Highlights:
Scott Said Trump Was “Simply Not Guilty” Of Inciting An Insurrection On January 6. According to Fox News, “Former President Donald Trump is ‘simply not guilty’ of inciting an insurrection against the United States government, Sen. Tim Scott R-S.C., told ‘America Reports’ on Monday.” [Fox News, 2/8/21]
Scott On January 6: “The One Person I Don’t Blame Is President Trump.” According to the Grio, “‘The president is simply not guilty,’ said Scott. ‘I was in the chamber when the rioters were coming over. I was taking my jacket off, my tie off, rolling my sleeves up, just in case I had to fight. The chances of me understanding and appreciating the severity of the situation is 100%. The one person I don’t blame is President Trump.’” [Grio, 2/15/21]
Scott Claimed The Blame Should Not Be On Trump Since He Told Insurrectionists To “Peacefully” Protest. According to Fox News, “Scott said while he appreciated and understood the severity of the situation, given that he was in the chamber when rioters stormed the Capitol, he felt culpability should be placed on those who broke inside the building, not Trump. ‘The Democrats should put the blame where it stands, where it should be,’ Scott said. ‘And it does not have to do with the president who said go ‘peacefully’ to protest.’” [Fox News, 2/8/21]
VIDEO: Scott Said That There Was No Need To 2020 Because Americans Were More Concerned About The Future. According to ABC News Live, “HOST: You stated flatly after the 2020 election that Joe Biden is the legitimate president, saying, of course, he is. Donald Trump denies that. Thirty-one percent of Republicans think Biden's election was legitimate. Does that concern you for the Republican Party? That they're denying something you said was true? […] SCOTT: I will simply say that the American people are more concerned about tomorrow than they are yesterday. And because of that, the race that we're seeing coming to light today is Joe Biden's four years versus Donald Trump's four years. We don’t need to litigate what happened in 2020.” [ABC News via YouTube, 1/18/24]
Scott Said That Trump Should Have Been More Careful With His Words Leading Up To January 6. According to Fox News, “Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., said President Trump should have been more careful with his words when pressed on his role around the Jan. 6 Capitol riot on ‘CBS Mornings’ Tuesday, but added the responsibility for his supporters' actions falls on those individuals. […] ‘But does the president have responsibility too, Senator?’ she asked. ‘Of course,’ Scott responded, adding, ‘I would say we all have the most responsibility for our own words.’ ‘This is easy for us to put the blame on someone else,’ he added. King earlier remarked that Trump had yet to ‘take responsibility’ for the riot and cited rioters who claimed they went to the Capitol that day because the former president called them there. ‘Doesn't the president have power? Don't his words have power, and shouldn't he be more careful with his words?’ King asked. ‘Yes,’ Scott responded, dismissing King's subsequent notion that Trump knew his supporters were armed.” [Fox News, 8/9/22]
2021: Scott Voted Against Convicting Former President Trump For Incitement Of Insurrection. In February 2021, according to Congressional Quarterly, Scott voted against the “conviction of the article of impeachment that would find President Donald Trump guilty of the charge of incitement of insurrection by ‘inciting violence against the government of the United States.’ The article of impeachment would state that Trump ‘repeatedly issued false statements’ asserting that the results of the 2020 presidential election were the product of widespread fraud and should not be accepted or certified. It would state that Trump made statements at a rally on Jan. 6, 2020, that ‘encouraged -- and foreseeably resulted in -- lawless action’ at the Capitol building during the certification of electoral college votes, during which protesters entered the Capitol, attacked law enforcement personnel, ‘menaced’ members of Congress and the vice president, and engaged in other ‘violent, deadly, destructive, and seditious acts.’ It would state that Trump’s conduct on Jan. 6 followed prior efforts ‘to subvert and obstruct’ the certification of 2020 presidential election results, including during a Jan. 2 phone call during which he urged Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to ‘find’ enough votes to overturn the state's presidential election results and ‘threatened Secretary Raffensperger if he failed to do so.’ It would state President Trump's ‘endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of government’ and that he ‘threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a coordinate branch of government.’” The vote was on the conviction of the article of impeachment. The Senate failed to acquire 2/3 the vote and acquitted former President Trump by a vote of 57-43. [Senate Vote 59, 2/13/21; Congressional Quarterly, 2/13/21; Congressional Actions, H. Res. 24]
