'Mainstreamed lying to a degree that defies imagination': GOP strategist Steve Schmidt slams Trump on Comey lies

Republican strategist Steve Schmidt on Wednesday evening tore into his own party for being complicit in what he described as the "unprecedented" abuse of power by President Donald Trump.

Appearing on MSNBC with Brian Williams, Schmidt eviscerated Republicans in Congress for giving Trump cover for his decision to fire former FBI Director James Comey.

"It's unprecedented, shocking," Schmidt said of the current situation. "An enormous abuse of power by the President of the United States. Any Republican member of Congress who takes the president [and] his spokespeople's assertions that this action occurred because Director Comey was unfair to Hillary Clinton is either a fool or has so lost sight in this era of tribal politics of their responsibilities to the country that they've become faithless to their oaths."

Schmidt went on to explain that it would likely require the election of a Democratic Congress to hold Trump accountable.

"My old colleague Mark Salter, a longtime chief of staff to Senator John McCain, may have hit the nail on the head today when he said... perhaps we need a Democratic Congress to protect the national security of the United States," he said. "So for Republicans, there are few that give you hope that the country comes first."

Later in the segment, Schmidt emphasized that the American public cannot trust a single word that comes from the Trump White House given its record for spouting falsehoods.

"This White House has mainstreamed lying to a degree that just beggars the imagination," he said. "Across the board, every person who walks out of that White House stands in the briefing room on the North Lawn has lied to the American people."

Watch the whole video below.