In February 2020, Mitt Romney became the first U.S. senator in history to vote to convict the president of his own party. Despite a laughable impeachment case concocted by House Democrats and clear evidence of corruption tied to the Democratic presidential candidate whom the impeachment effort was designed to protect, Romney nonetheless supported the removal of Donald Trump from the White House.
“My faith is at the heart of who I am,” Utah’s junior senator claimed while working up tears from the Senate floor on February 5. “The grave question the Constitution tasks senators to answer is whether the president committed an act so extreme and egregious that it rises to the level of high crime and misdemeanor. Yes, he did.”
But Romney didn’t just pontificate about the president’s behavior. In that very same soliloquy, Romney defended the actions of both Joe and Hunter Biden.
“Taking excessive advantage of his father’s name is unsavory, it is not a crime.” Romney concluded, therefore, that since no crime had been committed by the Bidens, in his opinion, the president’s request that Ukrainian officials look into their shady business dealings was “political.”
With that, Mitt Romney secured his place in political history for something other than losing two campaigns for president.
In many respects, Romney is the poster child for the present-day Republican U.S. Senate: pandering, feckless, disloyal, and weak.
Squandered Opportunities
Yes, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s record on confirming federal judges, including three Supreme Court nominees, is laudable. But the four-year reign of the Republican Senate under a Republican president is a shameful account of missed opportunities, broken promises, and straight-up subversion of Donald Trump. During one of the most fraught, destructive periods in American history, Senate Republicans squandered rather than wielded their immense political power.
Longtime pledges to reform immigration laws and repeal the Affordable Care Act were cast aside. When the president used his legal authority to attempt to secure the southern border in the spring of 2019, a dozen Senate Republicans vetoed his emergency order.
Rather than stand up to the Democratic Party’s race hustlers, Senate Republicans—including McConnell—condemned the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor as racially motivated even when evidence contradicted those claims. A few Republican senators sponsored legislation to replace Columbus Day with Juneteenth as a sop to the Left.
As lawless thugs tore down statues of America’s Founders and Antifa mobs occupied swaths of major U.S. cities, some Republican senators didn’t even bother to attend a public hearing about Antifa’s ongoing threat to the country. President Trump often was the lone voice defending America’s history and ideals; following his riveting July 4 address at Mount Rushmore, where he unapologetically confronted America’s domestic enemies, Republican Senators were silent.
Bungling Obamagate and Russian Collusion
Of course, there’s no greater example of the Senate Republicans’ abdication of power than its complete and total failure to hold accountable any of the perpetrators of so-called Obamagate for orchestrating the biggest American political scandal of all time.
Republicans knew early on that the Steele dossier was garbage; Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and the late Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) were fully aware that the dossier was political propaganda sourced from a foreign operative paid by the Clinton campaign and Democratic National Committee but legitimized its use as the pretext for the collusion scam.
Rather than put a stop to the phony Trump-Russia collusion plotline, Senate Republicans played along with their Democratic counterparts. Every single Republican senator supported the appointment of Robert Mueller, a Beltway crony and BFF of James Comey. The Senate Judiciary Committee, headed by Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) then by Graham, performed no oversight of Mueller’s destructive probe despite holding the purse strings. When the president justifiably expressed his frustration at Mueller’s “witch hunt,” instead of defending the president, Senate Republicans vowed to “protect the Special Counsel.”
At the same time, top Republicans did nothing more than write stern letters and give Fox News interviews threatening to “get to the bottom” of the real scandal. Subpoenas were blocked; criminal referrals were ignored by the Justice Department; public interrogations were canceled or delayed until public interest waned.
The flagrantly corrupt chiefs of the country’s law enforcement and intelligence apparatus, rather than face jail time or at least a public tribunal of sorts similar to what House Democrats did to Donald Trump and his loyalists for two years, continue to demean the president on cable news shows and on social media.
“Where Is the GOP?!”
The current composition of the Republican-held Senate is a tower of Jello, a quivering, wavering ship of fools, an embarrassing collection of dunces, dupes, and paper tigers.
For example, in a pre-Election Day tirade, Senator Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) insisted the president would cause major GOP losses as voters across the country rejected his antics and tweets. “We are staring down the barrel of a blue tsunami,” Sasse told supporters.
Not only did Republicans hold the Senate but they’ve picked up at least six House seats with more victories predicted.
Even now, as the president is fighting widespread election irregularities and suspected fraud, he is on his own. “Where is the GOP?!” Eric Trump tweeted Thursday afternoon. “Our voters will never forget . . .” (Late Thursday, Graham announced he would donate $500,000 to Trump’s legal defense fund.)
