Maine GOP to Consider Censuring Collins for Vote to Convict Trump

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Feb 17, 2021

Add Senator Susan Collins to the list of senators facing possible censure in their home states for voting to convict former President Trump at the recently completed impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate.

According to multiple reports Maine’s Republican Party is planning to consider censuring Collins over her vote.

County GOP chairs were to meet Monday, according to the state’s Republican Party Executive Director Jason Savage. He added any comment will wait until “after matters are discussed by the county chairs.”

The meeting’s agenda was to include discussion on how to “respond” to Collins, who joined six Republican colleagues in voting to convict the former president for his supposed role in inciting protesters to riot the Capitol on January 6th.

Maine GOP Chair Demi Kouzounas emailed members Saturday saying “many of you are upset after what happened today as are we” and “to be prepared for an emergency state committee meeting in the near future” to discuss Collins’ vote.

Waldo County GOP Chair Katrina Smith told local media in Maine that Collins had listened to county Republicans’ thoughts on impeachment last week ahead of the vote. Smith said county leaders were “100 percent against impeachment.”

“My vote in this trial stems from my own duty to defend the Constitution of the United States,” Collins said from the Senate floor defending her vote. “The abuse of power and betrayal of his oath by President Trump meet the constitutional standard of high crimes and misdemeanors.”

The Louisiana Republican Party censured Senator Bill Cassidy over the weekend, several county-level Pennsylvania GOP parties censured Senator Pat Toomey and the North Carolina Republican Party on Monday censured Sen. Richard Burr for their votes to convict Trump.

Utah Republicans are currently working to censure Senator Mitt Romney as a result of his vote.