Political Note #346 Remember Their Names

Check out the website: https://lenspoliticalnotes.com  Look at the recent Political Notes and Len’s Letters on the website.  Len’s Letter #34 Skullduggery to become President, Len’s Letter #35 Messing with the Electoral College, Political Note #340 Counting Votes

Political Note #346   Remember Their Names

2020                             General election – Getting ready to govern

Begin by giving thanks.  For the Republicans who do not indulge in what NeverTrump Conservative columnist Ross Douthat called Dreampolitics.  For the Republicans who did not join the Texas Attorney General’s lawsuit to remove the franchise from the voters of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Georgia.

A few Republican Attorneys General who did not file amicus briefs against those voters (plus one Republican AG who joined the AGs who opposed the lawsuit).  And there are Republican Members of Congress who refused to join in that amicus brief.

Here they are.  Remember their names.  They achieved a low bar. They did not attempt to deprive the people of four states of their right to vote.

Republican Attorney Generals who did not join in Texas’s lawsuit (Photos in order of the list)

Arizona                      Mark Brnovich

Georgia                      Chris Carr (Georgia is one of the defendants.   Carr joined the brief opposing the Texas’s lawsuit)

Idaho                          Lawrence Wasden

Kentucky                    Daniel Cameron

New Hampshire        Gordon MacDonald (Appointed by Governor)

Ohio                            Dave Yost

Wyoming                   Bridget Hill

Republican Members of Congress who did not join in Texas’s lawsuit

  1. Representative Martha Roby of Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District (Retiring)
  2. Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona’s 4th Congressional District
  3. Representative David Schweikert of Arizona’s 6th Congressional District
  4. Representative French Hill of Arkansas’s 2nd Congressional District
  5. Representative Steve Womack of Arkansas’s 3rd Congressional District
  6. Representative Paul Cook of California’s 8th Congressional District (Retiring
  7. Representative Devon Nunes of California’s 22nd Congressional District
  8. Representative Mike Garcia of California’s 25th Congressional District
  9. Representative Scott Tipton of Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District (lost in primary)
  10. Representative Vern Buchanan of Florida’s 13th Congressional District
  11. Representative Brian Mast of Florida’s 18th Congressional District
  12. Representative Francis Rooney of Florida’s 19th Congressional District
  13. Representative Andy Barr of Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District
  14. Representative Rodney Davis of Illinois’s 13th Congressional District
  15. Representative John Shimkus of Illinois’s 15th Congressional District (Retiring)
  16. Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois’s 16th Congressional District
  17. Representative Susan Brooks of Indiana’s 5th Congressional District (Retiring)
  18. Representative Larry Bucshon of Indiana’s 8th Congressional District
  19. Representative Steve Watkins of Kansas’s 2nd Congressional District (lost in primary)
  20. Representative James Corner of Kentucky’s 1st Congressional District
  21. Representative Brett Guthrie of Kentucky’s 2nd Congressional District
  22. Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District
  23. Representative Hal Rogers of Kentucky’s 5th Congressional District
  24. Representative Garret Graves of Louisiana’s 6th Congressional District
  25. Representative Fred Upton of Michigan’s 6th Congressional District
  26. Representative Paul Mitchell of Michigan’s 10th Congressional District (Retiring and announced he was no longer a Republican)
  27. Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District
  28. Representative Mark Amodei of Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District
  29. Representative Chris Smith of New Jersey’s 4th Congressional District
  30. Representative Peter King of New York’s 2nd Congressional District
  31. Representative Tom Reed of New York’s 23rd Congressional District
  32. Representative John Katko of New York’s 24th Congressional District
  33. Representative George Holding of North Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District (Retiring)
  34. Representative Patrick McHenry of North Carolina’s 10th Congressional District
  35. Representative Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota’s Congressional District
  36. Representative Steve Chabot of Ohio’s 1st Congressional District
  37. Representative Warren Davidson of Ohio’s 8th Congressional District
  38. Representative Mike Turner of Ohio’s 10th Congressional Distrrict
  39. Representative Troy Balderson of Ohio’s 12th Congressional District
  40. Representative David Joyce of Ohio’s 14th Congressional District
  41. Representative Steve Stivers of Ohio’s 15th Congressional District
  42. Representative Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio’s 16th Congressional District
  43. Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma’s 4th Congressional District
  44. Representative Frank Lucas of Oklahoma’s 6th Congressional District
  45. Representative Greg Walden of Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District (Retiring)
  46. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District
  47. Representative Lloyd Smucker of Pennsylvania’s 11th Congressional District
  48. Representative Dusty Johnson of South Dakota’s Congressional District
  49. Representative Phil Roe of Tennessee’s 1st Congressional District (Retiring)
  50. Representative Van Taylor of Texas’s 3rd Congressional District
  51. Representative Michael McCaul of Texas’s 10th Congressional District
  52. Representative Kay Granger of Texas’s 12th Congressional District
  53. Representative Mac Thornberry of Texas’s 13th Congressional District
  54. Representative Chip Roy of Texas’s 21st Congressional District
  55. Representative Pete Olson of Texas’s 22nd Congressional District (Retiring)
  56. Representative Will Hurd of Texas’s 23rd Congressional District (Retiring)
  57. Representative John Carter of Texas’s 31st Congressional District
  58. Representative Rob Bishop of Utah’s 1st Congressional District (Retiring)
  59. Representative Chris Stewart of Utah’s 2nd Congressional District
  60. Representative John Curtis of Utah’s 3rd Congressional District
  61. Representative Denver Riggleman of Virginia’s 5th Congressional District (lost in primary)
  62. Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington’s 4th Congressional District
  63. Representative David McKinley of West Virginia’s 1st Congressional District
  64. Representative Brian Steil of Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District
  65. Representative Jim Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin’s 5th Congressional District (Retiring)
  66. Representative Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District
  67. Representative Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District
  68. Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming’s Congressional District