2021: Scott Effectively Voted To Establish That Impeaching Trump Would Be Unconstitutional Because He Was A Private Citizen And No Longer The Sitting President Of The United States. In January 2021, Scott voted against tabling, thus killing, Sen. Rand Paul’s point of order which stated, according to Congressional Quarterly, “the ongoing impeachment proceeding is unconstitutional because it would try a private citizen, not a president, vice president or civil officer.” The vote was on a motion to table. The Senate agreed to the motion by a vote of 55-45, thus killed Senator Paul Rand’s point of order. [Senate Vote 8, 1/26/21; Congressional Quarterly, 1/26/21]
2021: Scott Voted Against Establishing The Procedures Of The Second Impeachment Trial Of Trump. In February 2021, Scott voted against a resolution which would, according to Congressional Quarterly, “establish time limits and other procedures for the second Senate impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump. The resolution would provide for four hours of debate followed by a vote on the constitutional jurisdiction of a court of impeachment to try a former president. If a majority of senators votes in the affirmative, it would then provide up to 16 hours over two session days for the presentation of opening arguments regarding the article of impeachment against Trump by House impeachment trial managers; 16 hours over two session days for opening arguments by Trump's legal team; and four hours for senators to question both parties. Following questioning, the resolution would provide for two hours of argument followed by a vote on whether consideration of any motion to subpoena witnesses or documents shall be in order. It would require that any trial witnesses subject to subpoenas be deposed before the Senate determines whether to call them for testimony, and it would require that provisions for the admission of evidence, issuance of subpoenas, arrangement of depositions and other issues related to discovery be determined by subsequent Senate resolutions. Finally, it would provide for up to four hours of final arguments, followed by a vote on the article of impeachment.” The vote was on passage. The Senate passed the resolution by a vote of 89-11. [Senate Vote 56, 2/9/21; Congressional Quarterly, 2/9/21; Congressional Actions, S. Res. 47]
2021: Scott Voted Against Organizing The Pre-Trial Proceedings For Donald Trump’s Second Impeachment, Which Would Establish Deadlines To File Trial Briefs And Establish February 9, 2021 As The Starting Day Of The Trial. In January 2021, Scott voted against a resolution which would, according to Congressional Quarterly, “organize pre-trial proceedings for the second impeachment of former President Donald Trump. It would establish deadlines for Trump and House impeachment managers to file trial briefs and provide for the trial to commence on February 9, 2021.” The vote was on passage. The Senate passed the resolution by a vote of 83-17. [Senate Vote 9, 1/26/21; Congressional Quarterly, 1/26/21; Congressional Actions, S.Res. 16]
Scott Defended His Vote Against Trump’s Impeachment, Claiming That Impeachment Would “Only Lead To More Hate.” According to Anderson Independent-Mail, “South Carolina's two Republican senators - Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott - both spoke against Trump's impeachment. ‘Supporting the impeachment of President Trump under these circumstances will do great damage to the institutions of government and could invite further violence at a time the President is calling for calm,’ said Graham in an emailed statement Wednesday. ‘The last thing the country needs is an impeachment trial of a president who is leaving office in one week.’ Scott said in an email Tuesday that ‘an impeachment vote will only lead to more hate and a deeply fractured nation.’” [Anderson Independent-Mail, 1/15/21]
2021: Scott Effectively Voted Against Establishing A National Commission To Investigate The January 6th Insurrection At The U.S. Capitol. In May 2021, according to Congressional Quarterly, Scott voted against the “motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on the Schumer motion to proceed to the bill that would establish a national commission to investigate facts and examine evidence related to the Jan. 6, 2021, ‘domestic terrorist attack’ on the U.S. Capitol.” The vote was a motion to invoke cloture. The Senate failed to acquire a 3/5 majority and rejected to the motion by a vote of 54-35. [Senate Vote 218, 5/28/21; Congressional Quarterly, 5/28/21; Congressional Actions, H.R. 3233]
June 2022: Scott: “I Have Not Watched The January 6 Hearings.” According to the Washington Post, “On Tuesday night, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) appeared on Fox News. Host Bret Baier asked the senator if he had been watching the hearings held by the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack at the Capitol and, if so, if he had learned anything new from them. ‘I have not watched the January 6 hearings,’ Scott said. ‘I was actually in the Senate when it happened. So I don’t need an education on what actually happened.’” [Washington Post, 6/23/22]
