GOP censure resolution was a fig leaf, but it said a lot

A remarkable document was introduced in the House of Representatives this week.

The resolution stated President Donald Trump:

• Tried “to unlawfully overturn the 2020 Presidential election ... violating his oath of office on January 6, 2021.”

• “repeatedly issued false statements asserting that the Presidential election results were the product of widespread fraud and should not be accepted by the American people or certified by State or Federal officials;”

• “made statements that, in context, encouraged — and foreseeably resulted in — lawless action at the Capitol ...”

• Sought “to subvert and obstruct the certification of the results of the 2020 Presidential election;”

• “gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government;”

• “threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power ...”

That reads like the article of impeachment passed by all the Democratic members of the House and 10 Republicans. It’s not. That’s from the resolution to censure Trump introduced by several GOP representatives.

The censure legislation contained virtually all the points — even some of the exact language — of the impeachment resolution that charged Trump with “incitement of insurrection.” The very big difference, of course, is censure is basically a reprimand.

Conviction by the Senate would remove him from office if it happened soon, but no trial is expected to get fully under way until he leaves next week. Still, after the fact, it could block him from seeking the presidency again and deny him some of the perks that go to former presidents.

Approval of the censure resolution, in effect, would have said Trump did it, but he just shouldn’t be punished for it. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, sought to build support among Republicans for such a resolution and offer it up as an alternative to impeachment.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, wasn’t having any of it. She said such a tradeoff would be an “abdication of our responsibility.”

How many Republicans would have embraced a censure resolution is unknown, at least publicly. But it likely would have been more — possibly a lot more — than the 10 who voted for impeachment.

That would have meant