Ocasio-Cortez Slams Lawmakers Who Ask For 'Healing' And Reject Trump Impeachment

Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday slammed Republican lawmakers who asked for “healing” and objected to the idea of impeaching President Donald Trump following Wednesday’s violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Ocasio-Cortez appeared on ABC’s “This Week” when she slammed GOP lawmakers. Host George Stephanopoulos questioned her about a letter in which Republicans asked Democrats to discontinue their efforts to impeach Trump and called for “healing.”

“We have to understand that what happened on Wednesday was an insurrection against the United States,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “The officials urging for no serious consequences after Wednesday's attack on our country -- including the impeachment, removal, expulsion, and/or indictment of officials who aided, abetted, or incited the attack -- are opening the door for it to happen again.”

The New York Democrat — who was in the Capitol when thousands of pro-Trump rioters violently barreled their way into the building on Wednesday — also said Trump’s presence in the Oval Office “presents danger” and that she backs calls for his impeachment.

“Our main priority is to ensure the removal of Donald Trump as president of the United States. Every minute and every hour that he is in office represents a clear and present danger, not just to the United States Congress but frankly to the country,” she said.

Ocasio-Cortez’s statement comes as Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew urged incoming president Joe Biden to stop the impeachment during an interview on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo.

The New Jersey Republican said he believes moving forward with the impeachment would divide the country, but dropping the effort would signify the first step to unity.

“I’m calling on the president-elect, Joe Biden, to say enough. Let's try to come together," Van Drew said on Sunday Morning Futures.

“The division [impeachment] will cause in the United States of America. Tens of millions of people still did vote and still do support Donald Trump,” he said.

Democratic Rep. David Cicilline of Rhode Island, Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Ted Lieu of California are expected to introduce the articles of impeachment on Monday during a pro-forma House session. They may also present an article that charges President Trump for inciting the Capitol siege.

On Sunday, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House would bring the articles of impeachment to the floor for a full vote on Tuesday if Vice President Mike Pence fails to invoke the 25th Amendment against Trump.

“In protecting our Constitution and our Democracy, we will act with urgency, because this President represents an imminent threat to both,” Pelosi said. “As the days go by, the horror of the ongoing assault on our democracy perpetrated by this President is intensified and so is the immediate need for action.”