Scott Called The Hearings “Made For TV” Events Aimed At “Diverting The Public’s Attention.” According to the Washington Post, “[Scott] derided the hearings as a ‘made for TV’ event aimed more at ‘diverting the public’s attention and less to do with finding the truth.’” [Washington Post, 6/23/22]
2021: Scott Voted Against Objecting To Arizona’s Vote Count From The November 2020 Elections. In January 2021, according to Congressional Quarterly, Scott voted against an “objection to the counting of electoral votes from the state of Arizona during the joint session of Congress, on the grounds that they were not, under all of the known circumstances, regularly given.” The vote was on agreeing to the objection. The Senate rejected the motion by a vote of 6-93. [Senate Vote 1, 1/6/21; Congressional Quarterly, 1/6/21]
2021: Scott Voted Against Objecting To Pennsylvania’s Vote Count From The November 2020 Elections. In January 2021, according to Congressional Quarterly, Scott voted against an “objection to the counting of electoral votes from the state of Pennsylvania during the joint session of Congress, on the grounds that they were not, under all of the known circumstances, regularly given.” The vote was on agreeing to the objection. The Senate rejected the motion by a vote of 7-92. [Senate Vote 2, 1/7/21; Congressional Quarterly, 1/7/21]
Scott Spokesperson: “Of Course” Biden Was Legitimately Elected. According to the Washington Examiner, “A spokesperson for Sen. Tim Scott, a Republican from South Carolina, referred the Washington Examiner to a May 2 interview on CBS’s Face the Nation in which the senator said ‘of course’ Biden was legitimately elected.” [Washington Examiner, 6/4/21]
Scott On His Colleagues Who Objected To Election Results: “While Our Opinions Differ, I Do Not Doubt Their Good Intentions.” According to a press release from Senator Scott, “‘As I read the Constitution, there is no constitutionally viable means for the Congress to overturn an election wherein the states have certified and sent their Electors. Some of my colleagues believe they have found a path, and while our opinions differ, I do not doubt their good intentions to take steps towards stamping out voter fraud. Importantly, I disagree with their method both in principle and in practice. For their theory to work, Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats would have to elect Donald Trump president rather than Joe Biden. That is not going to happen, not today or any other day.’’ [Press Release, Senator Scott, 1/5/21]
Scott On Pence: “Absolutely He Did The Right Thing.” According to the Charleston Post and Courier, “Technically, the question was about whether Pence did the right thing on Jan. 6 in moving forward to certify the election Trump was challenging. But the undertone of the question was all Trump. The former president skipped the debate in favor of a pre-taped interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, but his fitness for office took center stage. Scott was the first to directly answer the question, and the first to defend Pence onstage. ‘Absolutely he did the right thing,’ Scott said, eliciting hushed thanks from Pence.’” [Charleston Post and Courier, 8/24/23]
Time Magazine Reported That Sources Close To Trump Were Mobilizing Against Scott Due To His Certification And Support Of Mike Pence In Certifying The Election. According to Time Magazine, “As Trump narrows his search for a second in command, some of his staunchest allies are mobilizing against Scott, sources close to Trump tell TIME. They cite the South Carolina lawmaker as among the dozens of Republican Senators who certified the 2020 election on Jan. 6, 2021. ‘There is no constitutionally viable means for Congress to overturn an election,’ Scott said the day before the vote. Scott has also defended former Vice President Mike Pence for defying Trump’s push to block the transfer of power. Last August, Scott said Pence ‘absolutely’ did the right thing on Jan. 6. [Time Magazine, 1/30/24]
VIDEO: Scott Said He Did Not Hold The Vast Majority Of Insurrectionists Responsible For January 6th. According to CNN, “SCOTT: Ninety-nine percent of the people who showed up were there to exercise their First Amendment rights. What I said then is what I’ll say now, I don’t hold those people at harm. I don’t hold them responsible for the actions of a few people. I do hold the few responsible.” [CNN, 1/22/24]
Scott Would Not Answer If He Would Have Certified The 2020 Election Results. According to CNN, “South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott on Sunday refused to say whether he would have certified the 2020 election results if he were vice president at the time, breaking with other high-profile Trump allies whose names have been floated as potential 2024 vice president picks. ‘I’m not going to answer hypothetical questions, No. 1, and I didn’t know that I was a vice president hopeful. Thank you very much, Jake, for letting me know where I am on the scale,’ Scott told CNN’s Jake Tapper on ‘State of the Union.’” [CNN, 2/18/24]