Did you catch the moment during the impeachment-managers’ testimony today, in which Sen. Ted Cruz almost went from “hero” to “assassination target” in the middle of the Capitol insurrection?
It was during Rep. Stacy Plaskett’s powerful presentation, when she showed footage of rioters having breached the Senate floor, rifling through Sen. Ted Cruz’ desk.
For a hot minute, the goons mis-interpreted Sen. Cruz’ notes about objecting to the Arizona electoral vote count, and were set to turn on him for betraying them.
Then they realized what the notes actually meant, and suddenly it was OK, he was with them again.
Rep. Plaskett was devastatingly clear that the mob meant to assassinate Vice President Pence, Speaker Pelosi, and any other enemy-target they could get their hands on.
It occurs to me that taking this from the perspective of any senator who’s been complicit in the Big Lie all along, this hearing must be especially chilling… and in a terrible, twisted way is probably giving them additional reasons to vote to acquit.
Because if they “betray” the insurrectionists, they become assassination targets themselves going forward. Not just political-demise, being primaried out from the right, but actual physical assassination.
The impeachment managers, of course, can’t let that get in their way. They have to present the best case they can, and they’re doing amazing work.
Unfortunately, the very truth of their cause is a perverse incentive when it comes to the actual impeachment vote, for an all-too-sizable group of GOP Senators.
I just hope there’s a way for our nation to reclaim some semblance of actual democracy, rather than — as is happening right at this moment — government by assassination threat.