More than a month after the election, Idaho’s two senators and two representatives are still part of an undistinguished majority of Republican elected officials so cowed by the rants of the defeated president that they will not do the honorable thing and acknowledge that Democrat Joe Biden is the president-elect of the United States of America.
Defeated Republican incumbent President Donald Trump is still railing and tweeting bizarrely that he won election despite some 30 failed court challenges of the election in six states.
Of 249 Republican members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, just 26 have acknowledged that Biden won, according to a Dec. 5 story in The Washington Post. A team of 25 reporters contacted aides for every Republican in Congress to find the data. Two said that Trump won, despite evidence to the contrary, and 220 would not say who won the election.
Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo has cloaked his lack of congratulations for the winner in a marble-mouthed smokescreen whose particulate matter includes legal jargon about Trump’s right to challenge the submission of any illegal ballots or ballot-counting operations. He has recommended that the courts continue to adjudicate matters until all states certify ballots.
After Sen. Jim Risch read the original story in the Post, which credited 27 Republican members of Congress with acknowledging Biden’s win and noted that Risch had done so in a November interview with the Spokane Spokesman-Review, he sent the Post a statement objecting to his inclusion in that group. “I continue to support the President’s efforts to ensure an accurate vote count in the Presidential election,” he said.
Rep. Mike Simpson has said nothing. His continuing silence is not just deafening, it’s damning.
Rep. Russ Fulcher has not changed comments in which he questioned the election results despite Biden’s clear win.
The Idaho delegation’s collective failure to acknowledge Biden’s win is like pouring acid on the metal of democracy. It weakens it by dissolving trust in elections and public officials.
True political leaders do not hide behind feckless silence or follow a shivering herd in times like these. They tell the truth. Idaho’s senators and congressmen have surrendered any right to be called statesmen.
“Our View” represents the opinion of the newspaper editorial board, which is made up of members of its board of directors. Remarks may be directed to editorialboard@mtexpress.com.
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(17) comments
Fulcher and Simpson by signing the brief in support of the TX lawsuit have embarrassed the people of Idaho. They displayed absolutely no character or backbone. How would we like other states interfering in our business?
Thankfully the state of Idaho did NOT sign on:
“As attorney general, I have significant concerns about supporting a legal argument that could result in other states litigating against legal decisions made by Idaho’s legislature and governor,” Wasden wrote. "Idaho is a sovereign state and should be free to govern itself without interference from any other state. Likewise, Idaho should respect the sovereignty of its sister states.”
Of course gov, lt gov did sign on. That is weak sauce from spineless morons.
I could never figure out why anyone should be 'embarrassed' by the behavior of others, who they do not know, or have any relation to, for their actions. If you didn't vote for them (obviously), why would you be embarrassed? Then, I realized, it is just a made-up liberal narrative. Be embarrassed, unless it is a democrat caught in a 'mishap'. Then, go full-on rage in defense.
It's obvious the concept of shame eludes most of the right as well.
Our media keeps inventing these silly new rules of behavior that they then love to dramatically blare have been violated. When the Electoral College votes in mid-December then we will know who the President-elect is and not before. Under the system that governs this country it is the Electoral College that elects the Chief Executive.
And ever since I could vote some 45+ years ago, it was always considered gracious to congratulate the winner apparent once a majority consensus had been reached. Generally, this was after an obvious vote count had completed. Gracious, respect, and decorum are words not adopted by the current administration or its followers. How terribly sad for America.
I will extend to Biden, his appointees, and his followers the same consideration given to President Trump. So that means zero, zip, nada. I want President Trump to continue to cause the liberals to have apoplectic fits, aka TDS. I’m hoping he continues to politic for conservatives and drive the left crazy, hold rallies, and the Trumpster rebellion of 2022 makes the Tea Party of 2010 look like, well a tea party.
Trump lost, he’s lost in Pennsylvania at least three times, lost in Minnesota twice, three times in Georgia and a couple more in Arizona. His court filings are just as abysmal one win, forty-nine loses, soon to be fifty. IME is spot on. We have no statesmen in our government anymore, we just have minions. None of our representatives meet withe public anymore, ask yourself; when was a town hall conducted by any of them. You can’t talk to them over the phone. Yet, Idaho keeps voting for these sad excuses. So no, I would not expect to hear form any of these so called representatives congratulating the President-elect anytime soon.
The ONLY reason for this opinion is because there is an (R) behind their name. I think the IME and many other liberals are very nervous that there will be significant fraud uncovered in this election, and from it, Democrats will lose the House in 2022, and the Senate will swing strongly to Republican majority. Biden is too moderate for today's democrat party. The progressive socialists will need to get rid of Biden as fast as they can, by any means.
The worry is the most powerful person in the world claims a failed election and browbeats his sycophants into reversing the will of people.
And what happens if some court cases stick, fraud is found, ballots have to be vetted, and ultimately Pres Trump wins, and a bunch of seditious democrats go to jail? Will you riot, or accept it?
It's been 5 weeks since the election and some 50 court cases have been dismissed so far. Trump has no shot.
Kraken Powell, Ghouliani, and now Tex Paxton DOA as per the Deep State at the Supreme Court, the last gasp.
Move along, nothing to see here!
Oh, I don't think Trump has a chance either. But there will be fraud uncovered, which will reflect badly on seditious democrats, in 2022. Unless...they unleash another pandemic on us toward their political gain. And, you didn't answer my question.
Because .........feelings w/out a shred of evidence, except Trump didn't win(but most other R's seemed to do just fine.)
actually,trump has not been defeated and our statesmen are doing exactly what we hired them to do which is serve the people and the president of the united states.
Trump 2024 ! 🇺🇸
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