Whatever their motives, we should appreciate the Republican Attorneys General and Members of Congress who refused to participate with their fellow Republicans in seeking to deprive citizens of the United States of their right to vote.  How can we do that?  Some, suggesting that the Republican Party is likely to collapse; believe that Democrats should invite Republicans who rejected the lawsuit to become Democrats.

We should not count on the Republicans collapsing.  Nor would I want to make a blanket invitation to these people.  Few of us would invite Devon Nunes to become a Democrat, for instance.   I suggest something simpler.  In 2022 or in the appropriate year for the Attorneys General, Democrats opposing those who refused to join the Texas law suit should acknowledge that refusal. The Republican he or she is opposing, to his or her credit, did not seek to overturn the US Constitution and disfranchise fellow American citizens through the Courts.

What about the Attorneys General and Members of Congress who did seek to overturn the US Constitution through the Courts, who did attempt a coup under the cover of law; who did ask the Supreme Court to defy the US Constitution and select the President they preferred?  Here are the Attorneys General.  Those up for election in 2022 are marked in bold

 Alabama                    Steve Marshall

Arkansas                 Leslie Rutledge

Florida                     Ashley Moody

Indiana                        Curtis Hill

Kansas                      Derek Schmitt

Louisiana                   Jeff Landry

Mississippi                 Lynn Fitch

Missouri                     Eric Schmitt

Montana                    Tim Fox

Nebraska                Doug Peterson

North Dakota        Wayne Stenehjem

Oklahoma               Michael Hunter

South Carolina      Alan Wilson

South Dakota         Jason Ravnsborg

Tennessee               Herbert Slatery III

Texas                         Ken Paxton BA

Utah                              Sean Reyes BA

West Virginia              Patrick Morrisey

Here are the full 126 Members of Congress who signed on to the Texas lawsuit:

