Really, why is McConnell and Ryan sitting back and doing nothing?

[meadowlark5]

The Russians have to have something on those two. I feel like they, too, are blackmailable. McConnell has been a politician for a long time. Ryan is smarmy.

It can't just be that Trump will sign their legislation. And it can't just be about the base. The republicans are looking at a spanking in November regardless - so why protect Trump by silence and apathy? Why allow him free reign to fire Mueller? Saying no legislation is needed to protect the investigation and Ryan's limp support "the investigation should be allowed to proceed till conclusion". What is it?

Is there something illegal or depraved they are trying to conceal? Or are they getting assurances that the election will be sufficiently fixed to keep the Repugs in control?

[Botany]

1. This might have something to do with it

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/paul-ryan-keeps-it-family-kevin-mccarthy-russia-trump

Paul Ryan Keeps It All in the Family

[dameatball]

2. My best guess is that Mueller can follow the money back to them and illegal donations

[TheDebbieDee]

26. THIS

Those two jokers and several other republicans knowingly accepted campaign funds from the NRA and other conservative PACS that they knew were from Russian oligarchs - that's a felony!

Mueller can track the money from the Deutsche Bank accounts of oligarchs to NRA/conservative PACS to campaign coffers of republicans!

Many elected republicans are OWNED by the Russians...

[jrthin]

3. Whatever the reason, their behavior seems odd/criminal/

and or a derilection of duty. IMO, they smell and behave like people with something to hide.

[Dustlawyer]

24. An over-looked fact is the Russians hacked the RNCs emails too!

The media no longer brings it up because none have been leaked, but it would help explain the behavior of the Republicans in Congress standing by Trump. It might also explain the record number of Republicans choosing not to run for re-election!

[jrthin]

31. Yep. nt

[kentuck]

4. The Republican Party is on trial.

They are incompetent nincompoops.

[dchill]

32. Where? I want to sit in THAT courtroom!

[spooky3]

5. My guess: their lawyers have told them to keep

quiet and stay as low profile as possible. Their voters aren’t demanding that they take any stand and they have no moral compass.

[Phoenix61]

27. Exactly!

They are immoral cowards, hiding until they deem it safe or necessary to come out of hiding. Probably keeping Pence company. Evil little shits, all of them.

[oberliner]

6. Tax cuts for the super wealthy

[manor321]

7. They are getting the policies they want

- Gorsuch on the Supreme Court
- Massive tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations
- Destruction of the EPA

They don't give a damn about the country.

[malthaussen]

15. Exactly.

So long as the man in the Oval Office rubber-stamps their plundering of America, they are happy little campers. Happier, in fact, since all his troubles distract from their antics.

-- Mal

[wiggs]

8. Either they are implicated (lots of credible theories that they are), OR they believe

that Trump, the GOP, the RNC, NRA, Russia, Cohen, Kushner, etc have a viable plan to get away with it all.

Or both.

The latter pathway is the scary one and seems possible because nearly the entire GOP is silent. Is there an election plan in place to ensure the GOP keeps at least one of the houses of Congress? Is there a known strategy that Trump is going to fire and pardon his way out of this, tying the issues up in court for years? What about a strategy of distraction, in which world events such as new wars overwhelm any other scandal?

[meadowlark5]

9. This what I think

They are either trying to protect themselves from something - embarrassment or something illegal.

Or they are working quietly and quickly to fix the election. Vote flipping machines, something. I don't think it's all about Trump giving them what they want. They can have that same legislation with Pence. With less drama.

Something nefarious is afoot. I just hope it fails. This all is just unbelievable.

[wiggs]

23. How else would McConnell have known that delaying a SCOTUS pick for a year would

result in getting their own pick, despite outward evidence to the contrary?

[shanti]

25. Exactly

They were a little too confident.

[unblock]

10. Even if they were squeaky clean (they're not), they still have to know

That several republican members of both houses, more likely quite a significant number of them, have taken Russian money and/or aid.

They know that the damage to their "brand" will be huge and they're worried about losing either or both houses as it is, and therefore their own leadership posts and influence.


So of course they're quietly panicking.

Of course, they're also on the take as well, so all the more so.

