Revisiting McConnell's role during the campaign
Link to tweet
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Revisiting McConnells role during the campaign
One shadow narrative unfolding in the background over the past two years has been the gradual discovery of just how broad the scope of Russian sabotage of the 2016 election really was. This has made certain events during the campaign appear more serious in retrospect.
In September 2016, as The Post has reported, top Obama administration officials privately asked senior congressional leaders in both parties to go public with a united front against Russian interference. But McConnell refused, claiming (in The Posts words) that he would consider any effort by the White House to challenge the Russians publicly an act of partisan politics. McConnell also questioned the intelligence demonstrating Russian sabotage.
We have since learned a great deal about the Russian interference that McConnell raised doubts about. Special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs indictments of Russian nationals laid out a very detailed plot to corruptly swing the election. More recently, Senate Intelligence Committee reports demonstrated the extraordinary reach of the Russian disinformation campaign, which included elaborate efforts to divide the country on racial and cultural lines.
Remember, it was widely known during the election that some sort of Russian interference efforts were taking place. Candidate Trump was downplaying the seriousness of these efforts, or dismissing them altogether
Its hard to know how much of a difference it would have made if congressional leaders went public with bipartisan acknowledgment and condemnation of the Russian interference effort. But it certainly could have helped educate the public and shed light on just how indefensible Trumps downplaying of Russian sabotage really was. Of course, that might have hurt Trumps candidacy, so for McConnell, it was apparently a nonstarter.
Now we discover that there is fresh reason to wonder just how deep Trumps loyalties to Putin and Russia ran throughout that whole period. What we still do not know is how detailed and convincing a briefing McConnell and other officials received on what was happening. We should revisit this.
Whats more, were also learning that in the view of intelligence officials, Trumps obstruction of justice efforts were potentially more damaging to the country than we thought. They concluded that by firing Comey, Trump was making it harder to learn the truth about Russian sabotage of our democracy irrespective of whether there was any collusion.
In retrospect, failure to protect Mueller looks worse
This raises new questions about another McConnell action: The refusal to hold votes on legislation protecting the special counsel. In fairness, Trump has still not moved successfully against Mueller. But McConnell scuttled efforts to protect Mueller even though Trump privately tried to fire him twice. Theres still time for Trump to act, and passing such protections which the Democratic House would support would plainly make any such action, and the damage it would cause, less likely..............
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Me.
(35,454 posts)+1
Fuzzpope
(602 posts)McConnell has been Trump's most effective firewall, loyal to the point where his own competence and malfeasance has directly come into tight focus.
Why did/does he do this?
Money? He's already vastly wealthy, and would continue to grow wealthier without attaching to such a high risk conspiracy, especially in league with such an unstable element as Trump.
McConnell's coin is power, that's his gig. What further power was he guaranteed, beyond a loaded SC?
Determine motive, determine crime.
dhill926
(16,364 posts)thinks he's untouchable. Would love to see him finally caught up in all this...
BigmanPigman
(51,632 posts)Complicit traitors!
stuffmatters
(2,574 posts)Trump rewarded Mrs Mitch (Chao) Secy of Transportation with power to grift & graft what was expected to be hundreds of billions in "Infrastructure" Funds. Now Trump's rewarded Mitch once again for protecting him by giving Chao's Sister's husband power over grift & grafting the US National Pension Fund.
It's not all about giving McConnell & his family access to these 2 ginormous national pots of gold, I suspect. McConnell has some dark,
Kompromat level "secrets" no doubt...maybe even some were buried in David Pecker's safe.