Republicans Back Home Don't Take 7 Votes Well

Louisiana GOP censures Cassidy
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 14, 2021 1:45 PM CST
Republicans Back Home Don't Take 7 Votes Well
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., departs Capitol Hill after the Senate acquitted former President Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021.   (Stefani Reynolds/Pool via AP)

Republican senators who voted to convict former President Trump in his impeachment trial are hearing about it from party officials back home. Sen. Bill Cassidy was promptly censured by Louisiana party leaders, the Hill reports. The state party condemned Cassidy's vote in a tweet, adding, "Fortunately, clearer heads prevailed and President Trump has been acquitted." North Carolina Republicans ripped Sen. Richard Burr's vote, per the New York Times, with some backing censure. "Wrong vote, Sen. Burr," tweeted Mark Walker. "I am running to replace Richard Burr because North Carolina needs a true conservative champion as their next senator." Ten GOP House members had voted to send the article of impeachment to the Senate, and Rep. Liz Cheney faced down calls to resign.

The chairman of the Pennsylvania Republican Party expressed disappointment with Sen. Pat Toomey's vote to convict. Sen. Lisa Murkowski is the only one of the seven who expects to run for reelection in 2022, but she might be less worried about the party's influence after winning a write-in campaign last time. She said after voting that Trump "failed to uphold" his oath of office. The other GOP votes to convict were cast by Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, Mitt Romney of Utah, and Ben Sasse of Nebraska, per CNBC. Collins said Trump's actions involving the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol were an abuse of power. Romney said Trump incited the insurrection and violated his oath. Sasse cited his own oath to the Constitution in explaining his vote, while Toomey said Trump betrayed the Constitution. Cassidy defended his vote by saying: "I voted to convict President Trump because he is guilty." (More Trump impeachment stories.)

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