San Jose mayor calls for President Trump to be tried for sedition
SAN JOSE, Calif. - San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, who is a former federal prosecutor, says President Donald Trump should be tried for sedition and publicly inciting the use of unlawful means to undermine the will of the electorate.
"This is a deeply troubling moment for our country," Liccardo said on Wednesday. "It pains all of us, sickens us to see our Capitol building under siege, our government under attack."
Bay Area political and community leaders say Wednesday's events at the Capitol is our democracy under attack.
"The only way we can ensure that this doesn't happen again is to set a clear example and no one is above the law and presidential immunity does not extend to criminal prosecution," Liccardo said.
Political science professor Melissa Michelson with Menlo College said this type of revolt usually happens in countries with a new and struggling democracy.
"That this is happening to us now after hundreds of years of democracy is really stunning and scary," Michelson said, adding our democracy is not as strong as it could be.
"I don't think our democracy is going to crumble, but this should be a wake-up call," said Michelson.
In San Francisco, community groups held a virtual rally in response to the chaos on Capitol Hill to condemn the violence.
A few people showed up in the Castro before learning that the rally had been moved online to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
"The president's behavior today is completely egregious," said Justin Lippi of San Francisco.
"It's literally like a coup that's going on. People are trying to stop our democracy [from] happening," said Britteny Mendez who was also in the Castro.
"We're not going to allow the violent acts of a few to undermine our democratic institutions and the forward progress of our country," said Liccardo.
Professor Michelson urges those who question the presidential election results to take their fight to the ballot box.
She said that's the way democracy works and that's how it will survive.