It’s pure folly to think this Republican Senate will act as a bulwark against a Biden-Harris Administration. Armed with a slim majority, Senate Republicans undoubtedly will play footsie with their former colleagues under the solemn banner of “bringing the country together.”
There is no reason to believe Senate Republicans won’t sign off on a Democrat-backed coronavirus relief package that includes a partial bailout of bankrupted blue states, a lite version of the Green New Deal or at least “climate change mitigation” legislation, expanded Obamacare coverage, more flexible immigration laws, and a variety of taxpayer-funded goodies from college debt forgiveness to some form of racial reparations.
McConnell already is ready to work with Biden on his cabinet after Democrats made life a living hell for every Trump appointee. According to a report by Axios, McConnell is signaling to Team Biden that he will approve “centrist options” and fight the nomination of any progressive candidates. But that won’t fly with the Democratic Party base; Biden owes them. And once the media goes scorched earth on Republican senators who won’t acquiesce, don’t be surprised when they cave.
Expect the Biden Corruption Scandals to Go “Poof”!
Oh, and the little matter of Hunter Biden and the overwhelming evidence of the Biden family’s pay-to-play schemes with hostile foreign entities? Don’t hold your breath waiting for any follow-up investigation. Both Graham and Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) recently refused to commit to issuing a subpoena for the younger Biden.
“And this election did not give the Democrats power,” Ben Shapiro tweeted Thursday morning. “Biden’s most progressive priorities are DOA in a McConnell-run Senate.”
Only people who haven’t paid close attention to a McConnell-run Senate believe that to be true. Do they really believe folks like Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Ben Sasse and Lindsey Graham will hold their ground against Biden? Do they really think Mitt Romney won’t attempt to carve out some simpish “Conscience of the Senate” role that lets him find common ground with Biden and Harris for the “betterment of democracy” or some nonsense?
Pure fantasy.
I hope I’m wrong, but I doubt I am. Listening to the deafening silence of Senate Republicans this week only reinforces my cynical analysis. If you’re disappointed with McConnell and company now, just wait until next year if Joe Biden is president.
Just like they did with Romneycare!?!@#! WACO BIRDS!
A thousand thanks, Kelly. For those of us engaged in regular communication with our Republican “representatives”, we know who and what these reptiles represent, and it ain’t us. After all, Mitch McConnell, aka The Chinese Wonder Turtle, was the one who pledged to crush the TEA Party and married into a Chinese “immigrant?” family whom he then helped become multi-millionaires shipping all those cheap, tainted goodies from China. Why in hell would any of these people have the slightest interest in “investigating” the Bidens? They ARE the Bidens! Do ‘mericans actually believe the Biden’s behavior and methods are limited to that family? ROTFLMAO.
A couple of days ago I contacted both my lime and my orange-flavored j-molds about their plans to pass S.386 during the lame duck session. With all of the attention focused on dirty, low-down, scheming, rotten Democrats, why don’t good people see how corrupt RepubliCONS are, too? Republicans are no longer the Grand Old Party. They are the Greedy Geezer Party. Where are the investigative journalists delving into Mitt Romney’s relationships, dirty dealings, and Chinese connections? Does Project Veritas have to do everything?
It’s all for naught anyways, the real power in this country is with the Federal Reserve, and it is on track to collapse our economy within a few years. Do people actually believe we can quantitatively ease our way into prosperity? Lockdown tens of millions of able-bodied citizens indefinitely? Spend trillions more every year than we have providing old-age pensions to people who never paid into the system, free for life medical care, and a social safety net to anyone who manages to sneak into the country who then receive “adjustment in status” citizenship for their efforts? When the Chinese/Russians/Iranians and the rest of our enemies (Democrats) manage to dethrone the dollar as the world currency, not even Mitch McConnell will be able to save himself. The furor will exceed that of the French Revolution and Mitch’s fate will be worse than that of the Princess de Lamballe. Does this Republic deserve to survive?
eventually the house and senate republicans will look like a man who found all his courage at the bottom of a bottle and then had the bottle taken away.
There isn’t enough room tge all the up votes you’ve earned with this, Kelly. Well said.
Watch how the Republicans cave to “Big Tech”. I suspect that issue will go POOF as well.
Well done, Ms. Kelly. Senators who persist in acting like their club membership is worth more than the country, particularly after what we’ve endured at the hands of the Left, are worse than traitors. Such people can be counted upon to collaborate with a Biden Administration (may God prevent this!) in finishing the task of selling us out to the Chinese Communist Party.
