Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell threw Republicans as well as Democrats for a loop when he attributed responsibility of the Capitol insurrection to former President Donald Trump, despite his vote against conviction.
Trump reacted, calling McConnell a “dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack,” and went on to say, “I will back primary rivals who espouse Making America Great Again and our policy of America First,” according to CNN reporting.
Trump’s statement is not only threatening but also evidence that he has a death grip on the Republican Party. While many Republican representatives can still say Trump “should be held accountable,” they do not want to be the ones to do it.
Only seven Republicans voted to convict Trump, two of whom are retiring, and only one is up to face their voters in the 2022 election cycle — Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
Though other Republicans agreed that the attack on the Capitol was shameful, they also knew that the same people who were involved are also voters who are loyal to Trump, whether he runs again or not, so if they want to be reelected as well, they must protect him.
Those like McConnell may want to keep democracy and integrity, but they also want to keep their jobs. And that’s what makes it so puzzling as to why McConnell would even give any remarks pertaining to Trump’s responsibility.
If McConnell’s motive behind the way he chose to vote had to do with only being reelected, he most likely destroyed that effort when he gave criticism afterward. It is unfortunate for that to be the case, but it reveals that it is just not worth it to make decisions based upon anything other than logic, evidence and one’s own moral compass or conscience.
McConnell’s criticism unravels his true thoughts and views behind the events on Jan. 6.
However, it was far too late for him to be sharing those thoughts at that point because it only damaged and contradicted his prior stance. If his vote had reflected these views, Trump, as well as others, would have probably still insulted him, but at least his credibility would still be intact.
In the end, it seems as though McConnell wanted Americans to know that the attack would not have happened if it weren’t for Trump’s careless words.
Still, the contradiction did not start there. In the beginning, McConnell proposed that the Senate should delay the trial until February (after inauguration). According to an ABC news report, “He wrote that his proposal includes a ‘modest and reasonable amount’ of additional time for sides to prepare arguments.”
Yet, later in a letter to GOP conference members, McConnell wrote, “While a close call, I am persuaded that impeachments are a tool primarily of removal and we therefore lack jurisdiction.”
Despite the contradictory statements and choices McConnell has made, it is clear that he, along with the majority of Senate Republicans, protected the former president.
Though Trump was indeed twice impeached and now twice acquitted, his legal issues are just beginning, as multiple states have opened investigations and lawsuits against him. Perhaps there will be fewer contradictions and more justice concerning the cases ahead if fewer politicians are involved.
Graphic by Micheal Yelton
