I suspect that the silence from most Republicans in Congress

[cyclonefence]

re: the cruel comment about John McCain (which is only the latest incomprehensible outrage) stems from the fact that every goddam one of them has received money from Russia, through the NRA or other cloaked sources, and they are only now finding out about this tainted money they were only too happy to accept. I think maybe that's why they're so ready to claim witch hunt and why they want the Mueller probe shut down, why they don't dare speak out against the obscenity which is Trump, why they are deciding not to run again. I think they're afraid that every last one of them has broken campaign law by accepting money from foreign donors *at the very least* and have committed frankly treasonous acts without knowing it.

[Vinca]

1. I've been wondering about that, too. Time to invest in the orange jumpsuit factory.

[shraby]

2. I think they DID know about it, and therefore the panic.

[tblue37]

24. Yes, I am sure they knew. nt

[jrthin]

26. And, if they DID know about it, why can't

they all be charged. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse. There has to be someone who can legally take them down. These men and women should serve time, being voted out of office is just not enough.

[Eyeball_Kid]

34. There will likely be a RICO charge placed against the GOP leadership. You're on the money.

[Texin]

32. I fully agree with this.

There was something in the news many months ago (around the time tRump was about to be sworn in), involving Ryan and other congressional rethugs. He was caught on a hot mic unawares and flat-footed telling these members to keep their mouths' shut about something. It's my vague recollection that it was involving Russia.

[Pluvious]

40. IIRC someone commented that the Orange Menace was in Putin's pay

And this fact needed to be kept just within the team.

[pandr32]

36. I think so, too--most of them anyway.

It would be nice to think there were a few who didn't realize it until later and then found they were indebted and had to go along, but I also wonder how long ago the Russian and mob taint started. How long ago did this money start filling the NRA? The super PACs?
Was it in 2014 when the Supreme Court struck down the ban on campaign donation caps or in 2010 when the Supreme Court rejected a limit to corporate spending in political campaigns?
We know the television propaganda model meant to dumb down average Americans and influence them politically began in the 1990s with Fox News--even earlier for radio (in the 1980s) after the Fairness Doctrine was repealed. Was there any illegal funding behind any of this, and when?

[BigmanPigman]

3. Weren't they all on recess last week?

[cyclonefence]

7. I know you're not excusing their silence

because every one of them has access to a news reporter no matter where they are, and any news organization, no matter where it is, would report any Republican making a comment that opposed Trump's position on anything. Can you imagine Republicans--or Democrats--holding their tongues in any other administration if a war hero--or any dying member--were talked about this way, by some punk office drone *in their own administration*?

[mucifer]

4. the problem is they can choose to ignore the results of Mueller's probe

[Civic Justice]

5. Yep !!

https://upload.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1017&pid=492024

[oberliner]

6. Doubtful

More likely, they don't want to piss off Trump.

[kentuck]

8. It may be that they don't want to piss off Trump because...

...they are fearful of what Trump might do to them??

[oberliner]

10. It all seems like political calculations to me

Republicans have nothing to gain really from pissing off Trump - and a lot to lose potentially (i.e. getting primaried).

The Republicans who have (mildly) called out Trump tend to be ones who are leaving Congress.

[kentuck]

12. True. Their silence is a vote for Trump and a vote for their own self-interest.

They have wandered into a briar patch.

[dameatball]

9. Many probably received tainted money,, others are waiting to see which way the wind blows.

[SallyHemmings]

11. Wasn't Cohen Deputy Finance Chair of the RNC?

How much Russian money was funneled through
God knows what PACs...

[kentuck]

13. He still is Deputy Finance Chair of the RNC.

And, in my opinion, that is the first hint to where the money is being laundered.

[cyclonefence]

14. And don't super-pacs

protect the identity of donors?

[kentuck]

15. This sounds like the biggest scandal in American history.

If the fraud is as great as the possibility of fraud?

[cyclonefence]

16. I think it is

This administration is certainly far and away the most corrupt in our history, and the cruelest.

[pangaia]

31. It doesn't just SOUND like it.

It is for 100% sure.
NOTHING comes anywhere near what this is. And it IS GOING to get worse.

It is the overthrow of American 'democracy,' such as it was.

[vlyons]

17. The problem is

they are arrogant, condescending, ignorant, greedy racists, whose minds are filled with fear and hatred for "the other." They have no imagination, cannot think for themselves, and lie all the time. Other than that, they are fine Christian people.

[True Blue American]

18. We know Mitch and Ryan did

The reason Ryan is getting out of town. I suspect McConnell will have a health crisis as soon as he loses control or Trump is exposed.

