South Dakota politicans, experts discuss 25th Amendment

PIERRE, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - Discussions are afoot on Capitol Hill about attempting to remove President Trump before his term is supposed to officially end on January 20th.

South Dakota Congressman Dusty Johnson (R-South Dakota) opposes any such ideas, namely the use of the 25h Amendment.

“It has never been used in our nations history to seize power from a President against his will,” said Johnson. “That seems like an extraordinary approach and one that I think would create serious discomfort with tens of millions of Americans.”

No member of South Dakota’s Congressional delegation has suggested that President Trump should be removed from office prior to January 20th, either by way of impeachment or the 25th.

That is what several in congressional leadership are calling for, but what are the steps involved in invoking the 25th Amendment?

“In terms of what is the quickest way, invoking the 25th is going to be much quicker (than impeachment),” says USD Assistant Professor of Political Science Dr. Julia Hellwege. “Particularly if you have the Vice President and the cabinet. The Vice President and half of Congress could be possible.”

On a letter signed by hundreds of political scientists across the country, Dr. Hellwege was one of two South Dakota professors to call for the removal of President Trump from office, along with SDSU Professor Dr. David Wiltse.

The 25th Amendment option is still a long shot. If half the cabinet, or Congress, agreed with the Vice President that the President should be removed, the President would still be able to send a letter to Congressional Leadership saying that he was fit to lead. The Vice President and Congress could reject that, then both chambers of Congress would need 2/3rds of a majority of a vote in both Houses of Congress to remove the President.

“(Either of) These require strategic decision making on the part of both decision makers in the collective,” says Hellwege. “What is the best decision for cabinet members, including the Vice President, for them as a collective group, (or) as individuals moving forward with their own political careers? Several close allies to Trump have been resigning, so are they choosing to resign rather than implicate the President?”

Despite several resignations, no members of the Trump cabinet have publicly called for the removal of the President.