What does one do for an encore after one has committed treason? That is the GOP’s problem. They’ve committed outright treason and then done everything in their power to obstruct investigation into that treason. That is the answer to the question the news media still can’t fathom: why does the Republican Party still cling in any way to Donald Trump? Why can’t they quit him? Treason is why. And treason is why the Republican Party has nowhere to go from here.

Putin Pays Trump

As I’ve written here regularly, we can point to a specific date when the Republican Party officially committed itself to treason on Donald Trump’s behalf. On June 25, 2016, Speaker of the House aspirant Kevin McCarthy left a meeting about Ukraine and entered a meeting of GOP leaders. At the Ukraine meeting, Kevin learned that Vladimir Putin was trying to undermine Ukraine’s fledgling democracy. What was Kevin’s takeaway from that meeting?

“There’s two people I think Putin pays – Rohrbacher and Trump – swear to God!“

Useful & Useless Idiots

Now, everyone knew California Representative Dana Rohrbacher was in Moscow’s pocket. But, who knew that the Republican Party’s about-to-be-official-Presidential-candidate – Donald Trump – also sat within Putin’ reach? Turns out? Everyone in the GOP’s leadership.

Think about this: the GOP’s leadership acknowledged among themselves that Russia owned the man they were about to nominate to be president. There’s no other way to put it. If “Putin pays Trump”, it means “Putin expects something from Trump”. And that means Putin has compromised Trump and turned him into a very real threat to our national security. Everyone in that roomful of Republican leaders understood this.

Paul Ryan, Keeper Of Secrets

No one questioned McCarthy or doubted him or asked him to provide receipts for this outrageous accusation. A few laughed nervously – that’s why McCarthy doubled down with “Swear to God!” He wanted everyone there to know he was deadly serious about this. Donald Trump was a traitor!

Another thing no one did? Call the FBI. Or the Department of Justice. That would have been the patriotic thing to do. Instead, the Republican Party’s leadership went the other way. Then Speaker Of The House Paul Ryan stepped forward to “lead”. He shut down the conversation. They weren’t going to talk about it anymore.

“That’s how we know we’re family” is how Speaker Ryan put it. Amazing… the Republican Party thought betraying America was preferable to telling America the truth. Point duly noted, GOP!

A Grave National Security Threat

The GOP knew from the jump that Trump was Putin’s chump. By then, it turns out, so were they. We’ve yet to investigate the extent to which Putin dug his hooks into the Republican Party. The Republicans certainly made themselves available to Putin. They took his money however they could get it. And they speak his talking points to this day.

The GOP nominated Trump to be their standard-bearer in 2016 despite knowing a “President Trump” posed a grave national security risk. The day after his nomination, Trump bleated “Russia, if you’re listening!” Trump was asking Russia for help! The Republican Party knew 1) Russia was listening and 2) Russia would help Trump. And the Republicans all knew why.

Why did the Republican Party commit treason alongside Trump? Because that was the short road to permanent minority rule. The last thing on earth the GOP ever expected was for We The People to step forward and block them.

Pelosi v McCarthy

Yeah, the GOP did managed to flip the House. But only just barely. And, for the Republicans, having the House won’t get them anything. Expect Speaker Pelosi to lay down a few barriers and protections before she hands the gavel to Kevin McCarthy – traitor. But, nearly everywhere else (okay – except New York where a judge threw out a much more favorable redistrcting map and put the D’s in peril), Democrats outperformed the news media’s low expectations. I think that a little divided government will be just the right thing to put the Republican Party where the Whigs are: in history’s graveyard.

The first question the news media asked Kevin McCarthy after Trump declared his 2024 candidacy was “Will you back Trump?” McCarthy wanted no part of the question. That’s too bad because it’s the only question the news media will care about. Nancy Pelosi is a brilliant politician and a strong leader with a vision. Kevin McCarthy is a boot-licking sycophant. And a traitor.

Though it’s taken far, far longer than any of us have wanted it to, I believe the Department of Justice will indict Trump. They do not have a choice. The country will literally break if they fail. The rule of law could not tolerate it. Me thinking it doesn’t mean they’ll do it. But I’m not the only me thinking it.

A Road To Nowhere

Once the DoJ pierces the veil and indicts its first sitting member of Congress, the floodgates will open wide. A lot of Congresspeople with R’s next to their names are about to have big legal problems. It doesn’t matter if they didn’t do anything themselves. If they knew or even suspected (which they most assuredly did) what Trump was doing, they were OBLIGATED by their oaths of office to respond appropriately. They didn’t do that.

From the Republican perspective, hellfire itself will rain from the sky the instant indictments begin. No umbrella exists to contend with it. And yet, the news media will scratch its head in total befuddlement. Republicans are already searching for answers they’ll never find. They’ve become the opposite of “useful”.

Republicans don’t “do” policy. Too wonkish for them and way too serious. Instead, Republicans bet the whole ranch on Donald Trump and treason. Alas, their pony didn’t contend. Didn’t even finish the race. And now there’s going to be very real hell to pay.

Where do Republicans go from here? I bet most of them wish they could simply vanish.

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