Conservative slams 'dull-witted' and 'egregiously dishonest' Republicans who won't stand up to Trump

A slew of damning revelations exposed Thursday show President Donald Trump has engaged in massive wrongdoing–including threatening to execute the whistleblower who lodged an official complaint over his conduct with the President of Ukraine.

Conservative columnist Jennifer Rubin has been a frequent critic of Republicans who back President Donald Trump no matter what he does. But now more than ever, she writes, supporting Trump is beyond that pale.

"Republican lawmakers, conservative pundits and lawyers who argue that there is nothing of significance in the rough transcript of the July 25 call between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky effectively ask that we ignore the words on the page," Rubin writes.

"Given how likely history is to regard Donald Trump’s presidency as both evil and incompetent, those still spinning for him should consider clamming up rather than giving posterity more ammunition to conclude that they, too, were dull-witted, egregiously dishonest or both," she says.

She runs down why the call with President Zelensky is so incriminating.

"Trump’s own words incriminate him because 1) The 'plain reading of the memo makes clear that the quid is funds for defense equipment, and the quo is help from Zelensky in discrediting the Mueller investigation’s findings and Trump’s potential political opponent, Joe Biden' and 2) Merely asking for help from a foreign power to help smear a private American citizen and thereby provide the president with political ammunition is a grotesque violation of the president’s oath."

The controversy creates a matchless opportunity for Democrats. "The House should move quickly if for no other reason that the White House and its defenders are struggling to defend the indefensible," Rubin writes.

"They are back on their heels and grasping at ever sillier rationalizations. Just don’t expect the dead-enders to admit that Trump’s talking points are ludicrous; they think their professional lives depend on propagating them."