Why do you think the democrats won’t find votes to win the senate? Are you blind?
If Biden steals this election (as looks likely as the GOP and the loudmouth superpatriots who claim they will stand up to tyranny are nowhere to be found), America will have ceased to exist. Your rights are permissions now (remember how you were warned when you wouldn’t get off your asses eight months ago to stand up to your tyrannical governors?). Your vote doesn’t matter. They’ll just print up fake ones to counter it. And Americans yawn and go back to sleep as long as Uncle Sugar gives them checks
You are correct. This virus showed just how weak kneed the vast majority of people are.
During the Revolutionary War, there were roughly 3% of the colonial population that did the heavy lifting, the bleeding, and the dying, to establish this Republic. As Sam Adams said, small and determined minorities can move mountains.
If they do this 2022 will make 2010 look like a Girl Scout picnic. They ought to take a real close look at what happened to Senator Crist and Speaker Cantor.
Now a few days later, I hope and pray for a spirit of solidarity among those of us who love our country. We need to be realists, and then also we need to see how we can lift each other up in the dark days ahead.
Victory?
The Republicans call this election a victory. A victory? Losing the White House, losing the House, and maybe losing the Sensate constitute a victory? In legislating, all that matters is the final vote on a bill. The Democrats will have those votes. That’s victory!
Here’s what happens if the Republicans allow the Democrats to steal this election. Donald J. Trump founds the Trump Party, and RINO swamp creature spineless Republicans finally have some competition for the Deplorable votes. I would instantly switch my party affiliation to Trump, and I’m betting there are 40 or 50 million other Patriotic Americans who would do the same. This is a third party that would work. As the Bible saying goes, you sow the wind, you reap the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7), and the death of the Republican Party would be reaping exactly what they deserve.
All true. The only real fighter is Trump himself, and he will be gone. But the worst of the insanity – packing the Supreme Court, making DC and Puerto Rico states, and ending the fillibuster, – will be stopped.
Julie is the poster child for pundits who don’t know what they are writing about.
If the Dems win the 2 Georgia runoffs, they will control the Senate.
I think the democommicrats have perfected the art of the steal to insure they control all of what used to be called the government of the people for the people.
No need to vote now. By January 20, 2021, the communists will create a one-party system and peasants of us all.
We think that 2020 was the worst year ever? Think again. The United Communist States of Amerika is coming to us in full force in 2021. A nightmare from which there is no waking.
That actually strengthens her argument, dumb@ss
Mitch McConnel is owned by Communist China and is a traitor to the US. Anyone talking divided government is sufficient to save us is waving the white flag of surrender and taking it in the A$$ for the american voter. These people need to be remove from the public conversation and Republican leadershit.
#fight_the_fraud, #stopthesteal, death before dishonor.
Notice Mitch is the leader. He’s what all the rest aspire to be. The Senators are akin to made men. It’s their privilege. They competed against me, you and everyone else to be Senator and they prevailed. spoils to the winners.
That was exactly her point. Did you read the piece in its entirety? She is balking at the idea that a Mitch McConnell-led Senate will do anything but bend over and engage in consensual bipartisanship.
https://youtu.be/b8HeTZ7DDIA
Having the House for 6 years didn’t help us stop Obama in the slightest. Neither did having the House & Senate for part of his terms. If it didn’t help then, why would it help now?
And what happens in 2022 when they use the exact same tactics they used this year to steal the Senate? Then we get court packing, abolition of the electoral college and the filibuster, Puerto Rico & DC statehood, etc…
Thank you Julie Kelly for acknowledging the obvious. I am furious at how many supposed conservatives are rolling over and quitting, and using empty talk about how having the Senate means everything will be fine as their excuse.
I’m a republican and will never vote for one again. It is time to officially form a new party. It already exists in the form of 60+ millions represented by Donald Trump.
It has been very clear about the Republicans from day 1 of the election. They have been mostly very silent about their support of Donald Trump and very quiet about saying much about Biden and other Democrats transgressions. Especially recently, hardly a peep. Thats the one thing that I have noticed watching your election from Canada. Good luck to the USA now you are sure going to need it. We have our own troubles up here with a progressive Prime Minister who is doing his best to ruin the country. Welcome to the club.
Awesome column, that’s why they are Repugnocants to me, why they are just a party of wh0re$ and cowards.
America is beyond doomed, it’s just dead, it’s time to let the Left I have what they want: a dysfunctional violent society just of urban hating minorities, sexual freaks, intolerant of life in the womb, abandoning law and boundaries, and most of all, wanting to kill white people!
