It’s a trick question! Here in America, the answer is “Why, of course! If you’re a Republican, you absolutely can be a traitor – and still become Speaker Of The House!”

The GOP finally held together and made Louisiana Representative Mike Johnson the new Speaker Of The House of Representatives. It only took three weeks for the Republican Party to accomplish this simple but essential part of self-governing. That was three weeks of demonstrating that Republicans have no interest or talent in governing. Mike Johnson was the compromise that worked – among Republicans. But, make no mistake: Mike Johnson was and is a full on insurrectionist. He’s a slash-and-burn Trumpanista hell bent on destroying America’s democracy. He is a traitor through and through. And yet – he’s the new Speaker Of The House.

A History Of Treason

(Not-so) funny thing is, Mike’s not the first Republican Speaker Of The House who was offered the job despite being a traitor.

Mike’s predecessor Kevin McCarthy was a traitor. Hell, Kevin was one of the GOP’s “Legacy Traitors”.

Donald Trump needed an insurrection (and all those extra-legal means of circumventing the election’s results) to finish covering up the crime that put him in office to begin with. Trump entered the presidency a full on traitor and the Republican Party’s leadership knew all about it. In fact, they deliberately kept that fact a secret.

“Putin Pays Trump”

In June 2016, Trump loomed as the GOP’s official nominee. On June 25, 2016, Kevin McCarthy exited a meeting where he learned that Vladimir Putin was working overtime to undermine Ukraine’s fragile, new democracy. He went directly into another meeting – this one of GOP leaders.

Upon entering meeting number two, the very first thing Kevin said was “There’s two people I think Putin pays – Rohrbacher and Trump – swear to God!”

For the record: this meeting was recorded by someone present. Nearly a year later, that recording was played for reporter Adam Entous, then working for the Washington Post.

Now, you have to appreciate the frame of reference here. Everybody present knew that, yes-indeedy, CA rep Dana Rohrbacher was extremely pro Russia. Corruptly so.

Nobody present contradicted Kevin. No one piped up to defend Trump or his corrupt relationship with a hostile foreign ruler. Not a voice shouted, “Whaaaaaaat? Kevin – dude – are you sure about that? FFS – we’re about to nominate this guy to be POTUS! If you have proof that our about-to-be presidential nominee would pose a grave national security threat, you’re obligated to speak up now!

“We’re A Real Family”

Instead, there was nervous laughter. That’s why Kevin threw in the “Swear to God!” He wanted everyone there to know he was serious about this. “Guys, believe me!”

They absolutely did believe him. They were laughing nervously because Kevin had just said something meant to be kept quiet out loud.

Then Speaker Of The House Paul Ryan stepped forward and exerted (what Republicans call) “leadership”. As Adam Entous wrote: “Ryan instructed his Republican lieutenants to keep the conversation private, saying: ‘“’No leaks. . . . This is how we know we’re a real family here’.”

“How we know we’re a real family here”. By keeping a secret. That their about-to-be POTUS nominee posed a grave national security threat.

As history demonstrated, yes indeed, Donald Trump posed a grave threat to our national security every day he was president – and every day since.

Mitch McConnell, Traitor

Mitch McConnell could have stopped this easily. He had the chance in October 2016 when Barack Obama called a meeting of the “Gang Of Eight” – the Democratic and Republican leadership of the House and Senate – wherein the intelligence community presented evidence that Russia was actively engaged in trying to make Trump (one of the guys “Putin pays”) president. Obama wanted to let We The People in on the secret.

McConnell objected. He warned Obama that if he, Obama, told America the truth about Donald Trump and Russia then he, McConnell (who knew “Putin pays Trump”) would accuse the White House of politicizing the intelligence to swing the election. Consider that moment for what it really was – the Republican Party allying with Vladimir Putin and his intentions for our democracy.

And, as for treason needing a war to really be “treason”, a formal war declaration ain’t required. And, if you don’t think cyber war is war then prepare to lose every war you ever fight going forwards. We’ve been at war this whole time except we haven’t realized it.

Mike Johnson thinks Donald Trump is president. That means the instant Mike Johnson took his oath of office as Speaker Of The House – just like Trump did when he took his oath of office – he violated it.

And all in the name of treason.