Some in GOP prove they are unfit to govern

In Orlando, Florida, last week the Orlando Sentinel apologized for an editorial endorsement of a Republican congressman who supported a lawsuit that tried to have the Supreme Court overthrow the will of the voters in the presidential election.

The Sentinel in an editorial said “to its horror,” U. S. Rep. Michael Waltz was one of 126 Republican representatives who supported a Texas lawsuit filed with the U. S. Supreme Court that wanted to deprive President- elect Joe Biden of his victory in last month’s election and give a second term to President Donald Trump.

In Chico, our sister newspaper The Enterprise- Record also apologized in part for endorsing in part First District Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa. The paper couldn’t decide between either LaMalfa or his Democratic challenger, so it recommended both.

The Texas lawsuit claimed Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin’s voting laws created “unconstitutional irregularities” that have “cast doubt” on the 2020 outcome and “the integrity of the American system of elections.” A majority of voters in the four states chose Biden, flipping their results from 2016 and giving him his margin of victory in Monday’s upcoming Electoral College vote. Texas had wanted those results discarded. Why California wasn’t included, is unknown.

The lawsuit rested on numerous unfounded claims that had been rejected in dozens of lawsuits, including by judges appointed by Trump.

On Monday, the Electoral College selected Joe Biden to become the 46th President of the United States, but the question remains about what to do with those 126 in Congress who signed on to the Texas lawsuit — including LaMalfa, who basically doubled down on his stance telling national media that because he wasn’t on the moon when man landed on it he doesn’t actually have proof the event occurred, which seemed to indicate that he believes the election was rigged even though there’s not proof.

Even now, there are some — a remarkable 80% of Republicans for example — who feel the election was rigged, despite no evidence of such claims. Some people are protesting about the “stolen” election, some violently.

The apology by The Sentinel and Enterprise- Record isn’t all that outlandish. Think about this: 126 members of Congress wanted to overturn the will of voters and were ( and may still be) willing to destroy our democracy for the sake of preserving not just the Trump presidency but Republican power. Even now, some Republicandominated state legislatures are looking at eliminating mail- in balloting because they tend to favor Democrats, and this is after years of implementing restrictive voter ID laws and gerrymandering.

Make no mistake. People like LaMalfa and those other Republicans who support the Texas lawsuit are a threat against the fabric of our democracy and fundamentally put party above country.

What should be the penalty for such attempts to subvert our democracy? Out first thought is that each of those 126 signing on to the Texas lawsuit should be tried for sedition. Someone also suggested that the 126 members of Congress not be seated when Congress reconvenes in January.

If you think these ideas are absurd, remember that when people are elected to public office, they take an oath that includes in part the words “to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Our president’s take that same oath. That oath doesn’t include anything about “preserving, protecting or defending the president,” nor about “preserving, protecting and defending your party.”

That oath — a version of which is also recited by our own Woodland City Council members and Yolo County supervisors when they are sworn into office by the way — is meant to remind and guide our elected officials that they represent all the people.

And let’s not forget another part of the oath — for those like LaMalfa who have forgotten — which is to protect our Constitution “from all enemies foreign and domestic.” Who are those domestic enemies? Republicans ( at least those 126 in Congress) have answered the question.

Some U. S. lawmakers, and at least 126 Congressional Republicans have violated their oaths.