October 24, 2019 09:35 AM UTC

Cory Gardner Faces First Impeachment Vote He Can't Take Back

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• by: Colorado Pols

Politico:

Senate Republicans are moving to denounce the House’s impeachment inquiry, with Sen. Lindsey Graham set to introduce a resolution on Thursday condemning the Democrat-led effort.

The South Carolina Republican, a close ally of President Donald Trump, has attacked Democrats for their handling of the impeachment process. His resolution — backed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — criticizes the House for its “closed-door, illegitimate impeachment inquiry,” according to a press release…

The Graham resolution could put pressure on Republicans who have appeared open to considering the evidence in the House impeachment inquiry. But even Republicans who have declined to offer predictions on how the inquiry might end have attacked Democrats for how they’ve handled impeachment.

Sen. Cory Gardner is technically one of the Senate Republicans who has claimed to support “a serious investigation” of the allegations against President Donald Trump, while hewing to the contradictory party line of slamming House Democrats for actually carrying out such an investigation. At the same time, Gardner’s continued close association with Trump including headlining major Trump fundraising events belie Gardner’s pretense of impartiality to the point of ridiculousness. It’s therefore all but a foregone conclusion that Gardner will join with Lindsey Graham and diehard Senate Trump apologists in voting to condemn the House impeachment inquiry.

The question then becomes how many Senate Republicans refuse to pre-emptively step on their responsibility as potential jurors in an impeachment trial by condemning the entirely legal process that will put the case before them. The more Republicans who demonstrate bravery in this vote, the worse Gardner will look in the probable event he fails to do so.

And if he proves us wrong? Well, that will be newsworthy.