Dave Kitzinger: Toomey must continue to do the right thing

One of the reasons I used to be Republican is that I thought of the GOP as the party of brass tacks. While Democrats had wild and ambitious ideas about how the world should be, Republicans always struck me as the ones who took what the world gave them and made the most of it. Now, I think a lot of the Republican Party is living in a fantasy world, but one proud exception is Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.

It seems strange to feel the need to actively thank an elected representative for following the rule of law and fulfilling his constitutional oath. But our government institutions are only as strong as the principles of the people tasked with guarding it.

Lately, Toomey has been honorable enough to voice truths that other Republican senators have avoided. Many of them have bolstered President Trump’s lie that the election was stolen from him. You can tell it’s a lie because everyone involved in actually running the election or counting the votes — Republicans, Democrats and independents — agrees that President Biden won fair and square. It’s only people who don’t know what they’re talking about, like the president, members of Congress and TV personalities, that say otherwise.

Toomey has not hidden the fact that he has supported Trump throughout his term as president. Toomey has not hidden that he wanted to see Trump reelected, nor that he himself voted for Trump for president this past November.

But Toomey refused to lie to his constituents in Pennsylvania the way so many other senators did. In the turbulent days following the election, he stayed firm and insisted that all Pennsylvanians’ votes be counted and verified before declaring a winner.

Following the certification of Georgia’s ballots in Biden’s favor, Toomey did three important things. He congratulated Biden and Kamala Harris, and therefore accepted and acknowledged their victory as Americans have done for 200 years. He committed to working with Biden in service to all Americans, and especially his constituents, because we elected him to serve our interests, not to perform and posture so he can run for president one day. Most importantly, he urged Trump to accept the outcome of the election. That was almost two months ago, and yet with Biden taking his oath of office, there are still Republican lawmakers who refuse to come back to reality.

When some of these elected officials decided to disenfranchise millions of American citizens — including every Pennsylvania voter — by opposing the counting of the Electoral College votes, Toomey was resolute, saying, “I intend to vigorously defend our form of government by opposing this effort to disenfranchise millions of voters in my state and others.”

But Sen. Toomey’s job isn’t done yet, and possibly most critical responsibility is yet to come. On Jan. 26, Toomey was one of only five Republican senators to vote against a motion to dismiss the impeachment trial.

It’s a fact that Trump incited a violent mob and directed them to the Capitol. The images of what happened next have become infamous not just in the U.S., but around the world.

This violent attack on democracy is the culmination of false election rhetoric from individuals who are supposed to be our most trusted public servants. This can’t be allowed to stand. To allow Trump to face no consequences for incitement would violate the very foundation of our democracy and cause untold harm to our republic. His actions since the Capitol riot have proved that he can’t be trusted with power ever again.

Sen. Toomey, take up the mantle once more in defense of the people of Pennsylvania. Please vote to convict and disqualify Trump. Do it for your own conscience, do it for the country, and do it for all Pennslyvanians.

Dave Kitzinger lives in Mt. Lebanon. He is a volunteer for Defending Democracy Together, an advocacy organization created by conservatives and Republicans.