Congressman Gutierrez calls on Trump to resign

Fiery Chicagoan charges on House floor that president has been 'working with, encouraging, and collaborating with Russia'

U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez is calling on President Trump to resign. (One Illinois/Ted Cox)

By Ted Cox

Fiery Chicago Congressman Luis Gutierrez called on President Trump to resign Wednesday in a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Reading from a letter he said he sent to Trump, Gutierrez charged, "It has become clear to Congress and the American people ... that for decades, the president led a vast criminal enterprise that went on to engage in criminal activity during the 2016 campaign for the White House and has engaged in criminal activity since the president took office."

Gutierrez's charges had four main points: Trump violated federal election laws and tax laws and had "apparent involvement and encouragement of the illegal hacking of political opponents during the 2016 campaign and efforts to derail investigations and inquiries since taking office." Most pointedly, he accused Trump of "working with, encouraging, and collaborating with a foreign government, Russia, to interfere in the 2016 election in order to help the president’s campaign —  combined with efforts while in office to obstruct justice in the investigation."

Gutierrez stated: "Mr. President, it is time for you to resign the Office of the Presidency for the good of the United States and her people," later adding, "I humbly ask — as a proud American, a patriot and public servant, a dad, granddad and a fellow human being — I ask the president to resign immediately. Please resign and spare the nation from this ongoing nightmare. Don’t do this to us. Don’t make us go down with you. Step aside, sir, for the good of your country and the world."

Gutierrez posted video of his speech on the House floor on YouTube.

As a 13-term U.S. representative, Gutierrez is the dean of the Illinois House delegation and is a member of the House Judiciary Committee.

Gutierrez, however, is not running for re-election, and has announced his intent to move to Puerto Rico next year to aid in the recovery from last year's Hurricane Maria.

But his daughter, Jessica, is running for alderman of the 30th Ward in the Chicago City Council early next year. The politically suspicious might also note that Gutierrez's House speech came a day after Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced he would not seek re-election.

Gutierrez formerly said he intended to serve as co-chairman of Emanuel's re-election campaign.