Schweikert also bears liability for failed coup

Arizona Republican Rep. David Schweikert weaseled out of a series of ethical violations last year with an admission of 11 violations, a reprimand and a $50,000 fine.

It was a gift. The congressional committee that investigated Schweikert, made up of members from both parties, concluded that Schweikert’s “campaign funds were used to reimburse staff for expenditures made for his personal use, including babysitting services, meals, dry-cleaning, and travel.”

There was a lot more. Apparently, though, not enough to dissuade the tony residents of Schweikert’s district, who returned him to Congress.

Schweikert, like fellow Arizona Republicans Andy Biggs, Paul Gosar and Debbie Lesko, is a member of the socalled Freedom Caucus, which has served as a subcult of congressional members within the overall Trump cult.

Unlike Biggs, Gosar and Lesko, however, Schweikert voted to accept Arizona’s Electoral College votes.

It was a slick move that has allowed Schweikert to fly under the radar. It shouldn’t.

He was just as much a part of the attempted coup as his three colleagues.

Schweikert hid out during the Arizona vote, but he went along with other Republican members of Congress trying to derail the election. He voted not to accept the votes from Pennsylvania.

It was a way for Schweikert to remain a team player for the Freedom Caucus while weaseling out of responsibility for stiffing Arizona.

What Schweikert did, however, was attempt to decertify the votes of millions of Americans. Whether they are from Arizona or Pennsylvania shouldn’t matter.

Pennsylvania Republican Senator Pat Toomey, a Trump supporter, was nonetheless outraged by his congressional colleagues trying to usurp the will of the people.

The day the mob raged at the Capitol, Toomey said, “We witnessed today the damage that can result when men in power and responsibility refuse to acknowledge the truth. We saw bloodshed because a demagogue chose to spread falsehoods and sow distrust of his own fellow Americans. Let’s not abet such deception. Let’s reject this motion.”

And the Senate did.

And so, too, did the House.

But make no mistake, Schweikert is just as guilty of trying to undo an election as are Biggs, Gosar and Lesko.

They swore an oath to uphold the Constitution and instead chose blind loyalty to Trump over that oath, spreading disinformation about the election, which led to unnecessary dis

cord among Americans, which led to unnecessary death and destruction at the Capitol.

Pennsylvania Rep. Conor Lamb summed it up this way:

“That attack today, it didn’t materialize out of nowhere. It was inspired by lies. The same lies that you are hearing in this room tonight. The members who are repeating those lies should be ashamed of themselves. Their constituents should be ashamed of them.”

Yes, we should.