Category: Politics

Democrat Lawmakers Slam Cuomo, Accuse Him Of Lying As He Tries To Defend Administration’s Handling Of Nursing Home Scandal

Posted on by Rusty Weiss

Several Democrat lawmakers lashed out at Andrew Cuomo after the New York Governor attempted to defend himself in the middle of an explosive nursing home scandal.

During a press conference over the holiday weekend, Cuomo sought to clarify bombshell remarks made by Melissa DeRosa, secretary to the governor, in which she admitted in a conference call that the administration hid information on COVID nursing home deaths from federal investigators.

The New York Post first reported that DeRosa told leading Democrats that the administration feared the data could “be used against us” by the Justice Department.

After former President Trump directed “the Department of Justice to do an investigation into us,” the Cuomo aide said, “basically, we froze.”

“We were in a position where we weren’t sure if what we were going to give to the Department of Justice, or what we give to you guys, what we start saying, was going to be used against us while we weren’t sure if there was going to be an investigation,” DeRosa added.

RELATED: GOP Rep. Calls For Cuomo To Be Prosecuted For Withholding Alleged COVID Nursing Home Deaths

Democrats Call Out Cuomo as a Liar Over Nursing Home Defense

The New York Times reported that attorney general Letitia James, a Democrat, accused Cuomo and his administration, particularly officials at the State Health Department, of undercounting COVID deaths at nursing homes by as much as 50%.

State officials had originally given a figure of about 8,677.

WWNY News reports that the number was actually well over 15,000 seniors who died in nursing homes.

Governor Cuomo famously issued an executive order in March forcing nursing homes to take on patients that had tested positive for coronavirus.

In the midst of his defense, Governor Cuomo claimed that the DOJ and state legislature had both requested data and that he simply chose to prioritize the information finding-task to address the federal matter.

This statement ruffled some feathers: “We gave precedence to the DOJ. We told the assembly that, we told the Senate that and that’s what we did.”

But multiple Democrats said that isn’t true.

New York State Sen. Jessica Ramos replied to Cuomo’s claim by calling it “trash.”

“At no point did the Administration notify the legislature about a DOJ investigation,” she added in another tweet. “People died and Cuomo lied then he had the gall to write a book.”

Democrat New York state senator Alessandra Biaggi also suggests Cuomo was lying.

“No, [Governor Cuomo], you did not tell the *entire* Senate or Assembly that there was a DOJ investigation, as the reason why you didn’t share the nursing home numbers,” she tweeted.

“I found out about a DOJ investigation with the rest of NY’ers in the [New York Post] story Thursday night.”

And there were plenty more who called out the lie on social media.

RELATED: GOP Congressman Reed Announces Plan To File Criminal Complaint Against Cuomo Aide Over Nursing Home Deaths

Calls For Criminal Investigation Continue

Fox News meteorologist Janice Dean, one of the few voices to continually hound Governor Cuomo over the nursing home scandal for months on end, said “people should go to jail” over the cover-up.

Dean’s in-laws were victims of COVID-19, where nursing homes in New York played a part.

She reiterated that call by describing Cuomo as a “criminal.”

She wasn’t the only one, as several lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle demanded subpoenas be submitted in getting to the bottom of the cover-up.

“I reiterate my call for [Cuomo] and his administration to be subpoenaed for all pertinent information,” Ramos tweeted. “We need answers and grieving families deserve justice. Enough with the spin.”

Cuomo has continually denied that his office withheld or misrepresented data relating to nursing home deaths.

“New York State DOH fully and publicly reported all COVID deaths in nursing homes and hospitals,” he said at the press conference, a direct contradiction of Democrat AG James’ findings.

It looks like even his own party isn’t buying into the spin any longer.

The post Democrat Lawmakers Slam Cuomo, Accuse Him Of Lying As He Tries To Defend Administration’s Handling Of Nursing Home Scandal appeared first on The Political Insider.

Pelosi Wants ‘9/11-Type Commission’ To Investigate Capitol Riot

Posted on by John Hanson

On Monday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that she plans to create an “outside, independent 9/11-type Commission” to investigate January’s Capitol Hill attack. 

In her weekly letter to colleagues, Pelosi told her House colleagues that the commission will “investigate and report on the facts and causes relating to the January 6, 2021, domestic terrorist attack upon the United States Capitol Complex.”

RELATED: House Republicans Send Brutal Message To Pelosi – Demand Answers From Her On Security Decisions Before Capitol Riot

Pelosi’s Call For 9-11-Style Commission Comes Two Days After Trump Acquittal

Pelosi added that the query will also delve into anything “relating to the interference with the peaceful transfer of power.”

This call from the Democrat leader comes only two days after former President Donald Trump being acquitted on impeachment by the U.S. senate.

That vote was 57-43, with seven Republicans voting against Trump and for a conviction.

