“They Were Afraid of What Trump Supporters Might Do to Their Families”: GOP House Members Voted Against Impeaching Trump Out of Fear, Says Romney

William FurneyNov 2, 2023

Minute Read

Some House Republicans were so fearful of what would happen to them and their families that they voted against impeaching president Donald Trump for a second time, even though they wanted to, Senator Mitt Romney is reported to have said.

New Book Claim

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The Utah senator’s claim is detailed in an extract from a new biography about him, Romney: A Reckoning.

“One Republican congressman confided to Romney that he wanted to vote for Trump’s second impeachment, but chose not to out of fear for his family’s safety,” writes author McKay Coppins, a journalist with The Atlantic.

‘Risking Family for Vote’

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Coppins goes on: “The congressman reasoned that Trump would be impeached by House Democrats with or without him — why put his wife and children at risk if it wouldn’t change the outcome?”

Other Members’ MAGA Fears

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The congressman was not the only House Republican worried for their safety and that of their family should they vote to impeach Trump, the book says. They feared retaliatory violence from hardcore MAGA — Make America Great Again, Trump’s campaign slogan — supporters.

“Later, during the Senate trial, Romney heard the same calculation while talking with a small group of Republican colleagues. When one senator, a member of leadership, said he was leaning toward voting to convict, the others urged him to reconsider. You can’t do that, Romney recalled someone saying. Think of your personal safety, said another. Think of your children. The senator eventually decided they were right.”

Trump Impeachments

Trump was impeached in December 2019 on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, but he was acquitted by the Republican-majority Senate the following February. Following tumultuous events that occurred after the 2020 presidential election in which Joe Biden defeated Trump, notably deadly rioting at the US Capitol, the House voted to impeach Trump an historic second time, for inciting an insurrection. He was also acquitted by the Senate.

‘Biggest Revelation’

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For the book’s author, Romney’s disclosure that violent threats ran through the Republican Party was surprising.

“One of the biggest revelations to me in my conversations with Romney was just how important the threat of political violence was to the psychology of elected Republicans today,” Coppins said.

‘Fear-Based Decision’

Coppins suggested American democracy was in peril if politicians were voting out of fear of violence and not making the choices they felt were right.

“They were afraid of what Trump supporters might do to them or to their families” and it “raises a really uncomfortable question: How long can the American project last if elected officials from one of the major parties are making their political decisions based on fear of physical violence from their constituents?”

Biden Impeachment Inquiry

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House Republicans are holding hearings into the possibility of impeaching President Biden, over allegations of bribery connected to overseas payments to businesses set up by his son Hunter. They have so far presented no evidence to suggest Biden personally received funds from foreign corporations, Democrats argue, saying the charges against Biden are baseless.

Trump Running Again

After his 2020 election loss, Trump is once again running for the White House — and wants to see his likely rival, Biden, impeached without delay.

Trump Rage

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Trump said on his Truth Social account that there was no inquiry into his impeachment — a false claim — and vented fury at what he sees as House Republicans delays in getting proceedings against Biden going.

“I NEVER HAD AN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY, I HAD AN IMPEACHMENT, WHICH I WON! IT WAS STARTED IMMEDIATELY, NO MEETINGS, NO STUDY, NO DELAYS. THE LUNATIC FASCISTS & MARXISTS PLAY THE GAME DIFFERENTLY. THEY ARE OUT TO DESTROY AMERICA. MAGA!”

Trump and Biden

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Both Trump, 77, and Biden, 80, have sizable leads over rivals in their parties seeking the nomination for next year’s presidential race, and are likely to be selected in primaries early next year. Both men are facing questions from within their parties and also from voters over their age. Biden in particular has been singled out as perhaps too elderly given issues he has had while walking and also giving speeches.

Trump’s Big Problems

Trump faces significant legal hurdles on his possible way back to the White House, after he was indicted four times, including over the 2020 election. He’s fighting a total of 91 criminal charges that carry hefty jail terms, and he also risks losing control of his Trump Organization property empire due to an ongoing court case in Manhattan alleging fraud.