Republicans say Trump can't defy Congress but won't do anything to stop him

Spineless Republicans strike again.

Politico reported on Monday that a number of Republicans are privately voicing concern about how Trump is obstructing congressional investigations, yet are not prepared to do anything about it.

Two GOP lawmakers — Reps. Tom Cole of Oklahoma and Ken Buck of Colorado — told Politico that they believe Trump’s attempts to block aides from complying with congressional subpoenas go too far.

“I’m in Congress. I’m aligned with Congress. I’m not aligned with the executive branch. And I think we have oversight authority over the administration,” Buck told Politico. “And if the president has acted illegally, then I think we have oversight authority.”

Cole went on to say that unlike what Trump’s White House counsel has argued (that Congress needs to have a legislative purpose for their oversight and that there are some things Congress simply cannot probe), he does believe that “there is such a thing as congressional oversight.”

Yet neither are going to do anything to try and stop Trump from blatantly ignoring Congress’ oversight role.

In fact, some Republicans who say they don’t think Trump’s congressional obstruction is right are finding ways to excuse his behavior anyway.

Cole excused Trump’s behavior by saying that the oversight Trump is ignoring from House Democrats is not legitimate.

“I think it’s very hard with a straight face to argue that what we’re seeing now is legitimate oversight and legitimate investigation,” Cole told Politico.

Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) made similar sentiments to Politico.

“[Democrats] are taking too broad of a view of the investigative powers of Congress and the administration’s taking way too narrow of one,” Simpson said.

Only one GOP lawmaker has come out to say that Trump’s behavior is impeachable: Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI).

And Amash might even be punished for speaking out, possibly by losing his seat in Congress.

Republicans have proven time and time again that they cannot be trusted to conduct any oversight or checks and balances on their own president — no matter how lawless and vile his actions are.

They won’t even stand up to Trump when he’s willfully violating Constitutional norms.

So much for Republicans being the party of “law and order.”

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.