GOP Sen. Ben Sasse slams Nebraska GOP over censure: 'Politics isn't about the weird worship of 1 dude'
Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) doesn't really care if the Nebraska Republican Party censures him for his lack of fealty to former President Donald Trump, he said in a video Thursday evening. The state GOP's central committee will vote on a "Resolution of Censure" against Sasse at its Feb. 13 meeting, News Channel Nebraska reported earlier Thursday. His listed offenses include "stated support of the impeachment" of Trump and "defamatory public statements" against Republican senators who challenged President Biden's electoral votes.
Sasse ostensibly directed his response to the state central committee, but his video also served as a sort of manifesto for traditional Republicanism against the ascendant pro-Trump wing of the party. Few Nebraska voters "are as angry about life as some of the people on this committee," he said, adding, "Political addicts don't represent most Nebraska conservatives."
"Something has definitely changed over the last four years, but it's not me," Sasse said. "Personality cults aren't conservative. Conspiracy theories aren't conservative. Lying that an election has been stolen, it's not conservative. Acting like politics is a religion? It isn't conservative." The Jan. 6 siege happened because Trump "lied to you" and because he "riled a mob that attacked the Capitol — many chanting 'hang Pence,'" Sasse said. He continued:
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Nebraskans aren't rage addicts — and that's good news. You are welcome to censure me again, but let's be clear about why this is happening: It's because I still believe, as you used to, that politics isn't about the weird worship of one dude. The party could purge Trump skeptics. But I'd like to convince you that not only is that civic cancer for the nation, it's just terrible for our party. [Sen. Ben Sasse]
Sasse would be only the latest Republican censured back home for being insufficiently pro-Trump.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Pipe bombs: The end of a conspiracy theory?Feature Despite Bongino and Bondi’s attempt at truth-telling, the MAGAverse is still convinced the Deep State is responsible
-
The robot revolutionFeature Advances in tech and AI are producing android machine workers. What will that mean for humans?
-
Health: Will Kennedy dismantle U.S. immunization policy?Feature ‘America’s vaccine playbook is being rewritten by people who don’t believe in them’
-
Hong Kong court convicts democracy advocate LaiSpeed Read Former Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai was convicted in a landmark national security trial
-
Australia weighs new gun laws after antisemitic attackSpeed Read A father and son opened fire on Jewish families at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing at least 15
-
How Bulgaria’s government fell amid mass protestsThe Explainer The country’s prime minister resigned as part of the fallout
-
Benin thwarts coup attemptSpeed Read President Patrice Talon condemned an attempted coup that was foiled by the West African country’s army
-
Femicide: Italy’s newest crimeThe Explainer Landmark law to criminalise murder of a woman as an ‘act of hatred’ or ‘subjugation’ but critics say Italy is still deeply patriarchal
-
Brazil’s Bolsonaro behind bars after appeals run outSpeed Read He will serve 27 years in prison
-
Americans traveling abroad face renewed criticism in the Trump eraThe Explainer Some of Trump’s behavior has Americans being questioned
-
UN Security Council backs Trump’s Gaza peace planSpeed Read The United Nations voted 13-0 to endorse President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to withdraw Israeli troops from Gaza
