02-05-2021, 02:51 AM
Sasse is standing his ground. In the video released Thursday, he blamed Trump for inciting the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol that left a police officer and four others dead.
“Now, many of you are hacked off that I condemned his lies that led to a riot. Let’s be clear: the anger in the state party has never been about me violating principle or abandoning conservative policy. I’m one of the most conservative voters in the senate. The anger has always simply been about me not bending the knee to one guy,” Sasse said, looking directly at the camera to address state party officials.
Sasse called the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol “ugly," and said the “shameful mob violence to disrupt a constitutionally mandated meeting of the Congress to affirm … peaceful transfer of power” was a result of Trump spreading lies about the results of the 2020 election.
“It happened because the president lied to you. He lied about the election results for 60 days, despite losing 60 straight court challenges, many of them handed down by wonderful Trump-appointed judges,” Sasse said.
He said Trump also lied by saying then-Vice President Mike Pence could simply violate his constitutional oath by declaring him, instead of now-President Biden, the winner.
“That wasn’t true,” Sasse said.
“He then riled a mob that attacked the capitol, many chanting, ‘Hang Pence.’ If that president were a Democrat, we both know how you’d respond. But because he had 'Republican' behind his name, you’re defending him,” Sasse added, rebuking his critics.
“Now, many of you are hacked off that I condemned his lies that led to a riot. Let’s be clear: the anger in the state party has never been about me violating principle or abandoning conservative policy. I’m one of the most conservative voters in the senate. The anger has always simply been about me not bending the knee to one guy,” Sasse said, looking directly at the camera to address state party officials.
Sasse called the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol “ugly," and said the “shameful mob violence to disrupt a constitutionally mandated meeting of the Congress to affirm … peaceful transfer of power” was a result of Trump spreading lies about the results of the 2020 election.
“It happened because the president lied to you. He lied about the election results for 60 days, despite losing 60 straight court challenges, many of them handed down by wonderful Trump-appointed judges,” Sasse said.
He said Trump also lied by saying then-Vice President Mike Pence could simply violate his constitutional oath by declaring him, instead of now-President Biden, the winner.
“That wasn’t true,” Sasse said.
“He then riled a mob that attacked the capitol, many chanting, ‘Hang Pence.’ If that president were a Democrat, we both know how you’d respond. But because he had 'Republican' behind his name, you’re defending him,” Sasse added, rebuking his critics.
