Brunswick Beacon, 02.17.22
"We saw what happened,” said Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, “It was a violent insurrection for the purpose of trying to prevent the peaceful transfer of power after a legitimately certified election from one administration to the next. That’s what it was."
We see it replayed on TV with each new revelation about Trump’s coordinated attempt to subvert Democracy. So, why did McConnell feel the need to remind us?
McConnell sees the GOP becoming a dangerous personality cult, which could prevent it from winning the Senate. He could no longer ignore it after Feb. 4, when the Republican National Committee censured Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for serving on the Jan. 6 Committee and investigating citizens engaged in what it characterized as “legitimate political discourse.” Cheney tweeted a video of the attack labeled “This is not ‘legitimate political discourse.’” It got 4.3 million views.
Senator Susan Collins called the RNC characterization “absurd.” Maryland’s Governor Larry Hogan called it a “blatant lie” and “a sad day for my party.” Senator Mitt Romney said "shame falls” on the party for passing the censure, which he called “stupid.” Romney is the uncle of RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel, author of the censure resolution. Trump’s Cult is fracturing families and dividing Americans.
McConnell, Collins, Hogan, and Romney hold statewide offices, which cannot be gerrymandered. Congressional districts are gerrymandered, so Republican representatives remain silent: their worst fear is getting primaried by a sycophant even more subservient to Trump’s Cult.
Our Congressman, David Rouzer, has an additional reason for silence. He helped incite the insurrection by promising to vote against certification. Even after experiencing the “violent insurrection” firsthand, he voted to overthrow the election. He has voted repeatedly against the investigation, giving aid and comfort to the insurrectionists. “Shame, as Mitt Romney says, “Shame.”
Art Hill
Southport