NC Republicans Make Their Move, Censure Sen. Richard Burr for Voting to Convict Trump in Impeachment Trial

North Carolina’s Republican Party voted to censure U.S. Sen Richard Burr tonight in an emergency vote via Zoom, two days after the Senator cast a “guilty” vote in former President Trump’s second impeachment trial.

Burr, who is in his third term and last term in the Senate, was one of seven Republican senators to vote guilty in Trump’s impeachment for inciting an insurrection related to the deadly Jan. 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol.

The vote by Burr was immediately met with condemnation Saturday from several North Carolina Republicans, including the chairman of the NC GOP and a candidate running for Burr’s seat in 2022 and the Wake County Republicans also issued an official censure on Monday.

Former U.S. House Rep Mark Walker is already a declared candidate and he called Burr’s vote “wrong.” In a fundraising appeal posted after the vote, Walker said that he’d be a “true conservative champion.”

In a tweet on Saturday, Walker praised one of Trump’s defense attorney’s when he exclaimed, “Michael Van Der Veen is on fire!”

Michael Van Der Veen is on fire!

— Mark Walker (@RepMarkWalker) February 13, 2021

Another potential Senate candidate, U.S. House Rep Ted Budd, expressed his displeasure with Burr’s vote as well. “I disagree with Sen. Burr’s vote, and the hardworking volunteers of the NC GOP are rightfully upset by it,” Budd said.

“All of us in elected leadership are accountable to our consciences, the Constitution, and our constituents. The sooner we unite behind our conservative ideals the better. So, let’s get to work building on the timeless principles of America First,” Budd added.

Kyshia Lineberger, a voting member of the NC GOP’s central committee, said of tonight’s vote that Burr “betrayed the trust of his constituents. They would not have wanted him to vote for conviction.”

Recently re-elected U.S. Sen Thom Tillis defended Burr in a statement when asked about the censure. “Richard Burr is a great friend and a great senator who has a distinguished record of serving the people of North Carolina. He voted his conscience,” the statement read.