The Ohio Republican Party censured Representative Anthony Gonzalez on Friday and known as for his resignation for voting to question former President Donald J. Trump in January.
Bob Paduchik, the chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, known as Mr. Trump’s impeachment “an unconstitutional, politically motivated process that served no purpose.”
“Republicans and Democratic members alike have the right to vote in any way they so choose,” Mr. Paduchik mentioned in a press release. “This committee also has a right to stand on principle and conviction.”
Mr. Gonzalez is the most recent Republican lawmaker to face backlash for voting to impeach Mr. Trump for inciting the lethal Jan. 6 riot on the Capitol, becoming a member of simply 9 different House Republicans. State Republican events have additionally voted to censure Senators Richard Burr of North Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana for voting to convict Mr. Trump within the Senate.
The censure vote additionally comes as Republicans attempt to oust Representative Liz Cheney from their management ranks. Ms. Cheney, who voted to question Mr. Trump in January, has been vocal about desirous to distance the Republican Party from the former president and his election lies.
After the Capitol riot, Mr. Gonzalez mentioned he had spent days making an attempt to make sense of the occasion and had concluded that Mr. Trump “helped organize and incite a mob that attacked the United States Congress.”
“During the attack itself, the president abandoned his post while many members asked for help, thus further endangering all present,” Mr. Gonzalez said at the time. “These are fundamental threats not just to people’s lives but to the very foundation of our republic.”
Mr. Gonzalez’s workplace did not reply to a request for remark.
His main challenger, the previous Trump aide Max Miller, lauded the censure vote on Friday and mentioned the Ohio Republican Party was holding Mr. Gonzalez accountable for “abandoning his constituents.” Mr. Trump has endorsed Mr. Miller.
“Regardless if he resigns or not, we are going to continue spreading our strong, pro-Trump, America First message to every corner of this district,” Mr. Miller wrote on Twitter.
The censure vote additionally drew reward from Republican main candidates in Ohio’s Senate race, which can be crucial in determining control of the chamber in 2022.
Josh Mandel, a former Ohio state treasurer, wrote in a tweet on Friday, “Anthony Gonzalez should be eradicated from the Republican Party.” He additionally criticized his opponent Jane Timken for initially defending Mr. Gonzalez.
“I fully agree with the censure of Anthony Gonzalez,” Ms. Timken, a former chairwoman of the Ohio Republican Party, wrote on Twitter on Friday. “The impeachment was a sham that betrayed the Constitution and went against Ohioans’ interests.”
