Illinois 14th District Congresswoman Lauren Underwood said she was at the Capitol when it was breached. She called the deadly attack "an infuriating and un-American disgrace." She said President Donald Trump incited the insurrection and directed violence towards the United States Congress, a separate but equal branch of government.
"There should be no historical sanctuary for those who ignited the fire," Underwood said.
Underwood called Trump "a clear and present danger to our democracy and to the security of our country." She said he should be removed from office -- if not by invoking the 25th Amendment, then by impeachment.
"The events of last Wednesday really undermined the peaceful transition of power that is a hallmark of our democracy," she said. "It threatens our separation of powers. I mean, it is unacceptable and there must be consequences."
On January 3rd, Underwood was sworn into her second term to the 117th Congress.
"I swore to uphold the Constitution," she said, "and I must work to remove him from office as soon as possible."
The Democrat said that her vote to impeach the president was not a political calculation on her part.
"This is not something that I take lightly," she said. "On Saturday, I hosted a virtual swearing-in ceremony and took the Oath of Office and pledged to the people of the 14th District that I would uphold the United States Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic."