Republican lawmakers expressed frustration with President Trump
Donald TrumpWarnock defeats Loeffler in the second round of the Georgia Senate The Memorandum: Georgia voters strike a blow to Trump Eric Trump warns of primary challenges for Republicans who are not opposed to election results MORE on Wednesday, after protesters stormed the Capitol trying to disrupt Congress’ counting of the Electoral College vote.
Trump offered for months baseless claims that the election was “rigged” and encouraged his supporters to meet in Washington, including urging them to go to the Capitol lawn. On Wednesday, a pro-Trump crowd stormed the Capitol, damaging and vandalizing the building, including the chambers and leadership offices.
Republican Party lawmakers, many of whom have been close to Trump since he came to power in 2017, have pointed to his rhetoric as a driving force behind Wednesday’s violence.
“We are witnessing today the damage that can result when men with power and responsibility refuse to acknowledge the truth. We have seen bloodshed because a demagogue has chosen to spread falsehoods and sow the suspicion of his own American fellow citizens. Pat Toomey
Patrick (Pat) Joseph ToomeyThe government used the Patriot Act to collect records of website visitors in 2019 The appeals court ruled that the mass collection of telephone data from the NSA is illegal. Dunford withdraws from consideration to chair the coronavirus supervisory panel MORE (R-Pa.) He said of the Senate plenary.
Asked if he thought Trump’s rhetoric caused the disturbances, the senator Mike Rounds
Mike RoundsSenate is ready to overturn Trump’s defense bill and veto Trump in the Senate: The election is over McConnell urges Republican senators not to oppose the Electoral College vote MORE (RS.D.) said he did not see all of the president’s comments, but “he certainly didn’t help”.
“At the very least, he asked, in a very emotional situation, for very inappropriate action by people who appear to be his supporters,” said Rounds.
Sen. Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin Graham Georgia Senate Races Break Spending Records The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Georgia election day has finally come; Trump expects Pence to ‘come by’ to nullify the results Trump’s power has waned in recent weeks MORE (RS.C.), who aligned himself closely with Trump, said in a fiery speech that he tried to support the president, but “that’s enough”.
“Trump and I, we had a hell of a trip. I hate to be like that … All I can say is tell me outside. Enough. … We have to get this over with,” said Graham.
Sen. Kevin Cramer
Kevin John CramerNorth Dakota senator on the decision to support the Electoral College: ‘It was brutal’ The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Election day in Georgia has finally come; Trump expects Pence to ‘pass us by’ to annul the results The Republican Senate opposition grows to oppose the results of the Electoral College (RN.D.) said that Trump “has some responsibility” for the violence on the Capitol.
“Today, while watching your speech, I have to admit that I choked. I mean, first of all, your treatment of Mike Pence
Michael (Mike) Richard PenceTrump, attorney Jay Sekulow, refutes allegations of Pence’s authority over voters. Trump election fight puts Pence in a no-win situation. Pence’s aide refuses Navarro on the grounds that VP could delay electoral certification MORE … if there was nothing else, his treatment of Mike Pence is unjustified, wrong and really unfortunate, “said Cramer, adding that the president’s treatment of his number 2 was” really annoying “.
Cramer added that Trump’s electoral rhetoric, including urging his supporters to meet outside Capitol Hill, was “inciting” and “pouring fuel.”
Wednesday was already expected to highlight one of the biggest divisions between Trump and Congressional Republicans, with Republican Party lawmakers alongside Democrats to assert the elected president Joe Biden
Joe BidenThe memo: Georgia voters strike a blow to Trump’s victory Warnock puts Democrats within the reach of the Senate majority Eric Trump warns of primary challenges for Republicans who are not opposed to election results MOREThe Electoral College’s victory at the Electoral College despite a plan by dozens of their conservative colleagues to make an effort of hours and guarantee of failure to eliminate the results in key states on the battlefield.
The Senate and the House rejected the first challenge to the results of Arizona’s election, in the wake of the riots. But the challenge still had the support of six Senate Republicans and 121 House Republicans, including the minority leader in the House Kevin McCarthy
Kevin Owen McCarthyTulsi Gabbard detonates new House rules on gender neutral language as the ‘height of hypocrisy’ debates Republican Electoral Party in the McMorris Rodgers Electoral Chamber leaves the speaker chair unoccupied because of the Democrat’s personal vote after the COVID diagnosis MORE (R-Calif.), Supporting the rejection of results.
