After sleeping through four years of Donald Trump, a raft of colleagues cozying up to white nationalists, and a homegrown coup attempt directed at the U.S. seat of government, Republicans finally found something to care about when one of their own cast their party as a drug-laden, orgy-hungry group of scoundrels.
Perhaps Rep. Madison Cawthorn's revelation about GOP sex parties and cocaine use hit a little too close to home, because this is apparently where the rubber meets the road for Republicans. Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy quickly gave him a stern talking to, and his fellow North Carolina lawmakers are suddenly searching for primary opponents.
But let's get down to brass tacks. Here's what really has congressional Republicans ruffled.
Cawthorn implicated fellow Republicans, resulting in members getting questions from spouses and constituents.
There is one person, however, who isn't concerned one bit about Cawthorn ratting out his colleagues: Trump.
Trump, whose rallies have been a little low energy these days, decided a little youthful zip from Cawthorn might add some spunk to his April 9 rally in Selma, North Carolina. Perfect.
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Meanwhile, top Republicans in North Carolina are maligning Cawthorn as an "embarrassment" (Sen. Richard Burr) who has demonstrated "a consistent pattern of juvenile behavior, outlandish statements, and untruthfulness" (Sen. Thom Tillis).
Trump, of course, can't wait to give Cawthorn a platform in the state, virtually guaranteeing that any Republican who hasn't heard about the controversy will now.
Regardless of what Cawthorn says at the rally, Republicans are desperate to put this seedy episode behind them. But not Trump—he's having a gay old time as GOP lawmakers reap what they sowed.