“Our senators were criticized for their vote,” wrote the Utah Republican Party. “The differences between our own Utah Republicans show a diversity of thinking, in contrast to the danger of a party fixing on ‘unanimity of thought’. There is power in our differences as a political party, and we expect each senator to explain his votes to the people of Utah. “
Romney joined a handful of other Republicans and all Democrats in the Senate to vote that Trump’s impeachment trial was constitutional and, ultimately, to convict the former president. Lee, however, voted that the trial was unconstitutional and acquitted Trump.
“Disagreement is natural and healthy in a party based on principles – not personality. In fact, these principles are the reason behind unprecedented American prosperity for the past four years,” wrote the leaders of the Utah Republican Party, adding that “in 2021 it begins, we do not look to the past, nor to be punitive.”
The group’s move runs counter to the decisions of several other state Republican parties to censor their senators who voted against Trump’s interests.
North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr, who will not run for re-election, faces a censure vote from the North Carolina Republican Party on Monday for his vote to condemn Trump.
Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who like Romney voted in favor of the constitutionality and sentencing of the trial, was soon censored by the Louisiana Republican Party after casting his guilty vote. Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska, who voted the same way, was already facing a censorship effort by the Republican Party of Nebraska before his guilty vote.
These admonitions also apply to US representatives. Representatives Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the third Republican in the House of Representatives, and Tom Rice of South Carolina were censored by Republican parties in their own states after voting last month with eight other Republicans in the House for Trump’s impeachment.
Romney and Lee made guest appearances on materials presented at the impeachment trial.
New security footage presented during the trial last Wednesday showed that Capitol Policeman Eugene Goodman potentially saved Romney from the violent mob that invaded the United States Capitol. The security video shows Goodman running as the crowd starts entering the Capitol, passing Romney and redirecting him from the rioters’ way before continuing to the first floor to respond to the violation and divert the crowd of lawmakers.
Lee, in turn, handed over the telephone records to the Chamber’s impeachment managers, clarifying the timing of a call that had been referenced during the trial.
CNN reported last month that Trump and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani had made calls to Lee by mistake while the deadly riot unfolded on Capitol Hill – calls that were aimed at another Republican senator that the White House was frantically trying to convince to delay the election count. . College vows. Lee’s spokesman previously told CNN that the Trump and Giuliani calls were addressed to Senator Tommy Tuberville, a newly elected Republican from Alabama.
A list of calls Lee gave managers showed a highlighted call from a Washington, DC area code at 2:26 pm ET, on January 6. That placed the call two minutes after Trump sent a tweet attacking Vice President Mike Pence on the day of the attack on the United States Capitol.
Managers of the House’s impeachment referred to the call, as they argued that Trump did not take sufficient measures to cancel the crowd while the attack was going on and sought to provide information about his mood at the time.
CNN’s Devan Cole, Lauren Fox, Clare Foran and Paul LeBlanc contributed to this report.
