Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer
Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell couldn’t have been any clearer about Jan. 6. “It was a violent insurrection with the purpose of trying to prevent a peaceful transfer of power after a legitimately certified election. … That’s what it was.”
McConnell made this statement in response to the Republican National Committee endorsing the insurrection. The RNC called the January 6 insurrection “legitimate political discourse.”
The Senator’s statement was the strongest from him since January 19, 2021. “The mob was fed lies. They were provoked by the president and other powerful people, and they tried to use fear and violence to stop a specific proceeding of the first branch of the federal government which they did not like.”
The facts surrounding Jan. 6 have been clear. Donald Trump violated his oath of office. Like so many other times in his life, Donald broke his word.
We shouldn’t be surprised that the Republican Party is trying to cover up his crime. When he ran for office, Republicans heard Donald brag about raping married women. They heard him brag about watching teenage girls undress. Republicans knew he bankrupted multiple casinos.
Republicans didn’t care about rape. They didn’t care about perversion. Republicans didn’t care about bankruptcy.
In fact, Republicans twisted themselves into knots and concluded Donald was a Christian. Conservative Christian flocked to him because he said what they wanted to hear.
Donald denigrated immigrants and their children. Donald longed for the good ol’ days of mob violence. Donald said it was smart to cheat on taxes and dumb to pay them. Most of all Donald lied about Covid 19 and watch our thousands of our neighbors die.
If Republicans could justify the lies and death of 900,000 Americans, then it was a small, next step to kill our democracy. They had made the deal with the Donald. They placed their bet on a cheating husband, cheating businessman and cheating politician.
A handful of Republicans are pulling back from the brink. Representatives Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) and Liz Cheney (R-WY) both serve on the bi-partisan committee investigating the crimes of January 6. They have made it clear that the mob attacked our constitution.
Both the RNC and Donald demean them and question their loyalty to the Republican Party. All of my life I have heard the words of John F. Kennedy “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”
McConnell, Kinzinger and Cheney have put loyalty to America first. Will you give your vote to candidates who will destroy the Constitution for political gain? Will you put America first?
Glenn Melancon is a professor of history at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. He can be reached at glenn@glennmelancon.com. His opinions are his own and do not reflect those of the Jefferson Jimplecute.