Republican lawmakers expressed frustration President Trump
Donald TrumpWarnock defeats Loeffler in the second round of the Georgia Senate. The note: Georgia voters hit Trump Eric Trump warns of major challenges for Republicans who do not oppose election results MORE Wednesday after riots stormed the Capitol in an attempt to disrupt Congress ’count of the Electoral College vote.
Trump has for months made unfounded claims that the election was “called” and encouraged his supporters to gather in Washington, including urging them to go to the Capitol lawn. On Wednesday, a pro-Trump crowd invaded the Capitol, damaging and vandalizing the building, including chambers and leadership offices.
Republican lawmakers, many of whom have remained closely linked to Trump since he came to power in 2017, pointed to his rhetoric as a driving force behind Wednesday’s violence.
“Today we have witnessed the damage that can happen when men with power and responsibility refuse to acknowledge the truth. We have seen bloodshed because a demagogue chose to spread falsehoods and sow distrust in his own American comrades. “We do not incite this deception,” said the senator. Pat Toomey
Patrick (Pat) Joseph Toomey The government used the Patriot Act to gather records of website visitors in 2019 The appeals court rules that the massive collection of telephone data from the illegal NSA Dunford is removed from consideration to chair the MORE coronavirus monitoring panel (R-Pa.) He said from the Senate floor.
Asked if he believed Trump’s rhetoric was causing the unrest, the senator. Mike Rounds
Mike Rounds: The Senate is ready to overturn Trump’s veto of the Trump defense bill in the Senate GOP on Trump: The election is over. McConnell urges GOP senators not to oppose Electoral College vote MORE (RS.D.) said he had not seen all the president’s comments, but “certainly didn’t help.”
“In any case, he urged in a very emotional situation, a very inappropriate action on the part of people who seem to be his supporters,” Rounds said.
His. Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin GrahamGeorgia in the Senate breaks spending records The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Georgia election day is here; Trump hopes Pence “arrives for us” to undo results Trump’s power dwindles in final weeks MORE (RS.C.), which has aligned itself closely with Trump, said in a fiery floor speech that he had tried to support the president but “enough is enough.”
“Trump and I, we’ve had a hell of a trip. I hate it that way … All I can say is count on me. That’s enough. … We have to finish,” Graham said. .
His. Kevin Cramer
Kevin John Cramer, a North Dakota senator by decision to support the Electoral College: “It was brutal” The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Election Day in Georgia is finally here; Trump hopes Pence “arrives for us” to nullify results Republican Senate Party opposition grows to oppose Electoral University results MORE (RN.D.) said Trump “has some responsibility” for the violence at the Capitol.
“Today, seeing his speech, I must admit that I stopped smoking. I mean, first of all, his treatment Mike Pence
Michael (Mike), Richard Pence, Trump’s attorney, Jay Sekulow, rejects Pence’s authority claims on voters Trump’s election struggle puts Pence in a position not to win. … if there was nothing else, his treatment of Mike Pence is unjustified, wrong and really unfortunate, “Cramer said, adding that his number 2 treatment by the president was” really irritating. “
Cramer added that Trump’s electoral rhetoric, including his supporters gathering outside the Capitol, was “inciting” and “pouring fuel.”
One of the biggest divisions between Trump and Republicans in Congress was expected to be highlighted on Wednesday, as Republican lawmakers sided with Democrats to assert the president-elect Joe Biden
Joe Biden The note: Georgia voters hit Trump’s victory Warnock puts Democrats within reach of Senate majority Eric Trump warns of major challenges for Republicans who do not oppose election results MOREThe Electoral College wins despite the plan of dozens of its Conservative colleagues to make an effort for hours and guaranteed failure to release results in key battlefield states.
The Senate and House rejected the first challenge to Arizona’s election results, following the riots. But the challenge still had the support of six Republicans in the Senate and 121 Republicans in the House, including the House minority leader. Kevin McCarthy
Kevin Owen McCarthy: Tulsi Gabbard pulls out new House rules on gender-neutral language as the “heyday of hypocrisy.” The House GOP is debating the Electoral College vote. McMorris Rodgers floats vacant Democratic presidential vote after COVID diagnosis MORE (R-California), supporting the results obtained.
