A group of 12 GOP lawmakers will soon face calls for resignation as the Republican Accountability Project (RAP) of anti-Trump group Defending Democracy Together plans to put up numerous billboards across the country accusing them of inciting the violence at Capitol Hill on 6 January, and urging them to resign over the alleged lies about election fraud. The RAP plans to spend around $1 million on the billboards and, according to their interview with Politico, it will be only a part of a larger $50 million campaign organised by "Never Trump" groups seeking the conviction of the former President in Senate trial.
The 12 Republicans who will be targeted in the campaign, all voted against certifying the election results in Congress and supported Donald Trump's claims that the 2020 election had been rigged against him. The list includes Senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Josh Hawley of Missouri and 10 House Republicans including Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California's 23rd District and newly elected congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia's 14th District. Billboards for the senators will appear state-wide and for the representatives, in the district which elected them.
"[Billboards will target] people who are the most enthusiastic about lying to their constituencies about the election being stolen. The goal is to not allow these officials to memory-hole the fact that they pushed this lie, which incited the attack on the Capitol", executive director of the Republican Accountability Project, Sarah Longwell, stated.
It is unclear how effective the billboard campaign will be with some of the targeted representatives not up for election for three years and Trump's trial in the split Senate being set to kick off on 9 February. The former president will be examined on impeachment charges of "inciting insurrection" after House Democrats accused him of being responsible for the 6 January storming of the Congress' building by pro-Trump protesters.
The riot was preceded by a pro-Trump rally in Washington DC during which the former president repeated his allegations that the election had been stolen from him. Nevertheless, Trump was among the first to condemn the actions of the rioters and called on them to remain peaceful. Trump denied being responsible for the storming of the Congress. The violence left five people dead including one Capitol Police officer. The riot only delayed the election confirmation process which was meant to take place that day but eventually was voted for on 7 January.