What happened yesterday (and what needs to be done)

After yesterday's events in our nation's capital, I want you to hear directly from me. Let me say it as plainly as I can: the attack on the Capitol building was an assault on our democracy perpetrated by domestic terrorists. If this happened in any other country, the United States would condemn it.

I have opposed Donald Trump and his policies since he first stepped on the national stage. I have fought against him and his policies every single day of the last four years.

Last year, I was the first member of Washington state's delegation to call on the impeachment of Donald Trump. I voted to impeach him. And I am prepared to vote to impeach him again, but after yesterday I believe we need to leapfrog impeachment and remove him from office immediately.

I am calling on Vice President Mike Pence and the members of the Cabinet to do their sworn duty to bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution. It is time for them to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove Donald Trump from office.

Do it today.

The constitutional procedure defined in the 25th Amendment is the fastest and clearest way for the senior leadership of the Trump Administration to join us in removing Donald Trump from the levers of power. We don't have time to waste.

Even after the attack on the seat of our democracy, we did our constitutional duty and ensured that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be sworn in on January 20th. On that day, Democrats will also take the majority in the U.S. Senate. (Thank you, Georgia!) We will restore our democracy and fix the damage wrought by Donald Trump and his allies.

We can and will come back from this attack on our democracy.

*Rick