Her. Ben Sasse
Ben SasseHouse Republicans urge Senate to block vote on Secretary of Commerce on Huawei Juan Williams: GOP employees of QAnon McCaul urges senators to block vote on Secretary of Commerce over Huawei concerns LAKE (R-Neb.), Who said he can vote this month to convict the former President Trump
Donald Trump Pelosi urges Newsom to choose Schiff for next California AG: Palm Beach attorney reports Trump should be able to live on Mar-a-Lago Trump helipad in Mar-a-Lago to to be demolished MORE on an article of impeachment, opposes possible retaliation from the Nebraska Republican State Central Committee by warning that its side must choose between “conservatism and madness.”
Sasse released a five-minute video on Thursday in which he responded to Republican officials at home who want to disapprove of him at a meeting of the state’s Republican Central Committee on Feb. 13 for his criticism of Trump.
He warned that purging Trump skeptics from the GOP “isn’t just civilian cancer for the nation [but] just awful for our party. ”
Sasse, who did not support Trump’s 2016 or 2020 candidacy, dismissed his state party critics as “ angry with life ” and out of step with ordinary Nebraskans.
“I listen to Nebraskans every day and very few of them are as upset about life as some of the people on this committee. Not all of them, but many, “Sasse said in the video.” Political addicts don’t represent most of Nebraska’s conservatives. “
Sasse is one of many Republican office holders under attack for criticizing Trump.
Rep. Liz Cheney
Elizabeth (Liz) Lynn Cheney Republicans rally to keep Cheney in power Lincoln Project: Liz Cheney can ‘take Matt Gaetz into a fight with one hand tied behind her back’ House Democrat applauds Gaetz’s offer to step down, and Trump help with a MORE process (Wyo.), The third-placed House Republican, survived an attempt by Trump supporters on Thursday to expel her from the leadership over her vote to impeach.
Local Republican Party organizations across the country have moved in recent days to punish Republican lawmakers who voted against Trump last month.
The La Salle County Republican Central Committee voted to vote Rep. Adam Kinzinger
Adam Daniel Kinzinger Republicans Rally To Keep Cheney In Power Pelosi Issues Statement Shooting ‘Cowardly’ GOP Leader ‘McCarthy (Q-CA)’ Kinzinger: GOP colleagues thanked me for speaking out against Trump MORE (R-Ill.) While the Republican Party of South Carolina voted Saturday for Rep. Tom Rice
Hugh (Tom) Thompson Rice Here are the GOP lawmakers censored by Republicans for impeaching Trump South Carolina GOP votes against Rep. Rice over impeachment Upton becomes first member of Congress to vote to impeach two presidents MORE (RS.C.) for his impeachment voice.
But Sasse stands his ground. In the video released Thursday, he blamed Trump for instigating the January 6 riot at the Capitol that killed a police officer and four others.
“Many of you have been cut off for condemning his lies that sparked a riot. Let’s be clear: The anger in the state party was never about violating principles or letting go of conservative policies. I am one of the most conservative voters in the Senate. The anger has always been just that I didn’t bend the knee to one man, ‘said Sasse, looking straight into the camera to address state party officials.
Sasse called the storming of the Capitol on January 6 “ ugly ” and said the “ disgraceful mob violence to disrupt a constitutionally mandated congressional meeting to confirm … peaceful transfer of power ” was the result of spreading of lies by Trump about the results of the 2020 Elections.
“It happened because the president lied to you. He lied about the election results for 60 days, despite the loss of 60 court cases, many of which were handed down by great Trump-appointed judges, ”said Sasse.
He said Trump also lied by saying then vice president Mike Pence
Michael (Mike) Richard PencePence announces post-White House office, plans to move back to Indiana Five takeaways from Trump impeachment trial briefs Missouri newspaper urges Hawley, Blunt to ‘bring Trump to justice’ MORE could simply violate his constitutional oath by declaring him, instead of now – President Biden, the winner.
“That wasn’t true,” said Sasse.
He then mobilized a crowd that attacked the capital, with many singing ‘Hang Pence’. If that president was a Democrat, we both know how you would react. But because he had “Republican” to his name, you defend him, “Sasse added, chiding his critics.
Sasse is one of five Republican senators who voted to a motion from Sen. Rand Paul
Randal (Rand) Howard Paul The memo: It’s Trump vs. McConnell in the battle for the soul of GOP Our nation never quite agrees on much, but it hasn’t always tore itself apart Lindsey Graham comes to defend Liz Cheney MORE (R-Ky.) Declares the Senate impeachment process against Trump as unconstitutional because he is no longer in office.
Sasse said Republicans who have embraced Trump’s claims about a stolen election are straying from their conservative core beliefs and urging them to preserve the GOP’s identity as a party built on long-standing principles rather than just but loyalty to the former president.
“Certainly something has changed in the last four years, but it isn’t me,” he said. Personality cultures are not conservative. Conspiracy theories are not conservative. Lying that elections have been stolen is not conservative. Acting like politics is a religion, it’s not conservative. “
Sasse said most Nebraska voters agree with him, pointing to his 2020 reelection campaign, in which he won tens of thousands more votes in November than Trump in the state.
He noted that he won the Omaha area “handily,” while Trump lost it “a lot.”
Nebraskans aren’t addicts to anger and that’s good news. You’re welcome to condemn me again, but let’s be clear why this is happening – it’s because I still believe, as you used to, that politics isn’t about the weird worship of one guy, ”he said.
The Nebraska Republican Party condemned Sasse in May 2016 for not supporting Trump enough.
Sasse won his Republican Senate primaries in May 2020 by a wide margin, setting a record for the number of votes received by a candidate for federal office in a Nebraska primary.
He contributed all 93 counties in the state during the general election.
“We will have to choose between conservatism and madness, between dragging and dragging and actually re-convincing the rising generation of Americans,” he said.
“That’s what I’m focusing on and I sincerely hope that many of you will join us in celebrating these important goals for freedom,” he added. “I’m always going to work hard for Nebraskans and I’ll always tell you the truth.”