Sen. Mitch McConnell.Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty
In the latest sign of Republicans distancing themselves fromDonald Trump, one of the president’s most prominent allies in the Senate blamed him, in part, for inciting the deadlyU.S. Capitol riot.
McConnell, 78, has long been a powerful political ally for Trump, 74, during his time in office. However, in Trump’s final days, he’s secluded himself in the White House while support from once-loyal GOP lawmakers has dwindled.McConnellincluded.
“Enough is enough,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, another of Trump’s most loyal allies in the Senate, claimed hours after the Jan. 6 attack.
Ten Republican representatives voted to impeach Trumplast week for his role in conjuring up the riot. It was the largest number of impeachment votes a president has ever received from their own political party and underscored the seriousness behind some Republicans' recent decision to break with Trump and join their colleagues from the Democratic Party in criticizing the soon-to-be ex-president.
McConnell helped guide the Senate’s GOP majority towards acquitting Trump in early 2020, after he was impeached in December 2019 on two charges connected to his role in the Ukraine scandal.
Trump is currently awaiting his second impeachment trial in the Senate, which is expected to unfold after the president’s first term ends on Wednesday.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and President Donald Trump together in 2017.Drew Angerer/Getty
McConnell hasn’t said with certainty yet whether he’ll vote to impeach Trump this time around. Instead, the Senate majority leader has left it as an open question while recently voicing frustration with the outgoing president and his supporters.
Since then, McConnell has joined other Republicans in more clearly recognizing President-electJoe Bidenand Vice President-electKamala Harrisas the 2020 election winners.
On Tuesday, the Kentucky Republican addressed the security concerns surrounding Biden and Harris' swearing-in this week. “We’ll have a safe and successful inaugural right here on the very front of the Capitol” on Wednesday, McConnell vowed.
“Our marching orders from the American people are clear,” McConnell added. “We’re to have a robust discussion and seek common ground. We are to pursue bipartisan agreement everywhere we can, and check and balance one another, respectfully, where we must.”
source: people.com
