Like you, I watched in horror at what happened yesterday in D.C. That a mob of white vigilantes was able to violently invade our Capitol, displaying Confederate flags and other symbols of white supremacy, is outrageous and terrifying. I hope that you and your loved ones are safe, and able to take care of yourselves and each other today.

The highest ideals of our democratic republic are in immediate peril. That is why today, GLAD joins in the call for the removal of the President, whether through the U.S. Constitution’s 25th Amendment or impeachment.

What we witnessed yesterday is the culmination of four years of white supremacist attacks on our country spurred on by a president and his enablers who have stoked racist anger and spread lie after lie. After months of conspiracy theories and relentless efforts to undermine legitimate election results, President Trump exhorted this mob to insurrection. He resisted marshalling the forces to quell this assault and has expressed his appreciation for its perpetrators.

It is vital that we ensure that the ideals of our democracy, including the peaceful transition of power from one President to the next, are carried out in the next fourteen days. Because President Trump has demonstrated that he is unable to discharge this essential and fundamental duty, he must be relieved of his powers.

Yesterday also highlighted staggering differences in the response of law enforcement. It was shocking to see images of police taking selfies with white vigilantes and escorting others out with no immediate consequence, when we’ve witnessed over and over police target, detain, and even kill innocent Black people, including those protesting for equal justice. We cannot turn away from the urgent need for bold action. We must work to root out white supremacy in policing and in all our structures and institutions, and make this country a true democracy for all of us.

The horror of yesterday overshadowed something that gives me tremendous hope for that work ahead. At the end of a very long day, and despite craven, false objections from some members even in light of the attack on the Capitol, Congress took the final Constitutional step in certifying the presidential election. Americans voted by overwhelming margins for a new President in Joe Biden and a history-making Vice President in Kamala Harris, and that transition will take place on January 20. An overwhelming number of Americans have been engaged in our democratic process this year, including most recently in Georgia which yesterday also confirmed the election of the first Black Senator and the first Jewish Senator from that state.

Democracy will prevail and together, with determination and compassion, we will steer our country back toward advancing the work of justice, equity, and equality.