CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION __________________
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A RESOLUTION calling on federal government officials to immediately remove U.S. President Donald J. Trump from office by any means permitted by the U.S. Constitution, including impeachment, for violating his oath of office on January 6, 2021 or for committing any other high crimes and misdemeanors.
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WHEREAS, an article of impeachment has been introduced in the House of Representatives of the United States of America in the name of itself and of the people of the United States of America, against Donald John Trump, President of the United States of America; and
WHEREAS, its impeachment article charges him with “incitement of insurrection” in violation of his constitutional oath to faithfully execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed-Donald John Trump has abused the powers of the Presidency by attempting to unlawfully overturn the results of the November 2020 Presidential election in the State of Georgia; and
WHEREAS, the Seattle City Council supports impeachment articles for action taken on January 2, 2021, when President Trump violated his constitutional duty when, on a recorded call, he named unspecified consequences if Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger did not overturn the finalized and verified results of the November 2020 Presidential election in the State of Georgia; and
WHEREAS, President Trump has repeatedly made false claims that he won the November 2020 presidential election and, according to ABC News, said on January 6, 2021, “We will never give up, we will never concede,” even though it has been confirmed by election officials and the courts that President-elected Joe Biden not only won approximately 7,000,000 million more popular votes but also earned 306 electoral votes compared to the loser Trump, who earned only 232 electoral votes under the election process established by the U.S. Constitution; and
WHEREAS, Donald John Trump has abused the powers of the Presidency to incite violence and orchestrate an attempted coup against our country when, on January 6, 2021, he encouraged individuals to travel to Washington, District of Columbia with the intent of inciting violence and obstructing Congress in engaging in its constitutionally mandated legislative business of certifying the electoral college results of the 2020 election; and
WHEREAS, Donald John Trump incited a crowd of supporters in Washington, D.C. to violently attack the United States Capitol while both chambers of Congress were in session, saying “You’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength and you have to be strong,” and after those supporters had violently breached the Capitol, he put out a further statement repeating his false claims of election fraud and telling the members of the mob, “We love you, you’re very special;” and
WHEREAS, these and other false or inciting statements encouraged - and foreseeably resulted in - imminent lawless action at the Capitol, in which a mob unlawfully breached the Capitol, injured and killed law enforcement personnel, menaced Members of Congress and the Vice President and staff, interfered with the Joint Session’s solemn constitutional duty to certify the election results, and engaged in violent, deadly, destructive, and seditious acts; and
WHEREAS, on the same day that Donald John Trump incited supporters in Washington, D.C., to violently attack the United States Capitol, a crowd of his supporters, some of them bearing weapons, gathered at the Washington State Governor’s residence in Olympia, broke through a security fence in contravention of law enforcement in an act of intimidation, requiring the emergency evacuation of the Governor and First Lady, and left only when law enforcement officers were called in from additional jurisdictions to repel them; and
“WHEREAS, King 5 News reported several Washington State elected officials, including Governor Jay Inslee and the members of Congress representing Seattle, have called for President Trump’s removal from office;” and
WHEREAS, Donald John Trump has consistently demonstrated that he will remain a threat to national security and democracy if allowed to remain in office; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE, THE MAYOR CONCURRING, THAT:
Section 1. Donald John Trump, by the conduct listed in the recitals to this resolution, warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States of America.
Adopted by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2021, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this _____ day of _________________________, 2021.
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President ____________ of the City Council
Approved by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2021.
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Jenny A. Durkan, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2021.
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Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk
(Seal)