Sherrod Brown tears into GOP enablers for allowing Trump to run 'vengeance operation' out of White House

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) took a shot at his Republican colleagues who suggested that President Donald Trump would be chastened after being impeach even if he were not removed from office.

Brown noted that the White House pulled the nomination of Jessie Liu, who was slated to serve in a top position at the Treasury. The reversal came just hours after the Justice Department decided to pursue a lighter sentence for Trump ally Roger Stone, a case that Liu had worked on.

Brown hinted that the nomination had been pulled to prevent scrutiny of Liu at her confirmation hearings.

"She was going to appear in front of the Senate when President Trump withdrew her nomination," Brown said. "I heard some of you, my colleagues, my friends say that the president would be chastened by impeachment. Some of you told me you knew what the president did was wrong, some of you privately told me how much you think he lies. But you also said that wasn't enough to rise to level of removal from office."

Brown continued assailing his GOP colleagues: "Many of you asserted he had learned his lesson, he would not do these things again. He wouldn't try through illegal means, try to change the 2020 election."

"It's pretty clear the president of the United States did learn a lesson," the senator added. "The lesson he can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. He can abuse his office and will never, ever be held accountable by this Senate. That was the lesson."

Brown noted that Trump has been on a "retribution tour" which he kicked off at the annual prayer breakfast.

"Many of you were in the audience and applauded him as he personally attacked people who have served this country," the senator lamented. "We cannot give him a permanent license to turn the presidency and the executive branch into his own personal vengeance operation. You know it's happening."

Watch the video below from Fox Business.