Pennsylvania GOP Will Meet Again To Discuss Toomey, Vote
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A state Republican Party meeting in Pennsylvania to discuss whether to censure U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey recessed late Wednesday night without resolution after roughly five hours because of technical difficulties in counting votes, committee members on the call said. Party officials are taking Toomey to task for his vote to convict Donald Trump during the former president's second impeachment trial.
Toomey's vote - and his earlier assessment that Trump had committed "impeachable offenses" in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol - set off a wave in Pennsylvania of pro-Trump county and local party condemnations of Toomey.
The video meeting involved the question of whether to censure Toomey, along with top Democratic officials in Pennsylvania, including Gov. Tom Wolf, or to express disappointment and disagreement with Toomey's vote to convict Trump, members on the call said. Toomey appeared on the meeting to defend himself, as did U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, a Trump supporter, they said.
The state party brass have remained silent publicly about the meeting, and did not release a date to continue it, members said.
A censure vote is a symbolic gesture that may have no real effect on Toomey, who announced in October that he will not run again for office.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press.