[ashredux]

19. BINGO!

[Perseus]

20. Most of them are involved

Most of them act very guilty and for anyone to think that conspiracies cannot be massive? Well, we are about to see that, in fact, they can be. What the GOP did to accomplish what happened in 2016 took a very wide concerted effort, and if anyone has any doubts just ask yourselves, why is it that republicans all say the same thing (verbatim) when interviewed? They are like Lemmings, repeat what some "mastermind" of the republican party comes up with.

I think they sit them all in a conference room, they give them the script and have everyone learn it by heart, then they go out and spew whatever the "leader" commanded them to say. I am sure they test them before they go out of the room, making sure they repeat every word in the right order.

They do deserve credit though, they are really good at manipulating stupid people.

[Javaman]

21. when all this began, i said to my gf...

this is systemic among the repukes.

watch, all of them will have some level of involvement.

it is now appearing to be just that way.

[alfredo]

22. Torshin and the NRA

https://www.snopes.com/news/2018/02/16/did-kremlin-give-money-to-nra/

[DarleenMB]

23. You just now figured this out?

Seriously? And don't kid yourself ... they all KNEW where that money was coming from. Why do you think 39 of them have announced they will not run again. They are running scared and praying that leaving congress will protect them from Mueller. HA!

I have been saying for at least a year that the corruption in our government runs far, wide, and deep. And when the facts finally come out, trust me, there will also be a few Dems having their heads served up on a plate right along with the repubs. This investigation will shock the entire country at what is reveal. that's what MY crystal ball has been showing for months now.

Fasten those seatbelts, pop a mountain of popcorn and lay in a good supply of your favorite psychoactive substance. You're gonna need it.

[randr]

25. I have been suspecting the same since the Republican convention

Somehow the lsos compromised them all and now holds it over their heads. We may soon learn where the millions in the slush fund went.

[pangaia]

27. They have been mum for the last 18 months.

I propose they were just lying, greedy, evil, vicious, shit faced fucks to begin with.

[Beartracks]

39. Lying, greedy, evil, vicious, shit-faced fucks of a feather...

... stick together.

==========

[JAD]

28. Republicans were recorded in 2016 discussing Putin paying Trump

May I direct your attention to the May 17, 2017 Washington Post article of the recording of Republicans Paul Ryan and Kevin McCarthy and other Republican House members. This discussion happened in 2016 and was recorded by a Republican representative.
Ryan when questioned by the reporter said. "The discussion never happened." When the reporter countered with, "We have the transcript." Ryan said, "The transcript is incorrect." When the reporter again countered with, "We have the recording." Ryan replied, "We were joking."
The Republicans knew Trump was an agent of Putin in 2016.

Knowing about treason and not telling the FBI, is treason.

[JDC]

29. They knew all along where the money came from IMO

And you are right, they are trying to get out of Dodge before sunset.

[Raster]

30. You are correct. I believe the GOP IS AWASH WITH RUSSIAN MONEY...

...they're NOT protecting tRump*, they are protecting themselves, and they know there are very few GOP Congresspersons that can claim innocence... MOST are in on it.

[smirkymonkey]

33. They also won't go up against Trump because if for some reason they do end up in prison, they

will want to count on a pardon from him and knowing how vindictive Trump is, he will only pardon those who kiss his fat ass.

[WhiteTara]

35. Except they did know.

[malaise]

37. When in doubt remember

One of their legislative leaders has a wife in the cabinet and the other told them to keep it in the family

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/house-majority-leader-to-colleagues-in-2016-i-think-putin-pays-trump/2017/05/17/515f6f8a-3aff-11e7-8854-21f359183e8c_story.html
<snip>
A month before Donald Trump clinched the Republican nomination, one of his closest allies in Congress — House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy — made a politically explosive assertion in a private conversation on Capitol Hill with his fellow GOP leaders: that Trump could be the beneficiary of payments from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“There’s two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump,” McCarthy (R-Calif.) said, according to a recording of the June 15, 2016, exchange, which was listened to and verified by The Washington Post. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher is a Californian Republican known in Congress as a fervent defender of Putin and Russia.

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) immediately interjected, stopping the conversation from further exploring McCarthy’s assertion, and swore the Republicans present to secrecy.

[JAD]

41. Put on front page of Democratic Underground and keep it there. Lest we forget!

This article should be on the front page of Democratic Underground all day every day.

[Guilded Lilly]

38. And a large number of them are just soulless assholes.

[sellitman]

42. So how do we move forward?

The deck is stacked against us.

Does this mean Rump remains President and our little experiment with Democracy is officially over?