Democrats can’t seem to give up Trump. Pelosi isn’t the only Democrat calling for an independent commission.

Democratic Senator Chris Coons has signaled support for such an investigation, saying, “There’s still more evidence that the American people need and deserve to hear and a 9/11 commission is a way to make sure that we secure the Capitol going forward.”

Coons added, “And that we lay bare the record of just how responsible and how abjectly violating of his constitutional oath President Trump really was.”

Democrats And Media Still Obsessing Over Trump

Before Trump was acquitted on Saturday, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told Republican senators that he too would vote to acquit Trump.

But McConnell also blasted Trump, claiming the former president was “practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of that day,” meaning the January 6 Capitol Hill riot.

And while McConnell also argued that the impeachment trial was unconstitutional now that Trump is no longer president, such a high ranking Republican making those comments was easy fodder for the Democrats.

Democratic Congresswoman Madeleine Dean said of McConnell and the Republicans, “It was powerful to hear the 57 guilties and then it was puzzling to hear and see Mitch McConnell stand and say ‘not guilty’ and then, minutes later, stand again and say he was guilty of everything.” 

“History will remember that statement of speaking out of two sides of his mouth,” Dean added.

CNN’s Wolf Blitzer reminded followers in a tweet on Monday that in addition to Pelosi’s commission, other happenings regarding Trump will make sure we “learn a lot more” about the final days of his administration.

In other words, the media will not give up their addiction to all things Trump.

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

CNN’s Blitzer: ‘Bottom line: we are going to learn a lot more’

“The Trump trial is over but local, state & federal investigations continue,” Blitzer tweeted. “There might be a 9/11-type commission.”

“News organizations continue to investigate,” Blitzer continued. “And @realBobWoodward is working on a book on Trump’s final days in office.”

“Bottom line: we are going to learn a lot more,” the CNN host finished.

Donald Trump might be gone from the White House but don’t expect the Democrats or their media spokespeople to stopped being obsessed with him anytime soon.

The post Pelosi Wants ‘9/11-Type Commission’ To Investigate Capitol Riot appeared first on The Political Insider.

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

Posted on 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!”

RELATED: Gaetz Challenges Anti-Trump Republican Adam Kinzinger: ‘F***ing Bring It’

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.

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.”

RELATED: Of The 10 Republicans Who Voted To Impeach Trump, 7 Are Already Facing Primary Challenges

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.

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.”

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.

The post NYT Report: Anti-Trump Republican Adam Kinzinger ‘Unwelcome In His Own Family’ appeared first on The Political Insider.

Pelosi Fires Back After Top Republicans Demand Answers About Capitol Security Before Riot – Deflects Blame

Posted on by LifeZette

Earlier today, we reported that top Republicans from various committees in the House had sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) demanding answers on some of the decisions she made about security before the Capitol riot last month.

Now, Pelosi is firing back by saying that Republicans are “clearly” trying to “deflect responsibility for the Capitol attack from Donald Trump.”

Pelosi Fires Back At Republicans 

On Monday, House Administration Committee Ranking Member Rodney Davis, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jim Jordan, House Oversight Committee Ranking Member James Comer and House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Devin Nunes sent Pelosi a letter in which they said that they have “many important questions” about her “responsibility for the security” of the Capitol on Jan. 6 “remain unanswered.”

Drew Hammill, Pelosi’s deputy chief of staff, told Fox News in response that the speaker “has and will continue to take action to ensure accountability and enhance the security of the Capitol.”

“Two of the four House Republican Ranking Members voted to overturn the results of a fair election, just hours after the Capitol was sacked by an insurrectionist, right-wing mob – a mob incited by Trump,” Hammill said. 

“A full 65 percent of House Republicans joined them in voting to undermine our democracy.  All four Ranking Members also voted against holding Donald Trump accountable for inciting the mob,” he continued. “Clearly, the security of our Capitol and democracy are not the priorities of these Ranking Members.”

Related: House Republicans Send Brutal Message To Pelosi – Demand Answers From Her On Security Decisions Before Capitol Riot

Republicans Lash Out At Pelosi

In their letter, the Republicans had asked, “When then-Chief Sund made a request for national guard support on January 4th, why was that request denied? Did Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving get permission or instruction from your staff on January 4th prior to denying Chief Sund’s request for the national guard?”

They went on to cite claims made by former Capitol Police Chief Steve Sund, who alleged that two days before the riot, he approached the sergeants at arms to request the assistance of the National Guard.

In a letter of his own that he sent to Pelosi last month, Sund alleged that the former Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving said he was concerned about “the optics” and didn’t feel the “intelligence supported it.”

“As you are aware, the Speaker of the House is not only the leader of the majority party, but also has enormous institutional responsibilities,” the Republicans wrote. “The Speaker is responsible for all operational decisions made within the House.”

