"There's no question, none, that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day," McConnell said shortly after the 57-43 Senate vote that ended in the former president's acquittal. "The people who stormed this building believed they were acting on the wishes and instructions of their president," he said, "and having that belief was a foreseeable consequence of the growing crescendo of false statements, conspiracy theories & reckless hyperbole which the defeated president kept shouting."
But McConnell said impeachment is a "limited tool" and that Trump is not "constitutionally eligible for conviction." "The Constitution gives us a particular role. This body is not invited to act as the nation's overarching moral tribunal," he said.
The Kentucky Republican's comments come just weeks after he delivered a pointed rebuke of Trump on the Senate floor for fomenting the deadly US Capitol insurrection. Though McConnell voted to acquit Trump anyway, he called the former President's actions that preceded the riot "a disgraceful, disgraceful dereliction of duty."
In response, Trump ripped McConnell in a lengthy statement, calling him "a dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack."
"He will never do what needs to be done, or what is right for our Country. Where necessary and appropriate, I will back primary rivals who espouse Making America Great Again and our policy of America First. We want brilliant, strong, thoughtful, and compassionate leadership," Trump said.
"Former President Trump's actions preceding the riot were a disgraceful dereliction of duty. The House accused the former President of 'incitement.' That is a specific term from the criminal law. Let me put that to the side for one moment and reiterate something I said weeks ago: There is no question that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of that day.
"[On Jan. 6] the people who stormed this building believed they were acting on the wishes and instructions of their President. And their having that belief was a foreseeable consequence of the growing crescendo of false statements, conspiracy theories, and reckless hyperbole which the defeated President kept shouting into the largest megaphone on planet Earth."
"If President Trump were still in office, I would have carefully considered whether the House managers proved their specific charge. But in this case, that question is moot. Because former President Trump is constitutionally not eligible for conviction.
"But this just underscores that impeachment was never meant to be the final forum for American justice. Impeachment, conviction, and removal are a specific intra-governmental safety valve. We have a criminal justice system in this country. We have civil litigation. And former Presidents are not immune from being held accountable by either one.
"I believe the Senate was right not to grab power the Constitution does not give us. A Senate verdict before Inauguration Day was never possible. But the Senate has done our duty. The framers' firewall held up again. On January 6th, we returned to our posts and certified the election, uncowed."
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The above quotations are from January 6, 2021 riot at United States Capitol and follow-up investigations.
Click here for other excerpts from January 6, 2021 riot at United States Capitol and follow-up investigations. Click here for other excerpts by Mitch McConnell. Click here for a profile of Mitch McConnell.
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