Senator Rand Paul warned that a third of the Republicans would leave the party if GOP senators go along with Democrats to convict President Donald Trump in a second impeachment trial.
In an interview with Fox News, Paul said that the efforts to impeach the president were “purely a partisan thing.”
He continued: “I didn’t agree with the fight that happened last week, and I voted against overturning the election. But at the same time, the impeachment is a wrongheaded, partisan notion.”
He added: “But if Republicans go along with it, it will destroy the party. A third of the Republicans will leave the party.”
The President was impeached by the House on Wednesday after being charged with “incitement of insurrection” following the U.S. Capitol riot that left five people dead.
10 House Republicans voted for Trump’s impeachment and he became the first US president to be impeached twice.
According to reports, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told his Republican colleagues that Trump’s impeachment trial will be a “vote of conscience.”
McConnell said that he hasn’t made a decision on whether to convict Trump.
“His message to me was this would clearly be a vote of conscience,” said North Dakota Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer. “He’s always been respectful of members that way.”
Paul continued: “This isn’t about, anymore, the Electoral College, this is about the future of the party, and whether you’re going to ostracize and excommunicate President Trump from the party.
“Well, guess what? Millions of his fans will leave as well.”
Trump will leave office on Wednesday and has announced that he will not attend President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.
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