Democrat: GOP colleagues say they’re ‘afraid for their lives’ if they vote to impeach Trump

Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) said Republicans he spoke with on Tuesday evening wept and told him they fear for their personal safety as they weigh whether to vote in favor of impeachment of President Trump this week. 

“The majority of them are paralyzed with fear,” Crow said Wednesday on MSNBC. “I had a lot of conversations with my Republican colleagues last night. A couple of them actually broke down in tears talking to me, and saying that they are afraid for their lives if they vote for this impeachment.”

Crow, who did not name the lawmakers, said he told them “welcome to the club.” 

“That’s leadership. Our country is in a very challenging time. Many of us have felt that way for a long time because we have stood up for democracy,” he said. “And we expect them to do the same.” 

WATCH: Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) says majority of GOP “paralyzed with fear” @RepJasonCrow: “I had a lot of conversations with my Republican colleagues. … A couple of them broke down in tears … saying that they are afraid for their lives if they vote for this impeachment.” pic.twitter.com/ESEu40WW1P

— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) January 13, 2021

House Democrats introduced an article of impeachment against Trump on Tuesday, accusing him of “inciting insurrection” against the government after a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol a week ago as a joint session of Congress met inside to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory. 

Several prominent House Republicans, including the third most powerful member of the party’s leadership, Rep. Liz Cheney (Wyo.), said they would vote to impeach Trump. 

“Much more will become clear in coming days and weeks, but what we know now is enough,” Cheney said. “The president of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob and lit the flame of this attack. Everything that followed was his doing. None of this would have happened without the president.”

However other Republican allies of Trump in the House have said this week’s impeachment push is rushed, partisan and would only further divide the country. 

Crow described those members as “morally bankrupt” and said they have “given into conspiracy theories” about election fraud and Trump’s false claims of a “stolen” election. 

Earlier on Wednesday, Crow appeared on CNN’s “New Day” and said he had spoken with over a dozen Republicans who told him “we know we should do this. We need to do this,” in reference to impeaching Trump. 

JUST NOW: “I’ve talked to over a dozen that said that they know that they need to do this, that they should do this.”

Dem @RepJasonCrow on Republicans voting to impeach Trump.

He adds: “It should be all of them.”@NewDay pic.twitter.com/xYD91ySa2K

— John Berman (@JohnBerman) January 13, 2021

Since last week’s riot, security in and around the Capitol has been increased with metal detectors placed in House hallways and dozens of armed National Guard troops deployed to the Capitol complex. 

Federal authorities are continuing to investigate what led to the rioting last week, saying they believe it was the intention of some activists to capture or kill lawmakers who broke with Trump, including Vice President Pence. 

A newly sworn in House Republican from Michigan, Rep. Peter Meijer, wrote in an op-ed for the Detroit News over the weekend that he wished he had brought his gun to Washington, D.C., to protect himself during the insurrection. 

“The illusion of security, of the sanctity of our constitutional order, collapsed. With guns drawn, police ordered us to evacuate, leading to chaos as we fled down corridors and into the tunnels beneath Capitol Hill. Several times our group of lawmakers found ourselves alone, with no police escort, fearful of what threats might lie around the next corner,” Meijer wrote in the Detroit Newsover the weekend. “I have been called a traitor more times than I can count. I regret not bringing my gun to D.C.” 

Trump has largely rejected blame for last week’s riot, saying the speech he gave before the incident was “totally appropriate” and dismissing House Democrats’ impeachment push as a “continuation” of a “hoax.” 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has signaled support for Trump’s impeachment, saying such a measure would make purging him from the Republican Party easier.