‘Country over party’ ploy is too little, too late

Let’s say you actually believe Sen. Jeff Flake’s “country over party” claim as demonstrated by his having made a $100 campaign contribution to Republican Roy Moore’s opponent, Doug Jones, in the race for a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama.

Why start with Moore?

If Flake wanted to play the “country over party” card he could have voted against the awful tax-reform bill that passed in the Senate.

Certainly the term “country” suggests both political parties. Yet only one was involved in this process.

Or he could have joined Sen. John McCain in voting against the plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as “Obamacare,” with no suitable replacement.

Or he wouldn’t have gone along with President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda and horrendous appointments to important departments and the courts 90 percent of the time.

Besides, at the heart of the Roy Moore fiasco, with mounting evidence of his creepy and possibly criminal pursuit of girls when he was a grown man, is the support he is receiving from the Republican Party and, of course, Trump.

The president strongly endorsed Moore, saying in a tweet: “Democrats refusal to give even one vote for massive Tax Cuts is why we need Republican Roy Moore to win in Alabama. We need his vote on stopping crime, illegal immigration, Border Wall, Military, Pro Life, V.A., Judges 2nd Amendment and more. No to Jones, a Pelosi/Schumer Puppet!”

If Republicans like Flake and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan actually want Moore to drop out of the race over the ugly allegations against him, how can they work with Trump?

There are 16 women with allegations of sexual misconduct against the president. He admitted on the “Access Hollywood” tape to trying to seduce married women and boasted of his ability to simply grab women by the “p---y.”

If Moore doesn’t belong at the Capitol, how can Trump?

And if the Republican Party to which Flake belongs believed in “country over party” how could it restore financial support to Moore’s campaign?

If Flake’s rallying cry is “country over party” why isn’t he calling out — by name — each of his Republican brothers and sisters in Congress who are keeping their mouths shut?

Trump’s former top adviser Steve Bannon mocked Flake at a campaign rally for Moore.

He also mocked former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney for opposing Moore, saying in part, “And by the way, Mitt, while we’re on the subject of Vietnam, and honor and

integrity, you avoided service, brother, right?”

Bannon didn’t mention President Trump’s FIVE deferments, four for college and one for “bone spurs in his heels,” which somehow never kept him from playing football, tennis, squash or golf, and miraculously healed after he got his 1-Y deferment from the military.

That’s the epitome of “party over country.”

In fact, the rallying cry of Republicans has been “party over country” since Trump got elected. Even before that.

So what if Moore wins?

This man with all his ethical (and perhaps legal) issues involving girls. This man who has said Muslim Americans shouldn’t be allowed to serve in Congress or the military. (Should those who died for our country still be allowed burial in Arlington National Cemetery, Roy?) This man who had referred to Native Americans and Asians as “reds and yellows.”

It goes on.

If this Republican man wins, what will Flake and other Republican senators do to prove they really truly believe in “country over party?” Reach Montini at 602-444-8978 or ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com