Republican responds to Trump pardons with strongly-worded press release — but no action

On Wednesday, Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) issued a statement slamming outgoing President Donald Trump's latest batch of pardons for former associates, calling it "rotten to the core."

Many commenters on social media, however, were unimpressed with Sasse's lack of concrete action — with many pointing out that Sasse did nothing when he had a chance to convict the president in the Senate for his corrupt behavior.

Does everyone remember when he didn't care about Trump's corruption? When he didn't vote to call witnesses? Me, too.
— Rachel Vindman (@natsechobbyist) December 24, 2020

Well, all this could have been avoided if the Senator did his job.
— Alain Maguy (@alain_maguy) December 24, 2020

and yet Sasse thought he learned his lesson and votes against holding himaccountable in his impeachment.
— MadKatzMum (@katz_mum) December 24, 2020

So brave of him to finally speak up now, instead of when it would have actually made a difference
— Lila F (@HuhnZauber) December 24, 2020

Too late. Ben Sasse helped Trump hide evidence so that Trump could discourage mask usage and other responsible behavior, get a lot of Americans killed, and do corrupt pardons.
— BarrDeceivedForTrump (@darinp2) December 24, 2020

Well Ben, that impeachment at the beginning of the year could have made this all avoidable if you guys had voted to impeach and remove. Choices have consequences, really rotten ones.
— Penny Biden2020 🌊🗳🦋 (@hellokitty11277) December 24, 2020

Sasse had a choice to stop this just under a year ago. He voted not to Convict.

Sasse and every other GOP Senator and House member who has supported Trump is complicit. They don't get to escape their part in this.
— anationforall (@anationforall) December 24, 2020