On Saturday (13), U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) issued remarks condemning Trump (R-Ky.), saying he was responsible for the Jan. 6 congressional riots. The Republican Party of Nelson County, Kentucky (Nelson County) issued a statement Tuesday (16), calling for McConnell’s resignation as Senate Republican leader.
Don Thrasher, chairman of the Nelson County Republican Party, said in a written statement Tuesday, “I will not take this action lightly, and I understand the consequences of doing so.” He also mentioned that he had received a statement from Trump about McConnell’s leadership position. “As the highest-ranking Republican in that position and at the highest level, you (McConnell) are, in effect, the leader of the national Republican Party.” Thrasher said.
“The vast majority of Republicans in Nelson County are not on your side on this issue, and I am speaking on their behalf.”
He also wrote that McConnell’s “leadership position does not represent the Republican voters who believed in you in the last primary,” before calling for the Senate Republican leader’s resignation.
McConnell’s office was contacted for comment. McConnell has yet to respond publicly after Trump released that statement.
On Tuesday night, Trump issued a statement through his Save America super PAC calling on Republican senators to dump McConnell and suggesting that Republican incumbents would face a major challenge.
“Where necessary and appropriate, I will endorse key contenders who support ‘Make America Great Again’ and ‘America First’ policies. We need leaders who are exceptional, strong, thoughtful and compassionate.” Trump said in the statement.
He also mentioned McConnell’s Family‘s interest in the Chinese Communist Party through his wife, Elaine Chao. Chao’s family owns a shipping company that reportedly has close ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
In a statement, Trump said, “McConnell has no credibility on China because of his family’s large Chinese business holdings. He has done nothing to address this huge economic and military threat (to the Chinese Communist Party).”
Trump also said in the statement that McConnell is out of touch with the Republican voter base.
Trump said McConnell was responsible for the loss of Republican control of the Senate because he would not support Trump’s request to issue a $2,000 relief check. Democrats later weaponized Trump’s demand and made the $2,000 bailout a proposal during the party’s campaign, according to the statement.
Last month, the Nelson County Republican Party harshly rebuked McConnell for speaking on the Senate floor and denouncing Trump’s Jan. 6 speech to supporters.
On Saturday, in a Senate impeachment hearing, McConnell voted to find Trump not guilty, but then condemned Trump for being “physically and morally responsible” for the Jan. 6 congressional riots, suggesting he could face civil or criminal penalties for his speech to supporters on the day of the riots.
In the speech, Trump asked supporters to make their voices heard “peacefully and patriotically” as they protested election fraud near the Capitol.
Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University, said in an interview on Fox & Friends Weekend that Trump’s “speech itself does not provide a clear basis for charges of rioting or incitement. He “told supporters to march peacefully near Congress …… and did not call for a riot”. The company’s main business is to promote the development of the company’s products and services.
Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron Johnson, a Republican, said in an interview with U.S. radio host Jay Weber on Monday (15) that McConnell’s views were his own and did not represent the views of most Republicans.
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