NYT Report: Anti-Trump Republican Adam Kinzinger ‘Unwelcome In His Own Family’

Posted on February 16, 2021 by Rusty Weiss

A New York Times report indicates that anti-Trump Republican Adam Kinzinger (IL) has not only been censured by his own party but is being shunned by members of his own family.

Kinzinger has been on the offensive of late, urging the Republican party to cleanse itself of former President Donald Trump.

He is one of only 10 Republicans in the House to have voted in favor of impeachment earlier this year.

The Times, in a piece they title ‘Adam Kinzinger’s Lonely Mission,’ notes that the anti-Trumper received a two-page, handwritten letter from 11 members of his family.

“Oh my, what a disappointment you are to us and to God!” they wrote. “You have embarrassed the Kinzinger family name!”

Read the two-page, hand-written letter Kinzinger’s cousins sent him Jan. 8.

It begins: “Oh my, what a disappointment you are to us and to God!” https://t.co/EWD2YZO49X pic.twitter.com/RcgmRmYKjc

— Reid J. Epstein (@reidepstein) February 15, 2021

Adam Kinzinger Wants to Rescue the GOP From Trump

The profile by the New York Times references Adam Kinzinger’s quest to “restore the Republican Party” following the successful four-year term of former President Trump.

Kinzinger views the party as having relied exclusively on the politics of fear.

“We just fear,” he said. “Fear the Democrats. Fear the future. Fear everything. And it works for an election cycle or two. The problem is it does real damage to this democracy.”

Kinzinger seems unaware that the Democrats’ entire platform in 2020 was running on ‘fear’ of Donald Trump. And now he is doing the same.

Ex-IL Gov Bruce Rauner, the Republican elected statewide, is not optimistic about his party or its voters.

“The only winners in the war between Trump and Republicans will be Democrats,” he said. “For some voters, character matters. For most, it doesn’t.”https://t.co/EWD2YZO49X

— Reid J. Epstein (@reidepstein) February 16, 2021

The Times notes that Kinzinger’s opposition to Trump dated all the way back to 2016 and led to a testy exchange – through a medium – between the two.

Trump reportedly spoke with Richard Porter, a Republican National Committee member from Illinois, about Kinzinger’s re-election bid.

He “poked his finger in his (Porter’s) chest and told him to deliver to Mr. Kinzinger a vulgar message about what he should do with himself,” they write.

“When Mr. Porter relayed the comment to Mr. Kinzinger during a conversation on Election Day, Mr. Kinzinger laughed and invited Mr. Trump to do the same.”

How @RepKinzinger responded to a Donald Trump threat made through an Illinois RNC member in September 2016… https://t.co/EWD2YZO49X pic.twitter.com/4YMgOEhMYv

— Reid J. Epstein (@reidepstein) February 15, 2021

Kinzinger’s Shame

The La Salle County GOP, which censured Kinzinger last month, believes his anti-Trump stance has more to do with seeking attention than it has to do with advancing the party’s platforms.

“There doesn’t seem to be a camera or a microphone he won’t run to,” said county GOP Chair Larry Smith. “He used to talk to us back in the good old days.”

Now, Kinzinger has formed a new PAC which he claims is fighting to “take back” the Republican party from Trump.

Congressman Adam Kinzinger, who voted for impeachment, starts anti-Trump Republican PAC | Just The News https://t.co/I2nKPKLSKk

— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) February 1, 2021

Adam Kinzinger, in announcing the PAC, took aim at pro-Trump Republican congressman Matt Gaetz (FL), to which the latter did not take very kindly.

“He wants to target my America First politics, referencing me by name,” Gaetz wrote on social media. “My response: F***ing bring it.”

Adam is a patriot who fought for America from Northwest Florida.

We will always appreciate & honor his service.

Now, he wants to target my America First politics, referencing me by name.

My response:

Fucking bring it.

Adam needs PACs to win elections.

I don’t. https://t.co/TE9TPt6QJv

— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) February 11, 2021

Aside from being censured in Illinois, Kinzinger is one of several Republicans who voted to impeach Trump that is now facing a primary challenge.

Diante Johnson, an organizer with Black Voices for Trump last year and a field organizer with Trump’s 2016 campaign, has expressed interest in challenging Kinzinger in 2022.

“Kinzinger has said he is at peace with the possibility that he could lose re-election over his Trump stance,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

A recent poll from Axios-Ipsos shows Republican voters are siding with Trump over his intraparty opponents who supported the impeachment drive, signaling trouble for those facing primary challenges.

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Former 9/11 investigator joins bipartisan calls for new commission to probe Capitol attack

Posted on February 15, 2021 by PBS NewsHour - Politics

Former President Trump's second impeachment trial has concluded, but questions still remain over the Jan. 6 insurrection. Now, former 9/11 Commission co-chairs Thomas Kean and Lee Hamilton are calling on President Biden to create an independent, bipartisan commission to investigate the assault at the U.S. Capitol. Kean, who is also the former New Jersey governor, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.

