McConnell To GOP Senators: Vote Your Conscience

Bloomberg News reports:

Mitch McConnell is signaling to Senate Republicans that he will not be holding them to uniform opposition of the incitement of insurrection charge against Trump. That would free GOP Senators to vote to convict — as a handful of them are strongly leaning — without any fear of punishment within the conference.

It could also remove pressure from some Senate Republicans who have, so far, voted against the constitutionality of the trial.

The Kentucky Republican has also suggested that he hasn’t made up his mind how he’ll vote, two of the people said, even though he voted Tuesday to declare it unconstitutional for the Senate to hear the case against a former president.

Meaningless to the final outcome.

Senate GOP’s @LeaderMcConnell in a private mtg on eve of Trump impeachment trial again conveyed that the final vote is up to each senator, and they should listen to the lawyers’ arguments before deciding whether to vote to convict, several sources tell me.https://t.co/6roY1OWPfO

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) February 10, 2021

Report: McConnell Leaves Door Open To Convicting Trump Amid Ex-POTUS’ Clownish Defense https://t.co/HmIATaWLV9 pic.twitter.com/j5XZBqsnvV

— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) February 10, 2021