On the other line was House Republican Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana, who didn't think he actually intended to impeach the then-President. "There's a firestorm," said Katon Dawson, a former South Carolina GOP chairman and Rice ally. Some of the Trump supporters were dressed in tactical gear, armed with zip-ties. The South Carolina Republican Party voted last month to formally censure Rice. State legislators, including Rep. Russell Fry, a member of the South Carolina House GOP leadership, are now considering bids for his seat.

Source: The Nation February 15, 2021 10:52 UTC