GOP politicians demanding answers from Trump about the explosive Russian bounty story that is just now settling into the public discourse, reported by the Times Friday night, confirmed independently yesterday, but they aren’t suddenly finding their moral compass. When an adversary like Russia pays another adversary like the Taliban to kill Americans, it is not a profile in courage to confront the president who didn’t do a thing about it. When all the details explode, “supporting Trump” in this isn’t going to be an option. So it’s not surprising that Republican pols do want answers, and sooner rather than later.

They have also noticed that despite the excuse that Trump didn’t know, Trump still hasn’t come out in fury at the Russians and Putin, indeed he’s been mum, not saying a thing.

The GOP pols know damned good and well that Trump was in a free fall before this revelation. Their anger and demand for answers (or deafening silence) aren’t indicative of the GOP becoming patriotic and brave. They are saving their own skin while also doing the right thing.

Thus it is that Liz Cheney, who despite being a vile person when it comes to race relations and other causes, is someone who has previously retained some independence from Trump, perhaps because she comes from old-school “rule the world and plunder the money through competence” crowd, “evil Cheney.” She is also from Wyoming. Her seat isn’t threatened. She wants answers. Similarly, hawkish Lindsey Graham wants answers, though he hasn’t said a harsh word  … yet. He will if the nation turns against Trump.

If reporting about Russian bounties on US forces is true, the White House must explain:
1. Why weren’t the president or vice president briefed? Was the info in the PDB?
2. Who did know and when?
3. What has been done in response to protect our forces & hold Putin accountable?

— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) June 28, 2020

Rawstory reports that Lindsey Graham let Trump know that he’s not going to be able to slink away without addressing this:

“I expect the Trump administration to take such allegations seriously and inform Congress immediately as to the reliability of these news reports,” he tweeted.

The news reports are reliable. They’ve been confirmed by several outlets here at home, and there are trustworthy reports that foreign intelligence knew of the program. We aren’t the only nation with spies and an intelligence network.

As an aside, Tim Scott, the lone black Republican senator reacted to Trump’s tweet this morning that included “white power” by saying it was totally unacceptable and Trump needed to explain himself, deleting the tweet wasn’t sufficient.

Trump is leaving GOP senators and congressmen/women no choice but to confront him as increasingly insane and dangerous revelations explode out from the media. The fact that the rest of the GOP is silent – refusing to come to Trump’s defense about the plausibility that this isn’t true or that Trump might not have heard the news – is also relevant.

It sure seems as though we’re entering a new period. Trump has never been so isolated, so down in polls and ratings, so far from reelection. It appears that it will only get worse in the short term. This coming week, as we learn more and more about the Russian program Trump ignored could run Trump out of office as the ultimate dereliction of duty. He has quit on America and betrayed the troops. It is hard to conceive of anything worse.

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Peace, y’all
Jason
[email protected] and on Twitter @MiciakZoom