Joe Conason: McConnell And Trump: Democracy's Enemies Within

[babylonsister]

https://www.nationalmemo.com/mcconnell-and-trump-democracys-enemies-within/?fbclid=IwAR3leGuBLj_K5H7b71pQpp0Yn-tkceLAH6kCQLAFsSmaBpJcqwAkZ0IGKs0


McConnell And Trump: Democracy’s Enemies Within
Joe Conason
June 12, 2019

snip//

Although there was plenty of evidence by September 2016 that the Russians were seeking to interfere in our election on behalf of their preferred candidate Trump, McConnell seized on lingering doubts to conceal from voters what intelligence officials knew. He has no such excuses now, after the Mueller report and many previous reports have dispelled any doubt about Putin’s active measures.

Indeed, we now know that their intelligence services penetrated deeply into state election networks. While there is no evidence that those hacks changed any votes, it is entirely possible that the Russians will attempt to do so next time — and may well possess the capability.

And yet, the Republican leader still refuses to take action to protect our elections from the next assault by the Russians, in 2020. He has repeatedly blocked bipartisan bills that seek to enhance election security from reaching the Senate floor. In fact, McConnell has killed at least three such bills within the past few months.

snip//

McConnell worked in tandem with the Trump White House to stall this vital legislation before the 2020 election, presumably to save the president any embarrassment over vetoing it. Neither McConnell nor Trump has stated their exact objections to protecting our election systems. (Someone should ask Putin directly.)

When Robert Mueller spoke publicly about the findings of his investigation as he resigned from the Justice Department, he warned that all Americans should concern themselves with the Russians’ 2016 attack — obviously because it will happen again. Security and intelligence officials across the country have uttered that same warning, more than once. And both the Republican Senate majority and the White House have stymied any action to protect the integrity of our democracy.

Perhaps we should turn our attention now to the enemies within.

[True Blue American]

1. My favorite Journalist.

He should be on TV more often.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

2. Absolutely. McConnel is blatantly corrupt;

Must be a lot of tainted GOPees and corporatists holding him up. Not to mention his wife for godsake, Secretary (coff. gak.) Chao.

[DeminPennswoods]

3. I wish Conason had a regular show, or at least gig,

on CNN or MSNBC. I'd watch. He's one of the best journalists out there.