'Dead to me': Conservative writer says Republicans who back Trump's emergency order are irredeemable

Conservative writer Matt Lewis has penned a scathing essay in the Daily Beast attacking Republicans who are supporting President Donald Trump's scheme to bypass Congress and build his border wall by declaring a national emergency.

In his editorial, Lewis says that Trump's emergency order crosses a new line in executive overreach that will be used and abused by future presidents who can't bend Congress to their wills.

"If a president can declare anything he wants to do an 'emergency,' then our republican system has been torn asunder," Lewis argues. "If a president can simply invoke a magic word to accomplish whatever he wants, it hardly matters where you stand on taxes or tariffs or... anything else."

He then goes on to name names of Republicans who so far have failed to stand up to the president and call his actions unacceptable.

"For some reason, the media continues to portray this story as the Republican Party at odds with this president. You’ll see headlines suggesting Republicans are “split” or “divided” over Trump’s decision -- a rare example of the press giving the GOP too much credit for courage and independence," he says. "Sure, Chuck Grassley said 'I wish he wouldn’t have done it.' Susan Collins said it was 'a mistake,' and Marco Rubio is 'skeptical' he can support Trump’s emergency order. Churchillian declarations they are not."

The bottom line, says Lewis, is any Republican who backs Trump's "national emergency" gambit should be permanently shunned by all Americans.

"The constitutional crisis is upon us, folks," he writes. "Any Republican who votes for this emergency order and (should the situation arise) does not support overturning Trump’s veto has crossed the red line. They’re dead to me, and they should be to you, too."