The new GOP minority: 2 indictments, a violent criminal, and Jim Jordan

Voters delivered a walloping to Republicans on Election Day, and come January the party will be relegated to minority status in the House of Representatives.

What’s more, the diminished Republican chamber will welcome back two members under federal indictment, a violent criminal, and someone accused of turning a blind eye as students were sexually assaulted.

Clearly, Republicans are not sending their best people to Congress.

Both Reps. Chris Collins (R-NY) and Duncan Hunter (R-CA) have been charged with federal crimes by the Department of Justice.

Collins was charged with insider trading in August 2018. The indictment alleges Collins passed private information to his son that let him make advantageous stock trades of Innate Immunotherapeutics, an Australian biotech company. Collins is on the board of directors for the company and is one its largest shareholders, with nearly 17 percent of the stock.

Hunter is charged with using his campaign cash as a personal slush fund. His indictment includes allegations of misusing a quarter of a million dollars on personal expenses like family vacations and expensive theater tickets.

Collins and Hunter were also the first two members of Congress to endorse Trump’s campaign for president.

In Montana, Rep. Greg Gianforte is returning to Congress despite the fact that he pled guilty to violently assaulting a reporter on the eve of a 2017 special election.

Trump openly joked about the incident just days before the 2018 midterm, showing that he wholeheartedly approved of Gianforte’s actions.

And Republicans care so little about protecting the free press that most couldn’t be bothered to object to Trump’s celebration of violence against journalists.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), a far-right leader of the radical Freedom Caucus, is not only returning to Congress, but is vying to become GOP Minority Leader.

Jordan faces a rash of accusations stemming from his time as a college wrestling coach at Ohio State University. Numerous students came forward in 2018 with allegations of being molested, and many said Jordan turned a blind eye towards the abuse.

Embracing abjectly immoral behavior is nothing new for Republicans. After all, the party is united behind Trump, who is endlessly corrupt, racist, and malevolent.

The same Republican Party also stood by accused child molester Roy Moore’s doomed Senate campaign, and still embraces white nationalist and Nazi sympathizer Rep. Steve King (R-IA) as a member of good standing in the party.

Democrats ran on a pledge to clean up corruption in Washington, especially the culture of corruption surrounding Trump.

Republicans, meanwhile, continue to welcome scoundrels, criminals, and miscreants with open arms.

No wonder voters overwhelmingly decided to relegate the GOP to the minority and put Democrats back in charge.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.