Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., reportedly faces a fractured Republican Party and an internal backlash for his criticism of former President Donald Trump.
With an impeachment trial possibly heading to the Senate as early as next week, McConnell has not said if he would vote to convict Trump. However, the senator said Tuesday the mob that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 had been "provoked by the president."
The House voted along bipartisan lines Jan. 13 to impeach Trump for "willfully inciting violence against the government of the United States."
Some Republicans said they hoped McConnell would do his best to persuade Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to drop the idea of an impeachment trial in the early days of President Joe Biden's administration, per The Hill.
"What we need right now is for Sen. McConnell to unequivocally say that the second impeachment of Donald Trump after he leaves office is not only unconstitutional, it is bad for the country, and stand up and fight back," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told Fox News on Wednesday.
Graham applauded McConnell for his work to get Trump's judicial nominees installed and expressed hope the GOP leader would lead the fight to get the Senate to focus on things other than impeachment.
During his own interview with Fox News, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., directed more forceful words at McConnell.
If "Republicans, particularly Republican leadership, goes along with this impeachment, they'll destroy the party," Paul said.
"I think it's a hugely partisan exercise on the part of the Democrats. But for Republicans who go along with it, I think they'll destroy our party."
Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said he did not take issue with McConnell blaming Trump for inciting the Capitol rioters, but constituents did.
"[McConnell's] not just smarter than me, but he's a lot wiser," Cramer said. "[But] there are a lot of people from our base that don't like what he's doing. I defend it — I do — even though I don't share his view."
Politicians were not the only people trying to send a message to McConnell. Fox News host Tucker Carlson used an interview with Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., to warn people could see "foolish old frauds like Mitch McConnell railing on about how terrible Trump's voters are."
"Who is the person who is going to stand up and reassure these voters that they're not going to be crushed?" Carlson asked.
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