The Republican State Committee has scheduled a special meeting to "consider the issues arising out of the impeachment and the path for our party going forward." It is speculated that some action may be taken against Senator Toomey for his vote to convict President Trump. I am a former member of the Republican State Committee rather than a current member, so I don't have a vote. That being said, I am an active Republican and certainly have an opinion.
First of all, I am unapologetically a Trump supporter. I supported him in both of his elections. I was asked by members of the Trump campaign to run for Alternate Delegate to the Republican National Convention and was endorsed by the Trump campaign. I am an election law lawyer and was engaged by the Trump campaign to work on litigation both in the federal district court and in the U.S. Supreme Court.
President Trump was an effective president. He was the first President since Reagan to actually decrease the size of government. He fought the bureaucracy and made progress in necessary deregulation. The economy improved beyond Obama's wildest dreams. The economy is complicated, but anyone who denies that the Trump tax cuts and the confidence that business had in his administration had a major positive impact is just looking through partisan lenses. Most importantly to me, he remade the federal judiciary, which will benefit us for years to come.
That being said, I did not agree with every policy. I certainly thought that many of his statements and actions were inappropriate and got in the way of what could have been even more progress. You have to make choices, though, and the choice to support President Trump in both elections was actually pretty easy.
I would have voted to acquit President Trump. I would have done so first because I believe that the trial of a former president is unconstitutional (although I understand that there is a split constitutional scholars on that issue). I watched his speech and believe not only that he was fully within his protected First Amendment rights but also that nothing in the speech could be construed as an incitement of insurrection. Further, the riot that ensued did not meet the legal definition of an insurrection.
Do not conclude from this that I felt that President Trump acted appropriately. I was disappointed on many levels in his speech. Not his finest moment. And I feel strongly that every person who pushed through any barrier deserves to spend some number of years in prison. Some should never see the light of day again.
Senator Toomey voted to convict President Trump in his second impeachment trial. He has written an explanation of his vote. While I disagree with his conclusion, his statement was not a snap judgment and was well thought out. I would expect nothing less of Senator Toomey and the man I have followed through his career in Congress.
It would be inappropriate for the Republican State Committee to take action or to censure Senator Toomey. Some are calling the senator a RINO (Republican in name only). Seriously? There is no one - NO ONE - who is as respected and effective in congress on economic and fiscal issues as Senator Toomey. The only reason that President Trump got his tax cuts passed was because of the senator's work. He has been a lion fighting for conservative values in financial matters, social issues and national defense. He has done what he said. He self-limited himself to three terms as a congressman and kept his promise. He was one of the few politicians to stand up and call for harsh action against those who looted Philadelphia and assaulted our police officers. Did I agree with him on every issue? Of course not. But on every issue he never failed to have solid reasons for his vote.
Another reason to take no action adverse to Senator Toomey is that it is bad politics. How does this action help us win elections? It does not. It does the opposite. Not all Republicans are ever going to agree on every issue. I understand that this is a big issue, but it is not the only matter that we should be concerned about. We can't govern unless we are elected. Actions such as this simply fracture the party and inevitably lead to electoral losses. With losses come governmental policies that many of those calling for the senator's head will not like.
I urge the Republican State Committee to walk away from any action on this and focus on winning elections this year.
Matt Wolfe is a Republican Ward Leader in West Philadelphia