Trump looks to reassert himself after impeachment acquittal

Posted on February 15, 2021 by Jill Colvin, Associated Press

Trump is feeling emboldened by the trial's outcome and is expected to reemerge from a self-imposed hibernation. And he's eyeing ways to reassert his power.

Tamara Keith and Amy Walter on Trump’s control of the Republican Party

Posted on February 15, 2021 by PBS NewsHour - Politics

NPR's Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest political news, including the fallout from the impeachment trial, former President Trump's control of the Republican Party, and whether Democrats can stay united.

Whoopi Goldberg Gushes Over Biden – ‘We Finally Have A President In Office Who We Are Honored To Celebrate’

Posted on February 15, 2021 by LifeZette

On Monday’s episode of “The View,” cohost Whoopi Goldberg celebrated Presidents’ Day by gushing about Joe Biden like it was her job.

Goldberg introduced a montage of positive clips of Biden by saying that “we finally have a president in office who we are honored to celebrate.”

Whoopi Goldberg And ‘The View’ Hosts Gush Over Biden

“Today is Presidents’ Day, and it’s been a long time coming for all of us here on ‘The View’ because we finally have a president in office who we are honored to celebrate,” she said.

“Plus, our other relationship with President Biden goes way back before he became number 46. take a look,” Goldberg added.

After the montage, the cohosts went all out in heaping praise on Biden.

“He’s adorable. He’s so genuine and sweet and lovely and funny. Everything you want in a man and in a president, you know? He’s great, and he’s right for these times. He’s perfect for these times, I think,” said cohost Joy Behar.

“That was cathartic to watch,” Sara Haines chimed in to say, before Behar added, “I’m glad we have him.”

“Just decent, it’s nice,” said cohost Sunny Hostin.

Goldberg Doubles Down

That’s when Goldberg brought this ridiculousness to a whole new level.

“I think it’s why he didn’t win before because it wasn’t his time because he was going to be needed later on,” she said. “So, you know, I have to say, you know, he’s a great riding buddy if you are on the train. You know? I love riding. I would catch up with him back and forth on the train, and he’s just a great guy.”

“He’s a real guy,” Goldberg added. “So I understand talking to him a lot. So I’m glad we got him too, Joy. I’m glad we all got him. He’s all of our presidents. He’ll figure out how to make it work for everybody, and that’s the best thing.”

This #PresidentsDay, we look back at our time with Pres. Joe Biden on @TheView and the conversations with him long before he became the 46th president of the United States. https://t.co/f8u2wbJuik pic.twitter.com/8nunnSrPN1

— The View (@TheView) February 15, 2021

This is in stark contrast to the way the women of “The View” treated former President Donald Trump during his time in office.

Goldberg refused to even say his name during his presidency, and Behar accused him of everything from rape to murder in her daily unhinged rants against him.

This piece was written by James Samson on February 15, 2021. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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MSNBC Guest Says GOP Senators Who Voted To Impeach Trump ‘Helped Their Obituaries’

Posted on February 15, 2021 by LifeZette

Historian Jon Meacham went on MSNBC on Monday to disturbingly claim that the Republican senators who voted in favor of impeaching former President Donald Trump “helped their obituaries.”

Meacham Talks Impeachment

Meacham was talking about the impeachment trial on “Morning Joe” when host Willie Geist pointed out that the Republicans who voted to convict Trump were already facing “blowback.”

“Yeah. If I were Sen. Burr, I would embrace that. Sometimes we talk about obituary management. Those seven folks just helped their obituaries,” Meacham replied, according to The Daily Caller.

“I think about this a lot when you see we’re at the point in the actuarial cycle where a lot of folks involved in Watergate are moving on,” he added. “And, it’s just interesting to see what is it that you’re remembered for.”

“I’m sure Sen. Burr is a lovely man. I’m sure he has done a lot for North Carolina and America,” he added. “But, I promise you that the thing right now that looms largest is that he decided we’re a constitutional republic not a cult of personality. And in many ways, that’s what that vote was about.”

Burr Joins Democrats In Impeaching Trump

Trump was acquitted by the Senate on Saturday in a 57-43 vote, with seven Republicans joining Democrats in voting in favor of impeachment.

Of these seven, one of the biggest surprises was Republican North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr, who had just voted that the trial was unconstitutional a few days prior. In the wake of this, Burr is facing censure by his state’s Republican Party, which is meeting on Monday to decide what action to take.

“On this Presidents Day, one of the things to think about is we do have a different president. And 81 million Americans made what I would argue is the right choice in November,” Meacham said.

“And 57 United States senators, not enough, but 57 United States senators said that this man was — the former president, was guilty of inciting insurrection against his own government,” Meacham continued. “And that 57-43 number, while not determinative in a constitutional sense, is probably not that far off from where the country at large is about the Republican party.”

