Trump Torpedoes GOP Talking Points on Impeachment

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by: Colorado Pols

It was two weeks ago that Republican Members of Congress stormed a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) in the basement of the Capitol in order to highlight their protest that impeachment investigations were unjust because hearings were held behind closed doors (nevermind that Republican members of these particular House committees were always able to attend the hearings).

Two days later, Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Yuma) co-sponsored a resolution in the Senate criticizing the House for a lack of openness on impeachment matters. “I hope people will read the resolution and that everyone supports a fair and transparent process,” said Gardner. This was more than Gardner had said previously about President Trump’s actions; Gardner infamously bombed in front of a group of reporters when asked whether it was appropriate for the President of the United States to ask a foreign government to interfere in American elections.

Today, Gardner and his fellow Republicans learned once more that following Trump’s lead will only get you hopelessly lost:

Via CNN (11/8/19)

President Trump now says that Democrats should NOT hold public impeachment hearings after he and Republicans spent weeks bemoaning the fact that hearings were being done outside the public view. “They shouldn’t be having public hearings,” said Trump on Friday. “This is a hoax. This is just like the Russian witch hunt.”

None of this should be a surprise to anyone who has paid even a lick of attention to national news in the last couple of years. Republicans are continually sticking their necks out for a President who won’t even blink at doing something to contradict their every word. Congressman Ken Buck (R-Greeley), who moonlights as the State Republican Party Chair, ran into a similar problem just a few days after supporting the GOP’s SCIF Storming when it became clear that officials involved with Trump’s Ukraine dealings were confirming every bit of the whistleblower’s fears.

House Democrats had already effectively neutered the Republican’s “lack of transparency” strategy by agreeing to make everything public (on-camera testimony in House committees will begin next week). That hadn’t stopped the GOP from continuing with their attacks on the legitimacy of the “process” for impeachment discussions, but Democrats don’t really need to undermine the Republican strategy when President Trump will do it for them.

9 thoughts on “Trump Torpedoes GOP Talking Points on Impeachment”

unnamed says:

November 8, 2019 at 10:16 am

In a year, the headline could just read "Trump Torpedoes GOP".

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JohnInDenver says:

November 8, 2019 at 10:33 am

Just a couple of weeks ago, when the Brooks Brothers 2.0 Five Hour Invasion went into the SCIF, Trump's talking point, according to The Hill:

President Trump was happy to see House Republicans storm a closed-door hearing in protest of House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said Thursday.

“I’m glad they did it. The Dems have been doing everything behind closed doors and in secret and so it’s about time somebody made a very bold stand, which is I guess a sit-in, which is what they did. And it was great, and the point was well taken,” Grisham said on “Fox & Friends” when asked about the display.

“I think they showed full support for the president,” she added. “He was happy to see it happen. He was very supportive of it, as he should be.”

Trump in a later tweet thanked House Republicans for “being tough, smart, and understanding in detail the greatest Witch Hunt in American History.”

As a side note, can you imagine any PREVIOUS Press Secretary or Communication Director saying

it’s about time somebody made a very bold stand, which is I guess a sit-in, which is what they did.

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Diogenesdemar says:

November 8, 2019 at 10:34 am

Trump Rules Out Complete Rollback of China Tariffs as Talks Continue

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/08/us/politics/trump-china-tariffs.html

It’s mis-governance by a demented Magic 8-ball . . .

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itlduso says:

November 8, 2019 at 11:00 am

We are halfway down the road to fascism. Facts, lies, abuse of power, intimidation tactics, etc. None of that matters to the GOP.

But, after watching Jeff Sessions' ad announcing his Senate candidacy that kissed up to Trump who treated him like a dog (to coin a phrase), I'd now have to say we are past halfway to fascism

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1. notaskinnycook says:
  
  November 8, 2019 at 11:10 am
  
  Sessions has been in politics long enough to know how the game is played. If he wants to run a credible campaign in Alabama, he needs Trumpsters' votes. He can preserve his self-respect, or he can try to win. He can't do both.
  
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  1. unnamed says:
    
    November 8, 2019 at 11:18 am
    
    Contrast with Gardner, who is doing neither.
    
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  2. itlduso says:
    
    November 8, 2019 at 1:47 pm
    
    Excuse me. Of course Sessions has to beg for forgiveness from Trump to get elected in AL. Focus, focus. My point is that this is yet another example of how the GOP will bow to the Dear Leader despite his fascist actions. My unspoken point is that this is another example of how important this election is for the fate of our democracy and that Dems cannot afford to risk handing this election to Trump by nominating people like Warren or Sanders.
    
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2. MichaelBowman says:
  
  November 8, 2019 at 11:42 am
  
  Using my finest OD voice, "some people say this looks like a hostage tape"
  
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Gorky Pulviczek says:

November 8, 2019 at 11:05 am

We have always been at war with Eastasia.

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