After the riot, both the House Sergeant at Arms and the Senate Sergeant at Arms were removed from their positions, and the chief of the Capitol Police resigned.

Related: Republican Rep. Accuses Pelosi Of Stopping Her Naval Academy Son From Attending Her Swearing-In

Hammill Doubles Down

“It is the job of the Capitol Police Board, on which these three individuals sat, to properly plan and prepare for security threats facing the U.S. Capitol,” Hammill said. “It has been reported that the House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving has said that he did not present to House Leadership any request for the National Guard before January 6th.”

Hammill added that the Committees of Jurisdiction were briefed “in advance of January 6 about security preparedness.”

“During a briefing of the Appropriations Committee Majority on January 5th by the House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving and U.S. Capitol Police Chief Sund both Chief Sund and Mr. Irving provided assurances that the Capitol Complex had comprehensive security and there was no intelligence that groups would become violent at the Capitol during the certification of electoral votes,” he explained. 

“It is our understanding that Ranking Member Davis was also briefed, but took no action to address any security concerns that he might have had,” he said. 

“Following the insurrection, the Speaker immediately tasked General Honore with leading an immediate security review of the U.S. Capitol Complex and has called for a 9/11-style Commission to investigate, with legislation creating such a panel to be introduced in the coming days,” Hammill continued. “The USCP is also conducting an internal security review.”

Hamill concluded by saying that Pelosi “knows all too well the importance of security at the Capitol and is focused on getting to the bottom of all issues facing the Capitol Complex and the events that led up to the insurrection. Clearly, these Republican Ranking Members do not share this priority.”

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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The post Pelosi Fires Back After Top Republicans Demand Answers About Capitol Security Before Riot – Deflects Blame appeared first on The Political Insider.

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

Posted on 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. 

Related: Whoopi Goldberg Claims Joe Manchin’s Attack On Kamala Harris Was ‘Bigoted’ – ‘Really Disrespectful’

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.”

Related: Whoopi Goldberg Goes Off On Republicans Who Voted Against Impeachment – ‘You’re Scared’

“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 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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The post Whoopi Goldberg Gushes Over Biden – ‘We Finally Have A President In Office Who We Are Honored To Celebrate’ appeared first on The Political Insider.

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

Posted on 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.”

Related: Lindsey Graham Declares Lara Trump ‘Biggest Winner’ Of Impeachment Trial As He Backs Her For Senate

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.

Read Next: Pelosi Wants ‘9/11-Type Commission’ To Investigate Capitol Riot

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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The post MSNBC Guest Says GOP Senators Who Voted To Impeach Trump ‘Helped Their Obituaries’ appeared first on The Political Insider.

House Republicans Send Brutal Message To Pelosi – Demand Answers From Her On Security Decisions Before Capitol Riot

Posted on by LifeZette

Top Republicans from various House committees teamed up on Monday to send Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) a letter demanding answers from her on security decisions she made before the Capitol riot last month.

Republicans Send Letter To Pelosi

House Administration Committee Ranking Member Rodney Davis, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jim Jordan, House Oversight Committee Ranking Member James Comer and House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Devin Nunes sent a letter to Pelosi saying that “many important questions” about her “responsibility for the security” of the Capitol on Jan. 6 “remain unanswered,” according to Fox News.

The Republican lawmakers brought up the fact that former Capitol Police Chief Steve Sund claimed that two days before the riot, he went to the sergeants at arms to request the assistance of the National Guard.

Related: Republican Rep. Accuses Pelosi Of Stopping Her Naval Academy Son From Attending Her Swearing-In

Sund Sent Letter To Pelosi

In a letter to Pelosi last month, Sund alleged that the former Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving said he was concerned about “the optics” and didn’t feel the “intelligence supported it.”

“As you are aware, the Speaker of the House is not only the leader of the majority party, but also has enormous institutional responsibilities,” the Republicans wrote. “The Speaker is responsible for all operational decisions made within the House.”

They added that over the past two years, they have observed a “very heavy-handed and tightly controlled approach to House operations that has been exerted by yourself, your staff, and an army of appointed House officials.”

“When then-Chief Sund made a request for national guard support on January 4th, why was that request denied?” the Republicans continued. “Did Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving get permission or instruction from your staff on January 4th prior to denying Chief Sund’s request for the national guard?”

They went on to point out that when Sund notified the Sergeant at Arms of his request for national guard support, it “took over an hour for his request to be approved because the SAA had to run the request up the chain of command,” saying that chain “undoubtedly included” Pelosi and her “designees.”

Related: Republicans Call for Pelosi To Be Fined After She’s Caught Avoiding Metal Detector In Congress

Republicans Double Down

The Republicans then blasted Pelosi for her decision to “unilaterally” fire Irving and demand the resignation of Sund.

“These decisions were made in a partisan manner without any consultation of House Republicans and therefore raise questions about the political motivations of your decisions,” they wrote.

