House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy will reportedly meet with former President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Thursday.
The reported meeting is being billed as a first step toward party unity after Senate Republicans overwhelmingly voted against proceeding with an impeachment trial against Trump, according to multiple outlets.
Only Sens. Mitt Romney of Utah, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Susan Collins of Maine, and Patrick Toomey of Pennsylvania defected, with the remaining 45 Republican members supporting Sen. Rand Paul’s motion to halt what the caucus claimed was an unconstitutional trial.
Republicans are divided about how to reprimand Trump in the wake of the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol Hill siege. McCarthy, a steadfast Trump ally, had previously floated the prospect of censuring the former president instead of proceeding with impeachment.
“Personally, I continue to believe that an impeachment at this time would have the opposite effect of bringing our country together when we need to get America back on a path towards unity and civility,” McCarthy wrote to fellow lawmakers in a letter obtained by the Washington Examiner. “Notwithstanding the Speaker’s push towards impeachment, I have heard … [of] at least four potential avenues available to the House to ensure that the events of January 6 are rightfully denounced and prevented from occurring in the future.”
While Democrats were initially near unanimity in their enthusiasm for impeachment and conviction, in light of the strong GOP opposition to a trial proceeding, at least some senators are open to pursuing censure as an alternative. Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, said that he is drafting a resolution censuring Trump for his role in the events that precipitated the attack.
“I think there’s maybe a little more interest [in a censure resolution] now and then could this be an alternative [to a failed impeachment],” Kaine said. “I’ve drafted something. I haven’t filed it yet because I’m trying to get other people’s ideas about what should be in it, but I’m hoping that we might find it, and it could be an alternative.”
The Senate would require 67 votes, including those of 17 Republicans, to convict Trump on the article of inciting an insurrection.
A representative for McCarthy did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
