The Columbus Dispatch Excoriates Ohio's Republicans

This is one of the best editorials I’ve seen in an Ohio newspaper in a long time. And it’s about time.

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Wednesday’s seditious attack on the epicenter of democracy must be laid at the feet of President Donald Trump and every Republican politician who ignored, excused or glossed over the clear signals of violence and disregard for the law that Trump has been sending since he began his run for the presidency five years ago.

Enthusiastic Trump supporters such as Rep. Jim Jordan of Urbana bear the most direct responsibility, for their role in amplifying the lies that have convinced half of the country that their values are under attack, that people who think differently are their enemies, and that Donald Trump alone can solve their problems. Jordan’s antics defending Trump against his well-deserved impeachment and his demonizing of political opponents helped create the sense of aggrievement that drives so many Trump supporters.

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A special shame must be reserved for all those Republicans who surely disapproved privately of Trump’s rhetoric and actions but who let it all go unchallenged as part of a political calculation. Mainstream politicians who would never personally brag about assaulting women, cravenly use their offices to boost their businesses, try to subvert the justice system or encourage violence against political opponents quietly accepted such behavior from Trump out of fear that he might deploy his base against them.

Gov. Mike DeWine didn’t even do that well; when he was asked about the cynical electoral challenge, he repeated vague references to “irregularities” in the 2020 election, knowing full well that exhaustive audits and investigations of the election have found zero evidence of meaningful fraud or mistakes.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost belongs to the ignoble club of those who, circa early 2016, accurately called Trump out as unfit to be president but somehow found a way to support him when he became the nominee.

They and others stuck with him through the disgraceful treatment of immigrants at the border, countless financial conflicts of interest, cozying up to dictators and white supremacists, incompetent and corrupt cabinet appointments and his using the U.S. Department of Justice to settle personal scores.

Only when the mob literally came for them did they defy Trump’s wishes.

Sen. Rob Portman, who is regularly excoriated by Dispatch letter writers for his failure to object to Trump's actions, is something of a poster child for such accommodation. In July, the ridicule went national, and deservedly so: When pressed by reporters for a reaction to the shameful use of force against peaceful protesters in Lafayette Park, Portman managed to mutter only, “I’m late for lunch.”

More

https://www.dispatch.com/story/opinion/editorials/2021/01/08/republicans-penance-accepting-trumps-lies-tell-truth/6583679002/