Though Pelosi claimed the day after the riot that she had demanded Sund’s resignation because he “hasn’t called us since this happened,” the Republicans said this claim was easily “refuted” by Sund, who “detailed two occasions that he briefed you on the situation on the Capitol campus—the first occurring at 5:36 p.m. and the second at 6:25 p.m., both on January 6th.”

Republicans Express Concerns

Later in the letter, the Republicans expressed concerns over the “obstruction and inability to procure and preserve information” from House officers when they have requested it.

“Such information is necessary to properly conduct oversight on the January 6th events,” they wrote.

“Preservation and production requests were sent to the SAA and the House Chief Administrative Officer, among other legislative agencies, requesting that such relevant information concerning the attack on the Capitol, including correspondence, video footage, audio recordings, and other records, be preserved and produced to the relevant committees,” they continued. 

“In multiple cases, your appointees, acting on your behalf, have denied requests to produce this information,” they added. “The response we received was: ‘We regret to inform you that given the scope of the information requested and the concerns implicated by the nature of the request… we are unable to comply with the request at this time.’”

They argued that despite the officers’ “refusal to comply with the request,” they learned that “some of the same material we requested was provided to the House Judiciary Committee on a partisan basis.”

‘This Is Unacceptable’

“This is unacceptable. Madam Speaker, that direction could only have come from you,” the Republicans wrote.

“Lastly, your hyperbolic focus on fabricated internal security concerns has taken critical resources away from the real threat, which is from outside the U.S. Capitol,” they wrote.

“Your decision to install magnetometers around the House Chamber is yet another example of this misdirection and misappropriation of House resources, which could be better used to protect members, staff, and official visitors from real, confirmed threats,” the Republicans said. 

“Tellingly, Madam Speaker, you have failed to comply with this requirement yourself,” they concluded. “End this political charade, and work with us to protect the Capitol and those who work here every day.”

Pelosi has yet to respond, and her office declined to comment when contacted.

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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The post House Republicans Send Brutal Message To Pelosi – Demand Answers From Her On Security Decisions Before Capitol Riot appeared first on The Political Insider.

Lindsey Graham Declares Lara Trump ‘Biggest Winner’ Of Impeachment Trial As He Backs Her For Senate

Posted on by LifeZette

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) spoke out over the weekend to declare Lara Trump to be the “biggest winner” of impeachment trial as he threw his support behind her for Senate in North Carolina. Republican Senate candidate Mark Walker of North Carolina, however, is already pushing back against Graham on this.

Graham Praises Lara Trump

While appearing on Fox News on Sunday, Graham said that the decision of retiring GOP Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina to vote in favor of convicting former President Donald Trump in his impeachment trial makes Lara a shoe-in to win the 2022 Republican nomination to succeed Burr.

“The biggest winner of this whole impeachment trial I think is Lara Trump,” Graham said. 

“My dear friend Richard Burr, who I like and I’ve been friends to a long time, just made Lara Trump almost the certain nominee for the Senate seat in North Carolina to replace him if she runs, and I certainly would be behind her because I think she represents the future of the Republican Party,” he added.

Related: Lara Trump May Go For North Carolina Senate Seat

Walker Fires Back

Walker, the only major Republican to officially jump into this race so far, fired back on Monday morning in an interview with Fox Business.

“In the words of I believe it was John Ashcroft, Lindsey is always confident but not always right,” he said. He went on to claim that he is not paying attention to other potentially candidates who may jump into this race, which is likely to be hotly contested.

“We can’t control what anyone else is doing,” Walker said. “This is something we’re focused on because it’s in our heart to do, service has been part of our life for nearly a quarter century and we’re going to continue to do so.”

Related: Eric Trump Eviscerates CNN’s Jake Tapper As ‘So Angry And Smug’ After Host Cuts Interview With His Wife Short

Former RNC Spokesman Speaks Out 

Doug Heye, a former Republican National Committee spokesman and a North Carolina native who previously worked for Burr, also took issue with what Graham said.

“I don’t see how Saturday’s vote affect that at all,” Heye said. “You’ve got to do some crazy kind of algebra and cheating your math to get that.”

He added that Lara “could raise a ton of money” if she ran, but he questioned if she’ll actually launch a campaign.

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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The post Lindsey Graham Declares Lara Trump ‘Biggest Winner’ Of Impeachment Trial As He Backs Her For Senate appeared first on The Political Insider.

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

Posted on 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.”

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

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.

Related: ‘Never-Trump’ Republicans Looking To Form Their Own Party

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

Posted on 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.

Related: ‘Never-Trump’ Republicans Looking To Form Their Own Party

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.”

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“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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The post Lindsey Graham Says Mitch McConnell’s Anti-Trump Speech May Come Back To Bite Republicans appeared first on The Political Insider.