Bill Could Enable Impeachment Of ‘Mentally Unfit’ POTUS

As of July 2, 25 Democratic lawmakers supported a proposed bill that would allow for the possibility of impeaching a president if he or she is deemed mentally unfit. 

The bill has reportedly garnered association to President Donald Trump’s antics outside of the Oval Office, according to the Independent.

“Given Donald Trump’s continued erratic and baffling behavior, is it any wonder why we need to pursue this legislation?” said Democratic Rep. Darren Soto of Florida. “The mental and physical health of the leader of the United States and the free world is a matter of great public concern.”

Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland explained that the bill would also have possible use beyond the Trump presidency.

“We’ve got to make sure that we have a president who is able faithfully to discharge the duties of office,” said Raskin. “This is not just for one president — it’s for all of the presidents. And I think we can come together in a bipartisan way.”

The bill would contain a provision for a congressional oversight committee that would judge the mental fitness of the president, subject to possible impeachment in the event that a majority in the Cabinet or Congress agrees with the judgment.

The language of the bill codifies the process, reports Business Insider Australia:

“Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.”

The primary inspiration for the proposal is the 25th Amendment, which contains a provision for the president to be ousted if he or she is deemed unfit to carry out the duties of the position.

A former Fordham law school dean and contributor to the 25th Amendment, John D. Feerick emphasized that the criteria for deeming the president mentally unfit are not subjective and must be based on verifiable material.

“If you read the debates, it’s also clear that policy and political differences are not included, unpopularity is not included, poor judgment, incompetence, laziness or impeachable conduct — none of that, you’ll find in the debates in the congressional record, is intended to be covered by Section IV,” Feerick said.

One reported source of increased scrutiny of Trump is his tweet targeting MSNBC “Morning Joe” hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski.

“I heard poorly rated [‘Morning Joe’] speaks badly of me (don’t watch anymore),” read one tweet of a two-part post by Trump.

“Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year’s Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!”

Sources: Independent, Business Insider Australia / Photo credit: The White House/Flickr, Jacob Resor/Flickr, Gage Skidmore/Flickr