Nearly all of the seven Republican senators who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump are now facing the threat of censure from their states' parties. This comes after Trump has been acquitted last Saturday on the charge of inciting an insurrection.
Louisiana’s Republican Party censured Sen. Bill Cassidy in a Twitter post on Sunday: "We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the vote today by Sen. Cassidy to convict former President Trump."
On Monday, the North Carolina Republican Party unanimously voted on censuring retiring Sen. Richard Burr.
On the same day, Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey received some pushback from several state GOP committee leaders in Clarion, Centre, Lawrence, Washington and York Counties. Clarion County officials said in a statement that Toomey's vote was "purely self-serving" and "vindictive."
In Utah, a petition to censure Sen. Mitt Romney has been circulating online. It stated that Romney, who also voted to convict Trump in his first impeachment trial, "embarrassed the state" and accused the senator of "prioritizing his personal and political vendetta against President Trump ahead of the Constitution." (Related: Carpetbagger Mitt Romney ticked off at Trump administration for “incomprehensible” and “inexcusable” vaccine roll out.)
Maine Sen. Susan Collins is also facing backlash and a potential censure from state Republicans. Maine's GOP chairman said in an email over the weekend that the party might hold a committee meeting later this month to vote on whether to censure Collins.
Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse is also facing a pending censure motion by the state's Republic Central Committee, though it is still unclear when a vote on the move will happen.
Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski has yet to face any public censure motions. However, Murkowski is gunning for reelection in 2022 and it is expected that her vote to impeach will compel other Republicans to run against her.
What is "censure" and what are its consequences?
According to the U.S. Senate, a censure is a formal statement of disapproval. Also called a condemnation or denouncement, it provides a public record rebuking an official's actions and is less severe than an expulsion, which is the removal of someone from office. The president, any member of Congress, federal judges and other government officials can be censured.
The power to censure is not provided by the Constitution. Instead, the Senate and the House of Representatives follow internal rules that allow them to draft and approve censure resolutions, which either chamber of Congress can adopt.
Though a censure does not remove someone from office, it can have a powerful psychological effect on a member and his/her status as a public official, according to the Senate.
Former Republican Sen. Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin, for instance, was censured in 1954 on charges of abuse and noncooperation with the Subcommittee on Privileges and Elections during a 1952 investigation of his conduct. Known for his views that communists and Soviets had infiltrated the federal government, McCarthy was eventually reduced in status after the censure.
"McCarthy tried to appear unaffected by the censure, but it became apparent that the Senate vote had robbed him of his power and status. As his political fortunes waned, so did his health. He died in 1957," the Senate said on its website.
The most recent censure by the Senate was that of former Minnesota Sen. David Durenberger in 1990. An ex-Republican, Durenberger was charged with unethical conduct for a wide range of financial improprieties.
In the House of Representatives, the most recent Congress-level censure was former Sen. Charles Rangel in 2010. A New York Democrat, Rangel was charged with tax evasion, misuse of the congressional letterhead for fundraising and unauthorized use of a rent-controlled facility for campaign headquarters.
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