The Louisiana Republican Party was quick to push to punish Republican Party Sen. Bill Cassidy for his vote to convict former President Donald Trump in his Senate trial for provoking the Capitol Revolt.
“The Louisiana Republican Party Executive Committee has voted unanimously to censor Sen. Bill Cassidy for his vote today to convict former President Donald J. Trump on the impeachment charge,” the party said in a statement Saturday.
Cassidy was one of seven Republican senators who broke ranks to vote with all Senate Democrats to convict Trump on the sole charge of “inciting an insurrection” for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol storm that left five people dead.
The final vote was 57 to 43, a far cry from the 67 votes needed to condemn Trump to the chamber.
“Our Constitution and our country are more important than anyone,” Cassidy explained his vote in a statement Saturday. “I voted to convict President Trump because he is guilty.”
The executive committee vote against Cassidy was unanimous.
“We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, Senator Cassidy’s vote today to condemn former President Trump,” members said. “Fortunately, the clearest leaders prevailed and President Trump has been acquitted of the impeachment charge filed 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.
Louisiana’s other Republican senator, John Kennedy, voted acquittal.
“Dismissal is not supposed to be a political sport where one party seeks advantages over the other at the expense of the country. The merits of the Democrats’ case were not even close,” he said.
Executive Committee Secretary Mike Bayham said retribution against Cassidy “could not wait.”
“Many Republicans believe this was a betrayal and required immediate action,” he told the USA Today Network.
Cassidy won re-election to a six-year term in November.
Other Republicans in the House and Senate, including Sasse and Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, have been criticized by their state parties.
Cheney was one of ten House Republicans who voted to prosecute Trump on Jan. 13.
With publishing cables