“If I were a Republican right now and I was thinking not in 10-minute terms, which is what they are doing, but 10-year terms, I would feel an existential crisis,” he concluded.

This piece was written by James Samson on February 15, 2021. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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GOP Rep Says Impeachment Was Really About Dems Trying To Frame 74 Million Trump Voters As Capitol Rioters

Posted on February 15, 2021 by LifeZette

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) spoke out over the weekend to say that the last impeachment effort against former President Donald Trump was really about Democrats trying to “equate” the 74 million Americans who voted for him with “the couple hundred criminals who came in an ransacked the Capitol.”

Johnson Reveals What Impeachment Was Really About

Johnson explained that he feels that the “ultimate goal” for Democrats with this impeachment was to frame Trump’s supporters as indistinguishable from Capitol rioters.

“They really wanted to use impeachment as a vehicle because they wanted to equate all those tens of millions of Trump’s voters and all of his supporters and everybody who came to the rally, they wanted to equate all of those people with the couple hundred criminals who came in and ransacked the Capitol,” Johnson told Breitbart News.

“If [Democrats’] new impeachment standard is to take hold, most of the party leadership in the Democrats will have to be censured or impeached themselves,” he added. “I thought Trump’s attorneys did such a great job with their video montage where they showed all these guys — even the impeachment managers themselves — using the exact same language that they were trying to incriminate the president by using.”

“[Trump] has always stood for law and order and defense of the Constitution,” Johnson said emphatically. “He’s always opposed mob violence.”

Johnson Doubles Down

Later in the interview, Johnson predicted that congressional majorities will be using impeachment as political tools more often in the future.

“You are lowering the bar [for impeachment] now. You weaponized this,” he said. “You turned it into a political weapon to be used by the majority party against a president they don’t like. You opened a Pandora’s box that we may never be able to close again.”

Johnson added that he does not believe that the impeachment effort that Democrats just carried out was what the founding fathers had in mind when they framed the Constitution.

“What the Founders had in mind when they set up this impeachment article and the idea behind it was that it would be so serious that the decorum would be so appropriate for the weight of a moment like that,” Johnson explained.

“It was sort of presupposed,” he added. “It was understood, of course, that you would afford due process. They didn’t need to spell out the federal rules of the civil procedure in the Constitution for something like this because they thought that everyone would be acting like adults.”

“This was not a constitutional exercise,” Johnson concluded. “What [Democrats] tried to do [is] to raise ‘cancel culture’ now to a constitutional level.”

This piece was written by James Samson on February 15, 2021. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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Will Murkowski Pay a Price at the Polls for Her Impeachment Vote?

Posted on February 15, 2021 by John McCormack

Two changes to election law will help her keep her seat in 2022.

North Carolina GOP Moves to Censure Senator Richard Burr over Impeachment Vote

Posted on February 15, 2021 by Mairead McArdle

The North Carolina GOP’s central committee will hold an emergency meeting Monday evening to vote on whether to censure Barr.

Lindsey Graham Says Mitch McConnell’s Anti-Trump Speech May Come Back To Bite Republicans

Posted on February 14, 2021 by LifeZette

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) went on Fox News on Sunday to say that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) post-impeachment speech in which he condemned President Donald Trump may come back to haunt Republicans.

Graham went so far as to say that with this speech, McConnell “put a load on the back of Republicans.”

McConnell’s Anti-Trump Speech

This came one day after McConnell claimed that Trump had committed “a disgraceful dereliction of duty” by his actions before last month’s Capitol riot, and was “practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of that day.”

While interviewing Graham, Fox News host Chris Wallace said, “Let me ask you about one person that he might be mad at and tell me if he is or he isn’t, Mitch McConnell, who made a curious speech yesterday in which he basically said the president is guilty, but that the Senate doesn’t have the power to convict, to act against a former president.”

“What did he think of McConnell’s speech, what did you think of McConnell’s speech?” he added.

Graham Responds

“Well, number one, I was a bit surprised, but I heard this in 1998. I’ve been in three of the four impeachments,” Graham replied.

“I’m sorry about that. The bottom line — in 1998, you had a lot of Democrats acquit Clinton but got on the floor and said how bad he was,” he said. “You know, Nancy Pelosi called us all cowards. I don’t think most Republicans care what she thinks.”

“I think Senator McConnell’s speech, he got a load off a chest obviously, but unfortunately he put a load on the back of Republicans,” he added. “That speech you will see in 2022 campaigns.”

“I would imagine if you’re a Republican running in Arizona or Georgia or New Hampshire, where we have a chance to take back the Senate, they may be playing Senator McConnell’s speech and asking about it as a candidate,” Graham continued.

“I imagine if you’re an incumbent Republican, they’re going to be people asking you will you support Senator McConnell in the future,” he concluded. “So I like them, Senator McConnell. He worked well with President Trump. I think his speech is an outlier regarding how Republicans feel about all this.”

This piece was written by James Samson on February 14, 2021. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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