Republicans on Saturday offered broad reactions to the absolution of President Trump’s impeachment.
Senator John Kennedy (R-La.), Who was among the 43 Senate Republicans voting to absolve Trump, tweeted, “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 came nowhere near. “
Trump confidant Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) wrote, “For the good of the country, I hope this will be the last impeachment of the Senate in which a president is impeached without a lawyer, without witnesses, and a record of judgment is based on rumor after rumor.”
Although he was not among the seven Senate Republicans who voted to condemn Trump in his second impeachment trial, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Condemned Trump in a language that rivaled the House’s impeachment administrators. .
“There is no doubt – none – that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for causing the events of that day,” said McConnell.
“The people who broke into this building believed that they were acting in accordance with their president’s wishes and instructions and having that belief was a predictable consequence of the surge of false statements, conspiracy theories and reckless hyperboles, which the defeated president shouted to the greatest megaphone on planet Earth. “
McConnell accused Trump of seeking a “scheme to nullify the election” that endangered then Vice President Mike Pence and the police.
Five people died as a direct result of the rebellion, including four protesters and United States Capitol police officer Brian Sicknick. Two policemen and at least one rowdy later died by suicide.
Republican senators Richard Burr of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania voted to condemn Trump.
Cassidy said, “Our Constitution and our country are more important than anyone. I voted to condemn President Trump because he is guilty. “
Burr said: “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 … [and] when the crowd became violent, the president used his office to first ignite the situation, instead of immediately calling for an end to the attack. “
But many Republicans have set their judgmental ratings on whether the trial was constitutional because Trump has already stepped down. Some argued that Trump’s words in his pre-riot speech did not go beyond the legal limit to become an incitement.
Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida) told reporters: “I think the votes would say that the Senate has no power to impeach an officer who is no longer in office.”
Asked if Trump had a future in politics, Rubio said, “impeachment was not about” that.
In a post-acquittal statement, Trump provoked, “Our historic, patriotic and beautiful movement for Make America Great Again has just begun.”
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who also voted for absolution, noted that it would be the public who would decide whether Trump was able to mount a political comeback.
“Oh, time will take care of that one way or the other,” said Grassley. “But remember, to be a leader you need to have followers. So, let’s find out, whoever it is. But everyone will be involved. We are a big tent. “