On CNN Thursday, fact-checker John Avlon broke down the key talking points of Republican lawmakers in the run-up to the vote to impeach President Donald Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — and laid out their falsehoods and absurdity.
"Yesterday was a big day in which a lot of politicians acted pretty small," said Avlon. "There were lies, loathing, and plenty hypocrisy to go round under the Capitol dome. Let's start with Louie Gohmert, who had a Kremlin-backed line."
"Stop the investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and Ukraine into the corruption of Ukraine interference into U.S. election in 2016," said Gohmert in the clip.
"Now, he wasn't the only congressman to reach for that conspiracy theory, but that was predictable nonsense compared to Congressman Barry Loudermilk," continued Avlon.
"Pontius Pilate afforded more rights to Jesus than Democrats have afforded to this president and this process," shouted Loudermilk in the clip.
"Representative Clay Higgins decided to go more Old Testament," noted Avlon, playing a clip of the Louisiana congressman saying, "I have descended into the belly of the beast. America is being severely injured by this unjust and weaponized impeachment brought upon us by the same socialists who threaten unborn life in the womb."
"Kevin Brady cited the Red Scare," continued Avlon, playing a clip of him saying, "They have abandoned American rights of due process and fairness and just decency. Reminiscent of Joe McCarthy."
"Now the impeachment is done, passed by more votes than Bill Clinton in 1998," said Avlon. "The next decade will likely begin in Congress with a Senate trial, as Democrats request witnesses. Republicans are resisting. Not typically what you do when you think testimony will exonerate your guy." He played a clip of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) saying, "Democrats never produced a true piece of evidence."
"Which by itself is not true, but the hypocrisy is what to watch here," said Avlon. "Lindsey Graham was singing a different tune two decades ago." He then played another clip of Graham from the Clinton impeachment, saying, "Please give us a chance to present our case. We need witnesses, ladies and gentlemen, to clarify who said what, who's being honest, who's not, and what really did happen."
"But perhaps the greatest irony and hypocrisy in this entire drama was surfaced by our own Wolf Blitzer in a 2008 interview with Donald Trump, in which he started out praising Nancy Pelosi," said Avlon, playing a clip of Trump saying, "She's a very impressive person. I like her a lot. It just seemed like she was going to really look to impeach Bush and get him out of office, which personally, I think, would have been a wonderful thing."
"I guess where you stand really is a matter of where you sit once you get to Washington," concluded Avlon.
Watch below:
