President-elect Donald Trump isn't the most frightening part of the nation's decision to reelect the convicted felon, a onetime Republican says.
The Bulwark publisher Sarah Longwell said on CNN Monday morning that she is more disturbed by the Republican lawmakers backing Trump, who she argues has already been granted too much leeway to claim unprecedented power.
"We're seeing them roll over, I think, immediately, and abdicate whatever power they have in order to be subservient to Donald Trump," Longwell said. "I think that's the part that scares me most."
Longwell dated her suspicion of Trump's hold over the Republican Party to the former president's initial Election Day victory in 2016, when she remained confident the former president would do limited harm.
At the time, Longwell believed checks and balances would easily contain a former reality star who managed to bankrupt casinos and was boasting he could grab women by the p-----.
"One of the things I told people was, 'Hey look, there's only so much damage he can do, Republicans are responsible people,'" Longwell said. "He can be reigned in! That's not true anymore."
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Longwell opined that the candidates for Republican leader in the Senate showcased the party's willingness to toe Trump's line.
Favorites GOP Whip John Thune (R-SD) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) have both already suggested they’re open to Trump’s demand for recess appointment in a move to circumvent Congressional vetting, CNN reports.
"They're basically rubber-stamping whatever Donald Trump wants to do, even if it means giving up their own power," Longwell said.
"That's indicative what we're about to see sort of across the board from Republicans," she added. "Just a decision to let Donald Trump do whatever he wants."
Longwell argued Republicans had abandoned the pretense that they prioritized American citizens over the pursuit of political power.
"They are not responsible people and that they will do exactly what Donald Trump wants them to do," she said. "But, look, the American people voted for it, and they are going to see whether or not they like it when they get it."