Let’s see how long that society lives; build the walls and keep these M F’ers away from us!
No, you are not wrong; Julie, you just left the most horrible thing of all off your list: taxpayer funded abortion on demand will become ‘law of land.’ Joe said so. God help us. Amen.
Not to mention a country owned and run by the Chinese.
What happened to the comment that I posted?
I’m proud of Julie Kelly for her unabashed criticism of the “inside-the-beltway-statist-establishment-rinos!” I have chafed and was disgusted with the spineless response to the Russia hoax during the previous four years. While President Trump fought valiantly to promote, support and defend his agenda, those above-mentioned gutless rinos did nothing to support him. I give lots of credit to Senator McConnell for his remarkable achievement in confirming various judges, from the district, to the circuit to the Supreme Court, but what else has he accomplished? Nobody in the Senate made any effort to lambaste the rioting which occurred only in cities dominated by Socialists. They did nothing to scream from the mountain tops that the Marxists were attempting to commandeer this country, all the while cities dominated by Socialists for many decades turned away from the rioting with hopes that it would affect the Presidential election. Combined with the election fraud in five (5) cities located in the five (5) states currently involved in the attempt to steal the election for dumb, mean, corrupt and demented J. Biden, we are now witnessing the most amazing voter suppression in the history of this country and what do we see and hear from those elite rinos inside the beltway? Only submission to the onslaught of corruption which is in the process of stealing the election! Simply disgusting!
All the Democrats need is for the senate GOP to go along with some form of “comprehensive immigration reform.” Some form of path to citizenship for 10 to 20 million illegals and a steady if not increased flow of third-world immigration will give the Left their fondest dream: permanent one-party rule for as far as the I can see.
Finally, a conservative writer who has wisdom and a brain. All day long I have been reading other “conservative” writers who keep telling us this election isn’t a disaster since we hold the Senate……what world are they living on? The only reason the republicans put through all those judges is one word…. Trump. Without him, had one of the other gutless wonders managed to defeat hilary, they would have caved on judges in a heartbeat and there would be no Kavanaugh, and no Barret…….
Gosh, looks like the libs own the Trumptards.
Everyone in the Congress and the Senate knows that Joe Biden sold out our country to enrich his family. Just like the Clinton Foundation raised $2 Billion. Other politicians use insider information to make timely stock transactions. And the list goes on. Why is nothing ever done? Because so many others, from both political parties, have their own “family enrichment schemes”. It is an unspoken political perk. So it is no surprise that both Graham and Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) recently refused to commit to issuing a subpoena for the younger Biden.
I disagree with this view, but I’m not a conservative or a Republican — though I’ll probably be changing my registration, because President Trump has made the Republican Party a party that represents the interests of the American people, against a crooked and malevolent Democratic Party that represents corrupt oligarchs and foreign interests.
The sheer insanity of the House Democrats is one of the reasons why I swung behind Donald Trump and voted for him this time (I didn’t last time). I appreciate the sanity of many Senate Republicans, especially but not only Trump Republicans like Josh Hawley. Lindsey Graham has been pretty good recently and McConnell is OK. There are some bad apples, like Romney, but most are OK. The Senate Democrats, in contrast, have become almost as unhinged as their colleagues in the House.
Back in 2017, I supported the appointment of a special counsel, because the allegations of some sort of conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russians had to be cleared up. I suspected the allegations were completely bogus, and that proved to be the case. However, if the investigation had been prevented, many rational people might still have doubts. Instead, it’s only unhinged conspiracy theorists who give any credence to the Russia hoax and its successor hoaxes from the Democrats.
Since we now know that the Russia probe was a scam and an abuse of power by Democrats and crooked bureaucrats, an investigation of the investigators is warranted. I support the Durham probe and public Senate hearings once Durham’s criminal investigation is finished. It would be nice to have had hearings before the election, but the rule of law must prevail and the China virus apparently slowed down the criminal investigation. That has to be finished before public hearings start, or the criminals may never face justice.
Durham’s investigation will go quietly away. The virus was an excuse.
A Republican-controlled senate? Don’t be too hasty, Julie Kelly. There are a few potentially balance-shifting senate races yet to be called. Having stolen the presidency through vote fraud, what’s to stop the Democ-rats from stealing a senate majority too? I know, I know, why would the Democ-rats need to do that?
Your proof of vote fraud? Oh, none.
Try sniffing Joe Bite-Me’s Depends.