On a burning op-ed for The Atlantic published on Saturday, Sen. Ben Sasse
Ben SasseSasse: Capitol rioters ‘came dangerously close to starting a bloody constitutional crisis’ McConnell about to teach Trump about political power for the last time McConnell: Trump’s impeachment trial will start after Biden swore MORE (R-Neb.) He said the QAnon conspiracy theory is “destroying” the GOP and urged his fellow Republicans to reject it.
Sasse’s opinion piece comes less than two weeks after a violent crowd of President Trump
Donald TrumpCIA, CIA chief, threatened to resign due to pressure to install loyal Trump as a deputy: Azar report in farewell letter says Capitol riot threatens to “tarnish” administration achievements Justice Department argues that Trump should get immunity from prosecutor’s case of rapeThe captain’s supporters violated the United States Capitol, leaving five people, including a Capitol police officer, dead. The rioters invaded the Capitol with the intention of preventing Congress from counting the electoral college vote that broke for the elected president Joe Biden
Joe BidenAzar in a farewell letter says riot on Capitol Hill threatens to tarnish administration achievements House Democrats introduce measures to oppose Trump’s sale of bombs to Saudis On The Money: Retail sales fall at the last sign of weakening the economy | Fast-food workers strike for minimum wage | US officials raise concerns about Mexico’s handling of energy licenses MORE, claiming that the election was fraudulent.
Many of the members photographed during the riots can be seen with references to “Q” or “QAnon” on their clothing, including a man wearing a horned helmet and face paint colloquially known as “QAnon Shaman”.
Those who believe the theory claim, without evidence, that President Trump is working to “expose the capture of the U.S. government by a global network of cannibal pedophiles”. Several newly elected lawmakers, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) Have been associated with the theory, although she later walked back her support due to “misinformation”.
In Sasse’s editorial, entitled “QAnon is destroying the GOP from within,” the legislator says that the riots that occurred on Capitol Hill were not the result of “some bad apples”, but of a “seed” that Republicans allowed to grow the party over time, including these theories.
Sasse mentioned that officer Eugene Goodman, who was seen in a video leading a mob out of the Senate chamber during the riots, was being chased by a man wearing a shirt with the QAnon theory logo. The FBI said the man, identified as Douglas Jensen, “wanted his shirt to be seen on video so that ‘Q’ could ‘get credit’.”
“It is the flowering of a rotten seed that took root in the Republican Party some time ago and was fueled by betrayal, bad political judgment and cowardice,” wrote Sasse.
Sasse said that when Trump leaves office, the Republican Party has the option of defending the Constitution or “becoming a party to conspiracy theories”.
“When Trump leaves office, my party faces a choice: we can dedicate ourselves to defending the Constitution and perpetuating our best American institutions and traditions, or we can be part of conspiracy theories, cable news fantasies and the ruin that comes with them. “, he said. “
“We can be the Eisenhower party or the conspirator Alex Jones party,” continued Sasse, referring to Jones, who is a conspiracy theorist.
Sasse also accused some of his Republican colleagues of “blinking” at conspiracy theorists, while continuing to “preach” the constitution.
“Until last week, many party leaders and consultants thought they could preach the Constitution by winking at QAnon. They can’t, ”wrote Sasse. “The GOP must reject conspiracy theories or be consumed by them. Now is the time to decide what this party is about. “
Sasse also criticized the House minority leader Kevin McCarthy
Kevin McCarthyGOP divided over Liz Cheney’s future Democrats point the finger on whether Capitol protesters had internal help Pelosi suggests criminal charges to any lawmaker who helped with the Capitol riot MORE (R-Calif.) For not repudiating the Taylor Greene campaign and called the freshman legislator “cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.”
“During his campaign, the minority leader in the House, Kevin McCarthy, had a choice: to repudiate his campaign and potentially lose a Republican seat or receive it in his caucus and try to contain his ridiculous ideas. McCarthy failed the leadership test and sat down on the side, “said Sasse.
Taylor Greene said this month that he plans to bring articles of impeachment against Biden the day after his inauguration.
Sasse acknowledged his plan, hitting the Georgia Republican: “She will continue to play the fool, her voters and the Republican Party, “he said.
The Nebraska legislature concluded by stating that to play a “constructive role” in America’s future, the Republican Party must “repudiate the absurdity that set our party on fire” and “rebuild itself” by offering a “genuine response to the frustrations of the last decade. ”
“In an impasse between the Constitution and madness, the two men chose sides,” says Sasse. “It’s the GOP’s turn to do the same.”
The article arrives while the Senate will take on Trump’s impeachment trial in this session.
The Chamber accused the president for the second time during his presidency this week, accusing the president of inciting the violent crowd that attacked the Capitol. Ten Republicans along with House Democrats voted to impeach the president.
Before the crowd broke into the building on January 6, Trump made comments on the National Mall, telling supporters that he would never give in and encouraging the crowd to march to the Capitol and demand that Congress suspend the Biden Electoral College’s victory certification. .
Sasse has been openly speaking about the events that took place on Capitol, issuing a statement this week asking Americans to consider the seriousness of Capitol events.
In addition, he called on the efforts of his Republican colleagues, including the senator. Josh Hawley
Joshua (Josh) David HawleyCruz, Cornyn will participate in the inauguration of Biden McCaskill’s former advisers launch PAC seeking to frustrate Hawley. (R-Mo.) To oppose the election results “really stupid.”