22651477-mmmain.jpg

James Comey's firing and disclosure of a memo detailing a request from Trump that Comey end the inquiry into Michael Flynn have led to more to sign a petition to impeach Trump.

(Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press file)

AMHERST - Tens of thousands of people on Wednesday added their names to an online petition to impeach Donald Trump, bringing the number of signers to more than 1 million.

Organizer John Bonifaz is hopeful Congress will act. The number of signers "demonstrates all across the country that people want to see our constitution defended at this critical moment in history," he said.

Co-founder and president of Free Speech for People, Bonifaz has been leading the campaign to impeach Trump for allegedly violating the U.S. Constitution's foreign and domestic emoluments clause and other federal laws.

The emoluments clause in Article I of the Constitution states: "No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States: and no person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state."

Recent news has exacerbated concerns, Bonifaz said, and more people have joined the call to impeach.

On Monday, The Washington Post reported that Trump revealed highly classified information to senior Russian officials during an Oval Office meeting last week. Then, on Tuesday, news accounts said Trump personally appealed to former FBI Director James Comey to abandon the bureau's investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.

Flynn resigned in February after White House officials said he misled Vice President Mike Pence about conversations he had with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. Trump fired Comey last week.

Wednesday morning, U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, in a speech from the House floor, called for Trump's impeachment. The congressman accused Trump of obstructing a lawful investigation into possible ties between the Republican's 2016 campaign and Russian meddling in the election -- something he called "an impeachable act."

"President Trump is not above the law," Green stated in a press release on his website. "He has committed an impeachable act and must be charged. To do otherwise would cause some Americans to lose respect for, and obedience to, our societal norms."

Bonifaz said Green mentioned the online impeachment campaign in his speech, which was driving traffic. Free Speech for People has been in touch with Green's office and the petition campaign will continue even if impeachment procedures are initiated, Bonifax said.