As Trump Raves, His Republican Enablers Face a Moment of Truth
The broader issues of Trumps characterthe ease with which he lies, his not fully understood fealty to Putin, his reliance on foreign powers for moneyare not just going away.
DAVID CAY JOHNSTON
02.16.17 1:00 AM ET
House Republicans reacted foolishly Tuesday to the Trump administrations shifting explanations of the December calls that disgracedand now resignedNational Security Adviser Michael Flynn made to the Russian ambassador to Washington. But they werent ordering full-scale investigations and public hearings into Trumps failed cover-up, but working frantically to shift attention away from the facts to the secondary question of how those facts got out. Fox News, Breitbart, and other reliable GOP outlets followed Trumps lead in offering extensive harsh commentary about the FBI, NSA, and other national security agencies.
Attacking intelligence agencies (those are Trumps scare quotes) for fulfilling their counterintelligence duties is a strategy beyond dumb. It has no upside for the Republicans, who position themselves as patriots trying to save America from Democrats hell-bent on destroying our way of life.
The strategyif it can be called thatruns big risks. This is no one-off, a simple mistake by a new administration that will fade over time.
The response from House Republicans reveals its leaders are still in denial about the fundamental character of their party's leader, a con artist for whom lying and denying is a lifelong and thoroughly documented practice. Furthering the Trump cover-up by refusing to investigate can only hurt the GOP in future elections.
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http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/02/16/as-trump-raves-his-republican-enablers-face-a-moment-of-truth.html