GOP Sen. John Thune
John Randolph ThuneHillicon Valley: Biden will take “executive action” to resolve SolarWinds’ breach Facebook and Google respond to Australian bill The DOJ accuses North Korean hackers of stealing .3 billion cryptocurrencies. (SD) on Thursday criticized members of his party for rushing to censor Republican lawmakers who voted in favor of condemning ex President Trump
Donald Trump Federal prosecutors investigate Proud Boys’ ties to Roger Stone in the 2019 case: CNN Overnight Defense: one-third of service members decline coronavirus vaccine | Biden will take executive action in response to the Wind Winds hack The United States and Japan reach a cost-sharing deal Trump “won’t say yet” if it comes in 2024 MORE, accusing them of participating in “canceling the culture.”
The Associated Press reported that Thune, the No. 2 Republican senator, defended his Republican Party colleagues who voted to condemn Trump in the first interview he has had since voting for the former president’s acquittal.
“There was a strong case,” Thune said. “People could come to different conclusions. If we criticize the media and the left to cancel the culture, we cannot do it ourselves ”.
As the AP points out, Thune has been alongside the Speaker of the Republican House Conference. Liz Cheney
Elizabeth (Liz) Lynn Cheney Are there more people who say Greene is a Republican Party representative than Cheney: polling the Republican Party getting out of the way? Trump unloads on McConnell and promises MORE to the MAGA’s main challenges (R-Wyo.) After voting to accuse Trump. The Wyoming Republican Party voted to censure Cheney and Republican lawmakers as Rep. Matt Gaetz
Matthew (Matt) GaetzHogan praises Kinzinger in Time’s profile: “Adam showed the measure of his courage” Gaetz suggests that DeSantis could run for president in 2024 if Trump stays out of the picture Scarborough says comparisons between Capitol riots and MORE irrelevant summer protests (Fla.) They have led to calls for the removal of Cheney’s power.
According to the AP, Thune also indicated that he would help candidates who “don’t go out and talk about conspiracies and that sort of thing.”
“At the grassroots level, there are a lot of people who want to see Trump-like candidates,” Thune said. “But I think we will look for eligible candidates.”
Trump was acquitted last week for the second time after the Senate failed to get the 67 votes needed to convict him. Seven Republican senators voted to condemn it, making it the most bipartisan removal vote in history.
Thune indicated last week that it was open to censoring Trump before the final vote of dismissal is held.
“I know there are a couple of resolutions out there … I’ve seen a couple of resolutions, at least, that I think could attract some support,” Thune told reporters at the time.
The vote to censor Trump would require 60 votes in the Senate, meaning Democrats would need 10 Republicans to vote in favor of censorship.
Democratic lawmakers have also debated the use of the 14th Amendment to prevent Trump from running for federal office again in the future. However, Thune was less supportive of this strategy than was not censored.
“I don’t think … these are going anywhere,” he said last week.