Senate Republicans, including those who do not intend to vote to convict former President Trump
Donald Trump: NRCC financial chairman: Republicans who voted for Trump accusation will not be punished Blinken, the first call from the UN, after the US rejoins Climate Accords. WHO senators meet with Trump’s accusation team to discuss strategy MORE, says this week’s indictment has put an end to the chances of him becoming the president of the GOP in 2024.
From the point of view of some Republican senators, the compelling case put forward by the Home Prosecutors holds a silver lining: it means they probably won’t have to worry in three years’ time that Trump will be re-elected president, and at the same time his influence in the party will erode. politics more generally.
Several Republican senators angrily watched videos of violence and chaos in the Capitol on January 6, including footage of police officers calling them ‘pigs’ and ‘traitors’, and one officer screaming as he was crushed by rioters carrying a police line hahawend het.
Interrupted by the traumatic scenes were clips from Trump urging his supporters to march to the Capitol and warning them “if you do not fight like hell, you will no longer have a country”, and they say: ” “We love you; you are very special,” he said shortly after the attack.
“It just makes you realize what an asshole Donald Trump is,” one GOP senator said after watching day two of the Housekeepers’ presentation.
The legislature suggested that Democrats could eventually help the GOP by overthrowing Trump.
“Unconsciously, they are doing us a favor. They are disqualifying Donald Trump from electing him as president,” even though he was acquitted, the senator said.
Other Republican senators, even those who have indicated they will vote to acquit, say it would be a good thing if the indictment helped distance the party from Trump, who has dominated GOP politics for the past five years.
“I can not imagine that the emotional reaction, the complicated reaction to what we have seen today, does not make people think, ‘This is terrible,’ no matter what they see, whether the president should be charged or convicted,” he said. other government said. senator. “What my colleagues would stand out is that there was no salvation, and that there was nothing that put an end to it.”
Home commanders stressed that the National Guard was only deployed two hours after the attack on the Capitol began, which delayed the arrival of troops until 5pm that day.
Rep. Ted Lieu
Ted W. LieuGOP senators praise accusations for accusation, but say Trump will be acquitted Managers want to make GOP think twice about Trump’s acquittal Democrats argue Trump will incite violence again (D-Calif.) Noted in his presentation that Trump was not on the list released by the Pentagon of administrative officials consulted on the final decision to deploy the guard.
Democratic prosecutors also presented a report on the House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy
Conservative House Kevin McCarthy welcomes Clark as head of the U.S. Chamber of Deputies Kevin McCarthy defends the boy’s wedding amid the COVID-19 boom in California. LIVE COVER: Democrats close case against Trump MORE (R-Calif.) Had a heated conversation with Trump on January 6 during a phone call in which he begged the president to denounce the rioters as they stormed the Capitol.
‘It reminded and affirmed and probably added a deeper emotion to the view that the president’s involvement with the party, although it has brought new people, is very detrimental to who we are, what we believe in and what we stand for – for which we believe we stand. , ”Said the second GOP senator.
The senator said many voters think “Trump is a big problem for Republicans”, while acknowledging that there are many GOP voters who think the former president was “pulled” by the foundation.
“This is very damaging to any future political race for President Trump, but I was amazed at the amount and intensity of support despite all the other things that happened,” the senator added.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann MurkowskiThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Republicans discuss private trial votes The IDP senators are likely to vote for Trump’s conviction The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by TikTok – New video of riot nerves many senators MORE (Alaska) was the only Republican senator this week who publicly expressed the opinion of many of her GOP colleagues that Trump’s run since the election had nullified his future viability as a presidential candidate.
“After the American public has set out the full story here, I do not see how Donald Trump can be re-elected to the presidency,” Murkowski told reporters on Wednesday.
Other Republicans have privately said they agree with the assessment.
A third GOP senator said the facts set out in the indictment highlight how difficult it would be for Trump to portray him as an eligible presidential candidate in 2024.
‘I think closing the door on it [Trump] chapter is probably likely to be positive, ”the senator said.
However, the legislature has acknowledged that this is a bit of a dance floor, as many voters in the party still like Trump and are sympathetic to his claims that the election was influenced by unfair decisions on the absentee ballots.
“As a party, we have to be careful about embracing the people and the big question is, ‘Were these just Trump Republicans and not Republicans? ”, Said the senator, predicting that voters could be entered into by striking at the same themes. Trump did during his presidency, such as putting pressure on schools for personal learning during the pandemic.
Polls show a majority of Americans think Trump should be convicted, a shift in sentiment compared to his first trial in 2020.
A CBS News / YouGov poll released Tuesday showed 56 percent support Trump’s conviction, with 44 percent against it.
In December 2019, shortly before Trump’s first indictment, a CBS News / YouGov poll found that only 42 percent of respondents supported conviction.
The New York Times reported last month that the Senate’s minority leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell Advocate for legalizing marijuana: ‘It could be a priority for Congress’ The Hill’s 12:30 report: Republicans discuss private hearing votes LIVE COVERAGE: Democrats close case against Trump MORE (R-Ky.) Associates said he believed Trump had committed impeccable offenses and that an indictment would make it easier to purge Trump of the party.
McConnell has not spoken to Trump since Dec. 15, and he has made it clear to GOP colleagues that they are free to vote their conscience on whether they will convict Trump on the charge that he incited the January 6 riot. At least six GOP senators have indicated they are seriously considering a vote for conviction.
A fourth Republican senator agreed that Trump’s power in the party was dealt a severe blow due to the detailed outline of his behavior in the run-up to the Capitol attack and his subsequent actions.
‘It certainly can not be useful for him to discuss and link all these things. “In his case, it does not mean that he would not run, even if he knew he could not win,” the legislature said.
If the Republican nomination in 2024 looks increasingly remote, Trump may not want the chance to become a two-time loser in the presidential election, lawmakers say.
But they warn that Trump, even with reduced power, will remain a strong force.
“Even if he can not be the nominee, even if he is not elected, he will still be part of the discussion for a while,” the senator added.