The Central Committee of the North Carolina Republican Party censured Sen. Richard Burr Monday evening for his impeachment vote.
The statement said, “The NCGOP agree with the strong majority of Republicans in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate that the Democrat-led attempt to impeach a former President lies outside the United States Constitution.”
Sen. Burr was one of seven Republican senators that voted to convict Mr. Trump, siding with the majority of senators in a hotly disputed legal argument as to whether or not it is constitutional to impeach a former president.
“Now that the Senate has voted to acquit President Trump, we hope that Democrats will set aside their divisive partisan agenda and focus on the American priorities of tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, safely reopening schools and restarting the economy,” the statement concludes.
The Senate on Saturday acquitted Trump of incitement of insurrection following the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol by a vote of 57-43, failing by 10 votes to get the required two-thirds for conviction.
All Senate Democrats supported the conviction.
In defense of his vote, Sen. Burr said, “The evidence is compelling that President Trump is guilty of inciting an insurrection against a coequal branch of government and that the charge rises to the level of Crimes and Misdemeanors. Therefore, I have voted to convict.”
The censure by the NCGOP comes after Sen. Lindsey Graham exclaimed the “biggest winner” of Trump’s impeachment trial was the former president’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump.
Graham said on Fox News:
My dear friend Richard Burr, who I like and have been friends to a long time, just made Lara Trump almost the certain nominee for the Senate seat in North Carolina to replace him if she runs. And I certainly will be behind her because she represents the future of the Republican Party.”
Senator Jeff Jackson (D-NC) replied:
The political fallout in North Caroline GOP politics from Sen. Burr’s surprise decision may just be beginning.
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