The Republican Party of Louisiana moved quickly to punish Republican Senator Bill Cassidy for his vote to condemn former President Donald Trump at his Senate trial for triggering the Capitol riot.
“The Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Louisiana unanimously voted to censor Senator Bill Cassidy for his vote cast earlier today to convict former President Donald J. Trump on the impeachment charge,” the party said in a statement on Saturday.
Cassidy was one of seven Republican senators who broke the ranks to vote with all Senate Democrats for Trump’s conviction on the sole impeachment charge of “inciting an insurrection” for his role in the January 6 attack on Capitol Hill, which left five dead.
The final vote was 57-43, well below the 67 votes needed to convict Trump in the chamber.
“Our Constitution and our country are more important than anyone,” Cassidy explained his vote in a statement on Saturday. “I voted to condemn President Trump because he is guilty.”
The executive committee’s vote against Cassidy was unanimous.
“We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, today’s vote by Senator Cassidy to condemn former President Trump,” members said. “Fortunately, clearer ideas prevailed and President Trump was acquitted of the impeachment charge brought against him.”
Cassidy joined six Republican senators – Richard Burr of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania – to condemn.
The other Republican senator from Louisiana, John Kennedy, voted for absolution.
“Impeachment should not be a political sport in which one party seeks an advantage over the other at the expense of the country. The merits of the Democrats’ case didn’t even come close, ”he said.
Executive committee secretary Mike Bayham said retribution against Cassidy “couldn’t wait”.
“Many Republicans believe this was a betrayal and demanded immediate action,” he told the USA Today Network.
Cassidy was re-elected for a six-year term in November.
Other Republicans in the House and Senate, including Sasse and Congresswoman Liz Cheney of Wyoming, have been criticized by their state parties.
Cheney was among the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump on January 13.
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