The joint session comes after Republicans have already broken with Trump in major political decisions, including granting the first veto last week.
But previous schisms were alleviated compared to the reaction of Republican Party lawmakers to the violence of a pro-Trump crowd.
Rep. Chip RoyCharles (Chip) Eugene Roy Pelosi warns lawmakers to distance themselves socially after many guidelines on disagreement The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Trump’s new phone call controversy, Georgia runoffs lead big week Chip Roy challenges members of the six-state House of Representatives on the presidential battlefield (R-Texas) said opposing Trump’s attempts to annul the election “can sign my political death warrant. So be it.” Rep. Liz Cheney
Elizabeth (Liz) Lynn CheneyHoyer says Trump Georgia says he is likely a criminal, who wants a “serious” investigation. McMorris Rodgers floats vacant Democratic presidency vote in person after COVID diagnosis. Obama warns of threats to “fundamental principles of our democracy” after Trump Georgia called MORE (Wyo.), House No. 3 in the House, did not punch when she told Fox News: “There is no doubt that the president formed the crowd, the president incited the crowd. light the flame “.
His. Tom Cotton
Tom Bryant CottonTrump’s pressure campaign divides 2024 GOP candidates Trump increases pressure on Pence, incorrectly claiming he could oust voters The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Georgia election day is already here; Trump expects Pence to “come for us” to nullify the results MORE (R-Ark.), Who has aligned himself closely with Trump, issued a statement asking him to grant.
“Time has passed for the president to accept the election results, stop deceiving the American people and repudiate the violence of the people,” Cotton said.
Trump and his allies have spread unsubstantiated claims that the election was stolen, even as their electoral challenges were rejected by dozens of courts and election experts dismissed allegations of widespread electoral fraud.
Trump first sent a tweet Wednesday afternoon urging supporters to “stay peaceful” and support law enforcement without expressly condemning those who use force to enter the Capitol. The president tweeted again 35 minutes later to urge “non-violence” and stressed the need to respect the police.
Under increasing pressure, he tweeted around 4:15 p.m. to tell his followers to “come home,” though he continued to praise them and repeat his false allegations of election fraud.
“Go home. We love you, you’re very special,” Trump said in a video posted on Twitter. “I know how you feel. But go home and go home in peace.”
Subsequently, Twitter removed the tweets and temporarily suspended Trump’s account for breaching his policies.
When the riots stormed the Senate, senators were first ordered to take refuge on the site before being evacuated to a safe place.
Leaving the area hours later, the senator. Roy Blunt
Roy Dean Blunt: Fighting Electoral College Divides Republican Party as Opposition Grows to Electoral Challenge Republican election struggles intensify Hawley’s jam with fighting Electoral College MORE (R-Mo.) He was asked if he wanted to hear what Trump had said about 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 a part of it,” Blunt said.
His. John Thune
John Randolph ThuneEric Trump Warns of Major Challenges for Republicans Who Do Not Oppose Election Results Trump Power Declines in Closing Weeks Republican Struggles over Elections Intensify MORE (SD), the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, said Trump’s rhetoric “certainly didn’t help.”
“Definitely encouraging people to go to the Capitol and some of the implicit suggestions I think you know … they just encourage misbehavior,” Thune said.
Some of the president’s most frequent GOP critics were more direct.
“We are meeting because of the wounded pride of a selfish man and the outrage of supporters who have deliberately misinformed over the past two months and encouraged action this morning. What has happened today was an incited insurrection by the President of the United States “. said the senator. Mitt Romney
Willard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyBiden: “Decent Republicans” Willing to Break from Trump Trump Renames Judy Shelton on Last Fed Reform Criticism Review (R-Utah) from the Senate floor.
His. Ben Sasse
Ben Sasse: Trump’s Pressure Campaign Divides Republican Party Candidates in 2024 The Republican Party must stop Americans from believing elections are rigged Republican election struggles intensify MORE (R-Neb.) He also directly blamed Trump, whom he accused of being “hidden behind his keyboard.”
“Lies have consequences,” Sasse said. “This violence was the inevitable and ugly result of the president’s addiction to constantly fueling division.”