Senate Republicans will help fracture the Republican Party if they acquit Donald Trump of inciting the deadly January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol, according to a former Trump staffer-turned-critic.

Trump’s impeachment trial in the Senate this week got underway this week for his role in inciting the the storming of the Capitol which left several people dead, including Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick.

Despite that, Sen Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and a majority of Senate Republicans appear willing to let Trump off.

“You know, the setup right now from people like Senator Graham and others is to sweep this under the rug, focus on the 2022 congressional election, make the bet that their base will forget about this and independents and moderates will be apathetic towards it,” said Anthony Scaramucci, who briefly served as White House communications director for Trump before turning to become an outspoken critic.

“I think they’re making the wrong decision, however, because that party’s about to splinter into two pieces. I think what’s happened over the last three or four days has fortified a very large group of people that were former Republicans that are like, ‘Okay, if you’re not going to put this guy’s lights out based on the evidence and you’re not going to make him guilty or convict him of this impeachment, of these crimes, that party’s going to split into two pieces,'” Scaramucci added. “And again, I don’t know if it’s going to be 60/40, 70/30, it’s not really going to matter because it will split enough where the party will be diluted and completely weakened.”

In an on-air interview, CNN host Chris Cuomo asked Scaramucci if he’s one of that group. “I am part of it, yes, working very hard on it right now,” Scaramucci said.

When Cuomo accused him about being “secretive” about his efforts, Scaramucci replied, “I’m not being secretive.”

“A little bit. You’re talking about ‘they,’ ‘them,’ ‘they.’ You know. You know exactly what’s going on, you’re part of the group,” Cuomo said.

“Yeah, well, I’m bringing it up on your show. I mean, we’re working on it right now,” Scaramucci said.

“You got a name?

“Working on it. Working on it. It will all unfold. Listen, there’s people like myself, I’m not ready give up my Republican registration yet. I still hope against hope here that they will do the right thing and figure out a way to knit the party back together, and people like [Rep Adam] Kinzinger and [Sens Mitt] Romney and [Ben] Sasse and [Lisa] Murkowski will win the day and that leadership will guide people to the right conclusion here,” Scaramucci said.

“But you know, you’ve got a very strong, fervent, cult-like, magnetic draw to this party, and you’ve got all of that bluster and intimidation, which makes me laugh as a New Yorker that these people are honestly intimidated by Donald Trump. But whatever, we’re here now,” he added. “But I see that party splintering, Chris. If you’re asking me for a prediction on the air, I see them acquitting him, and I see 5 to 20 percent of that party breaking off and starting a new party. It will be a center-right party that will be cooperative with the Democrats, and it will liquidate the nonsense on the far-right.”

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