‘Dirty Dozen’: The 12 Senate Republicans who voted against Trump’s national emergency on the border

As expected, the Senate voted 59-41 on a resolution Thursday blocking President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency on the southern border. While only four GOP votes were needed, what wasn’t expected is the number who aligned with Democrats.

Joining all 45 Democrats and the two independent senator’s who caucus with them –Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Angus King, I-Maine — in rebuking the president were 12 Republican senators.

The list of defectors included the usual moderate Republican suspects, who appear to have a new member among their ranks in Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and a few of the party’s more conservative senators — six of the lawmakers are on the Appropriations Committee.

And to be clear, their bravery only goes so far, as only one of the 12 GOP senators is up for reelection in 2020, Maine Sen. Susan Collins. As the last Republican lawmaker in New England, opposing Trump is likely to help her cause.

If there was a surprise Thursday, it was Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.,, who authored an op-ed in The Washington Post two weeks ago opposing the emergency declaration, only to flip at the last minute and vote against the resolution.

As you might guess, he is up for reelection in 2020 in a state Trump won by 3.6% of the vote — all of which suggests Tillis did some polling and didn’t like what he saw.

After suddenly determining that there is a “crisis at the border,” Tillis took to the Senate floor to say, “I will be voting against the resolution of disapproval,” according to The Hill.

(Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

With the measure passing in the Democrat-controlled House last month in a 245–182 vote, with 13 Republican defections, the legislation will now go to Trump’s desk for an anticipated veto.

President Trump took to Twitter after the vote to say he will veto the resolution.

“I look forward to VETOING the just passed Democrat inspired Resolution which would OPEN BORDERS while increasing Crime, Drugs, and Trafficking in our Country. I thank all of the Strong Republicans who voted to support Border Security and our desperately needed WALL!” he tweeted.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1106279613431508992

It will take two-thirds of the vote in both chambers to override the president’s likely veto, which would be the first of his presidency.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said Trump should consider himself  the victor, according to The Hill.

“The House is going to sustain his veto, so I think he ought to accept that as a win,” he said.

Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee, said in a tweet that the president is within his rights and should veto the resolution.

“We MUST secure our southern border. [Trump] campaigned on it, and he is within his full legal authority to declare a national emergency. This crisis can’t be ignored, and President Trump is right to veto this bill and protect America,” she tweeted.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., took to Twitter to offer an explanation of his vote for the resolution, pointing to the Constitution — never mind that nationally syndicated talk radio host Mark Levin, a constitutional scholar, said on Twitter recently: “Phony constitutionalist Rand Paul. Pathetic.”

“I stand with President Trump on the need for a border wall and stronger border security, but the Constitution clearly states that money cannot be spent unless Congress has passed a law to do so,” Paul tweeted Thursday.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla, did not offer an explanation on his Twitter feed, which is all but consumed with events in Venezuela.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, in a Senate floor speech, said his vote for the resolution “is not about the president,” according to KSL-TV.

“This isn’t about my disagreement with or disapproval of the president or his approach to border security or his approach to build a barrier along our southern border. I think all those things need to happen,” Lee said.

“But this law, Mr. President, is wrong. It’s not President Trump’s fault. It Congress’.”

Either way, the anti-Trump media was all over the repudiation, falsely interpreting it as a rejection of President Trump.

But former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee had a suggested nickname for those who opted to align with the Democrats: “Dirty Dozen.”

 

DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW

Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!

Success! Thank you for donating. Please share BPR content to help combat the lies.
Tom Tillison

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

BPR INSIDER COMMENTS

Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!

Latest Articles