In recent weeks, our ex-president's associates have tried to use the 74 million Americans who voted to re-elect him as a kind of human shield against criticism.
Anyone who decries his awful behavior is accused of insulting millions of voters.
That is an absurd deflection.
-Mitch McConnell, Feb 14, 2021 on the senate floor
I don't mean to pick on you, however, I do want to make a distinction. Trump is not fit to serve the office and it bothers me as an American that he is even in the race. If the Republican Party nominates anyone else, then I wouldn't object if my fellow Americans vote them into office. But Donald Trump should not still be a free man, and it is gross that his party continues to enable him. Why can't we agree that Trump should not be eligible? The big lie, the insurrection, the attempted coup, putting himself before his oath, he should have been thrown out of office on Jan 6th, impeached, barred from future office, tarred and feathered, and it should have been a unanimous non-partisan effort. The GOP could have regrouped by now. He continues to tell the same destructive lies and only Chris Christie speaks out against him on the big stage. His supporters don't believe the truth, they believe the lies. We are not talking about disagreements on political ideology, we are talking about someone who is taking power through lies and manipulation - of course this isn't acceptable.
The Senate could have put Trump in the rear view mirror and a bunch of Republicans led by McConnel put their party over country, were afraid of a political backlash, or just plain cowered out and three years later we are still dealing with Trump BS. Trump should have been impeached, he shouldn't be eligible to run for president. A conviction would have led to a subsequent vote to disqualify Trump from holding public office again. Anyone who didn't stand up and convict a man responsible for an insurrection is not fit to serve this country in my eyes. (side note: I don't think anyone who voted to overturn the election should be eligible to serve in congress - they failed to uphold their oath to the constitution)
These are McConnel quotes from the impeachment vote on the senate floor - he knows Trump is guilty, he will forever be a coward because he hoped someone else would get their hands dirty doing the right thing, and the slow wheels of justice mean we still have to deal with this disgraceful candidate. Our system is dysfunctional and this man who put himself before the country is on pace to be on the Republican ticket. Barfing Emojii.
"They did this because they had been fed wild falsehoods by the most powerful man on Earth – because he was angry he'd lost an election.
Former President Trump's actions preceding the riot were a disgraceful dereliction of duty.
There is no question that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of that day.
The leader of the free world cannot spend weeks thundering that shadowy forces are stealing our country and then feign surprise when people believe him and do reckless things.
But the president did not act swiftly. He did not do his job. He didn't take steps so federal law could be faithfully executed, and order restored.
Instead, according to public reports, he watched television happily as the chaos unfolded. He kept pressing his scheme to overturn the election!"
“We have a criminal justice system in this country. We have civil litigation. And former Presidents are not immune from being held accountable by either one,” he said.
“He did not do his job,” McConnell said after Saturday’s vote. “He didn’t take steps so federal law could be faithfully executed and order restored. No. Instead, according to public reports, he watched television happily – happily – as the chaos unfolded.”
If only McConnell could have done something to stop this man!