Cassidy defends impeachment vote after primary election loss sought by Trump – WZTV
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by RAY LEWIS | The National News Desk
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HUNT VALLEY, Md. (TNND) — Sen. Bill Cassidy, the Louisiana Republican, is reportedly defending his vote to convict President Donald Trump on the 2021 impeachment charge related to the Jan. 6th insurrection.
The lawmaker, who recently lost his first primary election since attempting to remove Trump from office, told reporters Monday he was trying to uphold the Constitution. A congresswoman backed by Trump helped defeat Cassidy in the president's latest successful effort to take revenge on past political opponents.
“That may have cost me my seat, but who cares? I had the privilege of voting to uphold the Constitution. Isn’t that a great thing?” Cassidy said, according to NBC News. “When I die, if that’s put in my obituary—‘he voted to uphold the Constitution’—I’ll figure that that’s going to be a better obituary.”
The senator has long been one of Trump’s targets for his impeachment vote. Through his endorsement of Representative Julia Letlow, as well as a barrage of social media attacks, the president succeeded in unseating a past foe who has since aligned himself with the administration’s agenda.
“Bill Cassidy, after falsely using his ‘relationship’ with me during his political career, and winning Elections because of it, voted to impeach me on preposterous charges that were fake then, and now, are criminally insane!” Trump wrote in a Saturday Truth Social post. “His disloyalty to the man who got him elected is now a part of legend, and it’s nice to see that his political career is OVER!”
The impeachment article charged the president with inciting an insurrection. He encouraged his supporters during a Jan. 6 rally to stop the certification of the 2020 election, which he lost to Joe Biden. Many members of the crowd then stormed the Capitol, disrupting the ceremony and threatening members of Congress.
Cassidy voted with six other Republicans to convict Trump, who he said at the time was guilty of violating the country’s highest laws.
“Do we put one person above the Constitution, or do we say, no, everybody is subject to the same Constitution and that’s what we adhere to?” Cassidy explained. “I think, as the facts are known, more and more folks will move to that position, not the former position.”
The president was acquitted after receiving 57 conviction votes, 10 short of the two-thirds majority required. Trump has since pardoned many of the Jan. 6 rioters, which he promised on the campaign trail, and assailed officials who pursued charges against him and his supporters.
Do you have questions, concerns or tips? Send them to Ray at rjlewis@sbgtv.com.
