Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Tuesday, implied that President Donald Trump and others “provoked” the violent mob at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
“The mob was fed lies. They were provoked by the president and other powerful people,” Senator McConnell said on the Senate floor. “And they tried to use fear and violence to stop a specific proceeding of the first branch of the federal government, which they did not like.”
Senator Mitch McConnell’s remarks:
.@senatemajldr on the U.S. Capitol Attack: "The mob was fed lies. They were provoked by the president and other powerful people." pic.twitter.com/QIeviyHkl3
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 19, 2021
The House voted to impeach President Donald Trump on alleged charges of “incitement of insurrection” on January 13, one week after the attack on the Capitol. The vote was bipartisan, with 10 Republicans joining all Democrats in impeaching the president.
Sixty-seven votes are needed in the Senate to convict Mr. Trump, and it is unclear whether so many Republicans would join their Democratic colleagues on this issue. Several Republicans have suggested that impeaching Mr. Trump after he leaves office is unconstitutional. McConnell said last week that he had not decided whether he would vote to convict Mr. Trump, CBS News reported.
If Mr. Trump is convicted, then Congress will be able to vote on whether to bar him from ever seeking elected office again. The House has yet to send the article of impeachment to the Senate, a necessary step before the Senate can hold a trial, per CBS News. Continued Below
Following Senator McConnell’s remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday, Leo Terrell reacted to the Senate majority leader, writing, “McConnell has quit on President Trump! Shameful.”
McConnell has quit on President Trump! Shameful. https://t.co/JqmdK17PQ2
— TheLeoTerrell (@TheLeoTerrell) January 19, 2021
Mr. Terrell noted, however, “Trump supporters will never quit on President Trump”.
Trump Supporters will never quit on President Trump. Democrats will try to "cancel" us!! Will not work!!! 75 millions Trump's supporters stand with the President. Do you hear me Mitch McConnell, Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger and Alyssa Farah
— TheLeoTerrell (@TheLeoTerrell) January 19, 2021
Other users on Twitter also voiced their opinions following Senator McConnell’s remarks:
Mitch McConnell's shameful attack on our president should disqualify him from leading Senate Republicans.
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) January 19, 2021
Mitch McConnell is knowingly LYING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, throwing Trump under the bus, destroying the @gop and putting the establishment over truth and Country. INSANE.
— 🇺🇸Maggie VandenBerghe🇺🇸 (@FogCityMidge) January 19, 2021
MITCH McCONNELL IS FINISHED.
— 🇺🇸Maggie VandenBerghe🇺🇸 (@FogCityMidge) January 19, 2021
Do they have something on @senatemajldr McConnell? Even for him this is low. He sold out every Republican voter to bow to the mob and their lies.
— 🇺🇸Maggie VandenBerghe🇺🇸 (@FogCityMidge) January 19, 2021
Mitch McConnell just blamed President Trump for "provoking" the attack on the Capitol building.
The Senate Majority Leader surely has access to *THIS* intelligence that proves once again it was *PRE-PLANNED.*
Explain how the speech provoked it, Mitch.🔻https://t.co/q7JzoPWk6h
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) January 19, 2021
(Related: Senator McConnell Rejects Reports That He Supports Dems Impeachment Efforts: Horrible Idea
