomplice. Vice President Pence, who was evacuated from the Capitol, should seriously consider working with the cabinet to appeal to the 25th Amendment to Democracy.
This is not America’s vision that manufacturers believe in and work so hard for. Across America, millions of factory workers are helping our country fight the deadly pandemic that has already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. We are trying to rebuild an economy and save and rebuild lives. But none of that matters if our leaders refuse to repel this attack on America and our democracy – because our own system of government, which underpins our way of life, will crumble. “