Forty-three GOP senators voted against convicting ex-president Donald Trump with incitement of insurrection in the wake of the January 6th attack on the Capitol, during the former president’s second impeachment. Twelve of them said while they believed Mr Trump was wrong, Congress did not have the authority to hold him responsible.
“Undoubtedly, then-President Trump displayed poor leadership in his words and actions. I do not defend those actions and my vote should not be read as a defense of those actions,” Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) said in a statement at the time.
Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said, “There is no question that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of that day” but questioned the Senate’s limitation in convicting and disqualifying former officers.
Thom Tillis (R-NC) said that while Mr Trump “shares responsibility for the disgrace that occurred on January 6… An impeachment trial is not the best or only way to hold a former elected official accountable for their actions.”
The same sentiments were echoed by Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), John Hoeven (R-ND), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), John Thune (R-SD), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Lee (R-UT) and former Ohio Senator Rob Portman.
But now that Mr Trump has been federally indicted on four federal charges related to an investigation into his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election and subsequent insurrection, those same senators have remained silent.
The Independent has reached out to the senators, with the exception of ex-senator Mr Portman, for comment.
A spokesperson for Mr Grassley said he had no comment at this time. The others have not yet responded.
Special Counsel Jack Smith unveiled the indictment on Tuesday evening after a grand jury in Washington DC found there was enough evidence to charge Mr Trump with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, conspiracy against rights and obstruction of, and attempt to obstruct, an official proceeding.
The indictment alleges Mr Trump knowingly “spread lies that there had been outcome-determinative fraud in the election and that he actually won” in order to “make his knowingly false claims appear legitimate, create an intense national atmosphere of mistrust and anger, and erode public faith in the administration of the election.”
Shortly after the results of the 2020 election determined President Joe Biden had won, Mr Trump and his allies purported that he actually won and massive amounts of election fraud resulted were false.
Though several investigations found no evidence of mass voter fraud, Mr Trump continued to spread his claims. Ultimately leading to a riot at the Capitol on 6 January 2021.
Articles of impeachment against Mr Trump were brought to the Senate on 25 January 2021 – just five days after Mr Trump left office.
Senators who voted against the impeachment claimed they had no authority to impeach Mr Trump because he was no longer president.
“No one can condone the horrific violence that occurred on January 6, 2021–or President Trump’s words, actions, and omissions on that day. I certainly do not,” Mr Lee said in a statement after the impeachment vote. “The House rushed its impeachment without an investigation, charged President Trump with a crime it failed properly to allege, and then sat on its poorly worded Article until after he left office.”
Mr Lee did not provide an official statement to The Independent on the indictment but tweeted “Perhaps Donald Trump should hire Hunter Biden and the mysterious “big guy.” They have experience making investigations go away” shortly after Mr Trump was indicted.
