GOP Leaders Get Free Pass On Russia

I know the news is moving pretty swiftly these days. Andrew McCabe’s frightening revelations are already becoming old news with the reports that the Mueller investigation is wrapping up. But I  am truly incredulous that so little scrutiny is being applied to McConnell, Burr, Ryan, and Nunes in the wake of McCabe’s contention that the Gang Of Eight was briefed on the decision to add the President of the United States to an ongoing counter-intelligence investigation. According to McCabe, when presented with this briefing, “No one objected. Not on legal grounds, not on constitutional grounds, and not based on the facts.” Neither Nunes or McConnell has refuted McCabe’s contention, instead simply stating that they do not comment on Gang of Eight briefings.

What this means is that all four of the above Republicans were well aware that the FBI believed there was a possibility “the President himself might be a threat to United States national security” and potentially a Russian agent. Presumably, the Gang of Eight also received evidence to back up such a possibility. Yet all four of them passed up on continual opportunities to pursue and protect that investigation and indications that at least two of them, Nunes and Burr, with the acquiescence of Ryan and McConnell, may have actually actively obstructed the investigation.

Certainly Nunes has engaged in multiple acts of obstruction including the bogus “unmasking” scandal, his unilateral attempt to interview Christopher Steele, selective leaking, and investigating and attacking the investigators. Both Nunes and Burr refused to require Trump campaign and administration officials to testify under oath, rarely allowed any witness who might provide damaging testimony against Trump to testify publicly, and rarely used their subpoena power to actually further the investigation. McConnell has repeatedly refused to move legislation to protect the Mueller investigation, often against the wishes of a number of his own party. Ryan willingly let the House Intelligence Committee become a base to attack the Mueller investigation, spout White House propaganda against it, and pass information back about their investigation back to Trump.

McConnell and Ryan both were privy to the original briefing from the Obama administration in October, 2016 where evidence was presented that the Russians were interfering in the election. They both refused to join a bipartisan statement condemning Russia for that action and left the impression that the Obama administration would be portrayed as being political if that information was released to the public.

Basically, all four Republican members of the Gang of Eight aided and abetted the Russian attack on our election. And, having received subsequent information that the Russians were actively helping Trump get elected and that there was a distinct possibility the President was a national security threat and a Russian agent, they continued to defend him and aid and abet Trump’s attempts at a cover-up.

I watch a lot (perhaps too much) of news these days but I have yet to see a full segment devoted to exploring the GOP’s complicity with Trump, especially the actions of the Republican members of the Gang of Eight. As I have often written, there is plenty of evidence of that complicity. One could make a pretty good case that they have done more to cover-up what actually happened in 2016 and thereafter than, say, Don Jr. or Rick Gates. But it rarely ever gets discussed or even touched on. I understand the focus on whether Trump himself was directly involved in the conspiracy that Mueller has already outlined is all-consuming. But it sure might be worthwhile to pin these guys down on what their motivations were when they decided to put party over country, to refuse to defend the country from attack, to betray the American electorate, and to continue to abet a cover-up.