The joint session comes after Republicans have already broken with Trump on major political decisions, including the delivery of the first annulment of the veto last week.
But previous schisms have paled compared to the reaction of Republican lawmakers to the violence of a pro-Trump crowd.
Rep. Chip RoyCharles (Chip) Eugene RoyPelosi warns lawmakers about social distance after many disrespect the guidelines The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Trump’s new controversy over the phone, Georgia’s second round as headline for the big week Chip Roy challenges seats by Six-state presidential battle chamber MORE (R-Texas) said that opposing Trump’s attempts to overturn the election “may well sign my political death sentence. So be it.” Rep. Liz Cheney
Elizabeth (Liz) Lynn CheneyHoyer says Trump Georgia calls a likely criminal, wants ‘serious’ investigation McMorris Rodgers fluctuates vacating the speaker seat because of the Democratic personal vote after Obama’s COVID diagnosis warned of threats to our ‘fundamental principles’ democracy ‘after Trump Georgia called MORE (Wyo.), The House’s third Republican, did not hesitate when she told Fox News: “There is no doubt that the president formed the crowd, the president incited the crowd. … He lit the flame. “
Sen. Tom Cotton
Tom Bryant CottonTrump pressure campaign divides 2024 GOP contenders Trump increases pressure on Pence, incorrectly stating that he could expel voters The Hill’s Morning Report – Featured by Facebook – Election day in Georgia is finally here; Trump expects Pence to ‘pass us by’ to nullify the results MORE (R-Ark.), Who closely aligned himself with Trump, released a statement urging him to grant.
“It is past time for the president to accept the results of the election, to stop deceiving the American people and to repudiate the violence of the crowd,” said Cotton.
Trump and his allies spread unverified allegations that the election was stolen, even when their electoral challenges were rejected by dozens of courts and electoral experts dismissed allegations of widespread electoral fraud.
Trump first tweeted on Wednesday afternoon urging his supporters to “remain peaceful” and support law enforcement without expressly condemning those who use force to enter the Capitol. The president tweeted again 35 minutes later to ask for “no violence” and emphasizing the need to respect the police.
Under increasing pressure, he tweeted around 4:15 pm to tell his supporters to “go home”, although he continued to praise them and repeat his false allegations of electoral fraud.
“Go home. We love you, you are very special,” Trump said in a video posted on Twitter. “I know how you feel. But go home and go home in peace.”
Twitter later removed the tweets and temporarily suspended Trump’s account for violating his policies.
While protesters invaded the Senate, senators were first instructed to take shelter there before being evacuated to safety.
Leaving the area hours later, Sen. Roy Blunt
Roy Dean Blunt The Electoral College struggle divides the Republican Party as the opposition grows and becomes an electoral challenge. Republican election fights intensify Hawley congestion GOP with Electoral College Fight MORE (R-Mo.) He was asked if he wanted to hear what Trump had said about the violence. Blunt, a member of the Republican Party leadership, said he “didn’t want to hear anything”.
“I think it was a tragic day and he was part of it,” said Blunt.
Sen. John Thune
John Randolph ThuneEric Trump warns of the primary challenges for Republicans who are not opposed to election results. Trump’s power has waned in recent weeks. Republican internal struggles in elections intensify MORE (SD), number 2 of the Republican Senate, said that Trump’s rhetoric “certainly didn’t help.”
“Certainly encouraging people to go to Capitol and some of the kinds of implicit suggestions that I think you know … they just encourage wrong behavior,” said Thune.
Some of the president’s most frequent Republican critics were more direct.
“We met because of the wounded pride of a selfish man and the indignation of supporters that he has deliberately misinformed in the past two months and acted on this morning. What happened today was an insurrection incited by the President of the United States,” said the Sen. Mitt Romney
Willard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyBiden: ‘Decent Republicans’ willing to break with Trump Trump to rename Judy Shelton in the last attempt to reshape the Fed National Review criticizes ‘Cruz Eleven’: Barbara Boxer shouldn’t be a conservative model MORE (R-Utah) from the Senate floor.
Sen. Ben Sasse
Ben SasseTrump pressure campaign divides 2024 Republican Party contenders The Republican Party must prevent Americans from believing that elections are rigged. Republican internal struggles in elections intensify MORE (R-Neb.) He also directly blamed Trump, who he accused of being “huddled behind his keyboard”.
“Lies have consequences,” said Sasse. “This violence was the inevitable and ugly result of the president’s addiction to feeding the division constantly.”