Much water has passed over the proverbial dam since Trump was impeached. More than 300 cases have been filed against participants in the January 6th insurrection, and one against Trump. Trump may be the only one who’s able to escape justice, as the carelessness, indifference, and the self-serving need to promote themselves on social media have taken center stage for many of those who are facing court dates.
Seven GOP senators (out of fifty), voted to convict Donald Trump. The evidence against “the former guy” was overwhelming, and his meager defense was meaningless, except that even if his attorneys had simply recited the lyrics to “Surfin’ Bird” it would have been enough.
But what about those seven? Richard Burr, a senator from North Carolina, was censured immediately by the Republican Party of his state. The chairman called his vote, “shocking and disappointing.” Despite the fact that the constitutionality of the trial was established, the GOP claimed otherwise.
Bill Cassidy of Louisiana added that “it was clear that Trump wished lawmakers to be intimidated” while they counted electoral votes, and that Trump did nothing to dissuade the violent mob. His GOP? “Fortunately, clearer heads prevailed and President Trump has been acquitted of the impeachment charge filed against him.” He, too, was censured.
Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska bucked their local GOP chapters because, well, they could. Collins just won a six year term, and Murkowski will face an election with rank choice voting, which puts her in a good enough position. Neither was in jeopardy.
Mitt Romney was the only member of the GOP to vote to convict Trump last year. His vote was no surprise, and his constituents won’t bend because he did it again.
Ben Sasse of Nebraska cited Trump’s baseless claims that the election had been rigged against him. Sasse, preempted a potential censure by releasing a video in which he maintained that “politics isn’t about the weird worship of one dude.”
And then Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania. "As a result of President Trump's actions, for the first time in American history, the transfer of presidential power was not peaceful," he said. "A lawless attempt to retain power by a president was one of the founders' greatest fears motivating the inclusion of the impeachment authorities in the U.S. Constitution." And the response? The GOP said that he shared “the disappointment of our grassroots leaders and volunteers” over his vote.
But there’s more. And this is where this is leading. “We did not send him there to vote his conscience,” Ball said on Monday. “We did not send him there to do the right thing or whatever he said he was doing. We sent him there to represent us.”
From the Washington Post, ”The first half of this comment is generating headlines. After all, the unvarnished expression of the idea that Toomey’s proper role was to side with Trump, rather than do what his conscience dictates, is unintentionally revealing
But the second half — the notion that representing Republican voters required this of Toomey — is also telling, and suggests the ongoing GOP war over Trump’s legacy may well lead to a very dark place.
That’s because this sentiment is an increasingly widespread one. We’re hearing again and again that the obligation to represent Republican voters is what requires elected GOP officials to refrain from holding Trump accountable for inciting a violent effort to overthrow U.S. democracy.” Liz Cheney was censured for "voting her conscience.” Josh Hawley claimed that he was “representing his constituents”, even though their constituents were fed and believed a big lie.
So what’s ahead? The extreme right wing of the GOP is too big to fail. Idiots like Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene, believers in QAnon and a host of other stupid conspiracy theories, are enjoying support from so many other know-nothings in the GOP. They’re getting the press, but perhaps those more sane among us will get the votes. Too early to know how full the glass is.