- The Republican Party of North Carolina beat Burr’s vote to condemn Trump for “inciting insurrection”.
- The state party called Burr’s vote “shocking and disappointing”.
- Regarding the riots on Capitol Hill, Burr said Trump “has a responsibility for these tragic events.”
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The Republican Party of North Carolina on Saturday criticized Republican Senator Richard Burr for his vote to condemn former President Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial.
Burr, a trusted conservative, was one of 7 Republicans who crossed the lines of the party to condemn Trump for “inciting insurrection” for the former president’s role in the deadly Capitol riots on January 6.
This action drew the ire of party members across the state and also generated official rebuke from state party president Michael Whatley.
“North Carolina Republicans sent Senator Burr to the United States Senate to defend the Constitution and his vote today to convict in a trial he declared unconstitutional is shocking and disappointing,” he said in a statement.
Burr’s vote came as a surprise to most observers, especially since he had voted a few days before the Senate trial was unconstitutional.
However, in a detailed statement released on Saturday, Burr expressed that Trump’s actions on January 6 could not be ignored.
“When this process started, I believed it was unconstitutional to impeach a president who was no longer in office,” he said. “I still believe that to be the case. However, the Senate is an institution based on precedent and, given that the majority in the Senate voted to continue this trial, the question of constitutionality is now an established precedent.”
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He continued: “The president promoted unfounded conspiracy theories to cast doubt on the integrity of a free and fair election because he did not like the results. The president is responsible for these tragic events. The evidence is convincing that President Trump is to blame. to incite an insurrection against a co-equal branch of the government and that the charge rises to the level of serious crimes and crimes. So I voted to condemn. “
The Senate acquitted Trump in a 57-43 vote, leaving ten votes below the two-thirds limit, or 67 votes, that were needed to condemn.
In the vote to condemn Trump, Burr was accompanied by fellow GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.
Of the 50 senators in the Republican caucus, 43 senators were with Trump, including Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
Burr, who does not run for re-election in 2022, was criticized on Saturday by Republican state deputy Mark Walker, who is campaigning for the vacancy that the senator will leave after the midterm elections.
“Wrong vote, Senator Burr,” he tweeted. “I’m running to replace Richard Burr because North Carolina needs a real conservative champion as its next senator.”