[meadowlark5]

16. So it benefits them all if Trump fires Mueller

Then it all just goes away and anything that comes to light in the NYTs or Washington Post is 'FAKE NEWS".

This is all so disturbing. I hope there is way to get rid of them all but I'm afraid their evil plan will prevail.

[unblock]

19. They're in too deep to cut their losses.

[librechik]

11. why do you think?

I think they've been in on the crime all along, or else it wouldn't have happened.

I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER REASON.

[Johnny2X2X]

12. They all took money

This is an organized crime operation. Everything they do is about leverage. They get their hooks into people sometimes without that person's knowledge. They funneled Russian mob money to their campaigns and then showed them the proof of it. Trump also gave McConnel's wife a cushy no show job in his administration.

This is a mafia run administration. Look at organized crime to see what they are doing, it's no different. And one thing I guarantee is that they are stealing $billions from the treasury in ways so inventive it would make your head spin.

[Wwcd]

30. Yup. They are all complicit. Hoping it was THEIR file that got burned up in the TT fire.

They should be impeaching Trump for what he's done, so the silence is telling.

[Raven123]

13. They are hoping Trump goes down

Pence becomes Pres. and everyone is so tired of it all that they just forget about the fight and the GOP continues on.

[spanone]

14. Spineless Chickenshits.

[tonyt53]

17. They are too scared to destroy SS and medicare without trump being there to blame for it.

They are scared shitless that trumpie won't be around much longer.

[JDC]

18. I think they are fine just letting Trump hang himself

But I make no mistake in realizing that at the root of it, they are self-serving garbage that has used their platform to do nothing but enrich themselves, their donors(American and Foreign), and to seek/keep power. They have zero love or affection for *45. They hate him. But they are told by their masters to tow the line. That is what they are doing, by saying nothing.

In short, they are traitors to the very ideals and people that they pretend to love and "fight for."

[FakeNoose]

20. They're keeping their heads down for a very good reason

If the Senate and the House of Representatives lose the GOP majority next fall, those guys are out of a job. Paul Ryan is especially vulnerable because he has to run for re-election in Wisconsin where the Democrats have found new mojo this year. Ryan could lose his seat, or he could win but not get voted Speaker in the next term. Or the GOP could lose their majority in the House in which case the next Speaker would be a Democrat.

McConnell doesn't have to run for re-election this year, but he is worried about other GOP Senators losing their bids for re-election. The past year has seen several prominent GOP Senators announcing plans to retire and not run for the next term. This gives more Dems an opportunity to take additional seats and the current majority is close enough - 51 Republican seats to 49 Democratic seats (counting Sanders as a Dem because he basically votes with Dems.) It would only take a few upsets and GOP loses control of the Senate. This year has already seen several upsets of Dems winning races that were assumed to belong to Republicans, or where the GOP candidate was heavily favored.

Both McConnell and Ryan are quietly working behind the scenes to help incumbent Republicans win their re-elections because they need every vote. A lot of that involves fundraising to help incumbents, and making personal appearances at fundraising events in their districts. According to the Washington Post, Trump has also been helping with fundraising efforts because he needs to save GOP votes in the House and Senate. Whether any of this involves working with the Russians is anybody's guess. I tend to think not, since they know they'd be drawing attention to themselves and Mueller knows where to look now. It's not likely they would get away with it another time, so why risk it?

Things are looking hopeful for Democratic candidates, but it's going to mean a lot of hard work between now and November.

[BSdetect]

21. Those two and some others are deeply compromised for sure.

Treason seems to be contagious in their party.

[Orsino]

22. Putin may have something on them, but the Kochs definitely do.

It's just money, I think.

[lsewpershad]

28. Because

They a spineless power hungry "wussies".

[Nevernose]

29. Because they literally want to destroy American society as we know it

Progressive taxation, social safety net, education, environmental safety, the works. So far, they’re doing a good job of it.

And as long as Trump is president, he takes the blame. Worse, he takes the focus, which might help the GOP hold onto to a few local and state offices, because Trump hatred alone isn’t enough to win all of our elections. It’s a big help, but hating Trump didn’t get Doug Jones (for instance) elected: he was the right candidate in the right environment and had to run against a pedophile.

[Autumn]

33. Their silence is what's terrifying.