  1. Bradley Byrne of Alabama’s 1st Congressional District
  2. Mike Rogers of Alabama’s 3rd Congressional District
  3. Robert Aderholt of Alabama’s 4th Congressional District
  4. Mo Brooks of Alabama’s 5th Congressional District
  5. Gary Palmer of Alabama’s 6th Congressional District
  6. Andy Biggs of Arizona’s 5th Congressional District
  7. Debbie Lesko of Arizona’s 8th Congressional District
  8. Rick Crawford of Arkansas’s 1st Congressional District
  9. Bruce Westerman of Arkansas’s 4th Congressional District
  10. Doug LaMalfa of California’s 1st Congressional District
  11. Tom McClintock of California’s 4th Congressional District
  12. Kevin McCarthy of California’s 23rd Congressional District
  13. Ken Calvert of California’s 42nd Congressional District
  14. Ken Buck of Colorado’s 4th Congressional District
  15. Doug Lamborn of Colorado’s 5th Congressional District
  16. Matt Gaetz of Florida’s 1st Congressional District
  17. Neal P. Dunn of Florida’s 2nd Congressional District
  18. Ted S. Yoho of Florida’s 3rd Congressional District
  19. John Rutherford of Florida’s 4th Congressional District
  20. Michael Waltz of Florida’s 6th Congressional District
  21. Bill Posey of Florida’s 8th Congressional District
  22. Daniel Webster of Florida’s 11th Congressional District
  23. Gus Bilirakis of Florida’s 12th Congressional District
  24. Ross Spano of Florida’s 15th Congressional District
  25. W. Gregory Steube of Florida’s 17th Congressional District
  26. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida’s 25th Congressional District
  27. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter of Georgia’s 1st Congressional District
  28. Drew Ferguson of Georgia’s 3rd Congressional District
  29. Austin Scott of Georgia’s 8th Congressional District
  30. Doug Collins of Georgia’s 9th Congressional District
  31. Jody Hice of Georgia’s 10th Congressional District
  32. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia’s 11th Congressional District
  33. Rick W. Allen of Georgia’s 12th Congressional District
  34. Russ Fulcher of Idaho’s 1st Congressional District
  35. Mike Simpson of Idaho’s 2nd Congressional District
  36. Mike Bost of Illinois’s 12th Congressional District
  37. Darin LaHood of Illinois’s 18th Congressional District
  38. Jackie Walorski of Indiana’s 2nd Congressional District
  39. Jim Banks of Indiana’s 3rd Congressional District
  40. James R. Baird of Indiana’s 4th Congressional District
  41. Greg Pence of Indiana’s 6th Congressional District
  42. Trey Hollingsworth of Indiana’s 9th Congressional District
  43. Steve King of Iowa’s 4th Congressional District
  44. Roger Marshall of Kansas’s 1st Congressional District
  45. Ron Estes of Kansas’s 4th Congressional District
  46. Steve Scalise of Louisiana’s 1st Congressional District
  47. Clay Higgins of Louisiana’s 3rd Congressional District
  48. Mike Johnson of Louisiana’s 4th Congressional District
  49. Ralph Abraham of Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District
  50. Andy Harris of Maryland’s 1st Congressional District
  51. Jack Bergman of Michigan’s 1st Congressional District
  52. Bill Huizenga of Michigan’s 2nd Congressional District
  53. John Moolenaar of Michigan’s 4th Congressional District
  54. Tim Walberg of Michigan’s 7th Congressional District
  55. Jim Hagedorn of Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District
  56. Tom Emmer of Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District
  57. Pete Stauber of Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District
  58. Trent Kelly of Mississippi’s 1st Congressional District
  59. Michael Guest of Mississippi’s 3rd Congressional District
  60. Steven Palazzo of Mississippi’s 4th Congressional District
  61. Ann Wagner of Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District
  62. Blaine Luetkemeyer of Missouri’s 3rd Congressional District
  63. Vicky Hartzler of Missouri’s 4th Congressional District
  64. Sam Graves of Missouri’s 6th Congressional District
  65. Billy Long of Missouri’s 7th Congressional District
  66. Jason Smith of Missouri’s 8th Congressional District
  67. Greg Gianforte of Montana’s at-large congressional district
  68. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District
  69. Adrian Smith of Nebraska’s 3rd Congressional District
  70. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District
  71. Lee Zeldin of New York’s 1st Congressional District
  72. Elise Stefanik of New York’s 21st Congressional District
  73. Gregory Murphy of North Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District
  74. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina’s 5th Congressional District
  75. Mark Walker of North Carolina’s 6th Congressional District
  76. David Rouzer of North Carolina’s 7th Congressional District
  77. Richard Hudson of North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District
  78. Dan Bishop of North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District
  79. Ted Budd of North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District
  80. Brad Wenstrup of Ohio’s 2nd Congressional District
  81. Jim Jordan of Ohio’s 4th Congressional District
  82. Robert E. Latta of Ohio’s 5th Congressional District
  83. Bill Johnson of Ohio’s 6th Congressional District
  84. Bob Gibbs of Ohio’s 7th Congressional District
  85. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District
  86. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District
  87. Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania’s 9th Congressional District
  88. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District
  89. Fred Keller of Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District
  90. John Joyce of Pennsylvania’s 13th Congressional District
  91. Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania’s 14th Congressional District
  92. Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District
  93. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania’s 16th Congressional District
  94. Joe Wilson of South Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District
  95. Jeff Duncan of South Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District
  96. William Timmons of South Carolina’s 4th Congressional District
  97. Ralph Norman of South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District
  98. Tom Rice of South Carolina’s 7th Congressional District
  99. Tim Burchett of Tennessee’s 2nd Congressional District
  100. Chuck Fleischmann of Tennessee’s 3rd Congressional District
  101. Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee’s 4th Congressional District
  102. John Rose of Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District
  103. Mark Green of Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District
  104. David Kustoff of Tennessee’s 8th Congressional District
  105. Louie Gohmert of Texas’s 1st Congressional District
  106. Lance Gooden of Texas’s 5th Congressional District
  107. Dan Crenshaw of Texas’s 2nd Congressional District
  108. Ron Wright of Texas’s 6th Congressional District
  109. Kevin Brady of Texas’s 8th Congressional District
  110. Mike Conaway of Texas’s 11th Congressional District
  111. Randy Weber of Texas’s 14th Congressional District
  112. Bill Flores of Texas’s 17th Congressional District
  113. Jodey Arrington of Texas’s 19th Congressional District
  114. Kenny Marchant of Texas’s 24th Congressional District
  115. Roger Williams of Texas’s 25th Congressional District
  116. Michael C. Burgess of Texas’s 26th Congressional District
  117. Michael Cloud of Texas’s 27th Congressional District
  118. Brian Babin of Texas’s 36th Congressional District
  119. Rob Wittman of Virginia’s 1st Congressional District
  120. Ben Cline of Virginia’s 6th Congressional District
  121. Morgan Griffith of Virginia’s 9th Congressional District
  122. Dan Newhouse of Washington’s 4th Congressional District
  123. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington’s 5th Congressional District
  124. Alex X. Mooney of West Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District
  125. Carol D. Miller of West Virginia’s 3rd Congressional District
  126. Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District

The District Attorneys were willing, without remorse, to seek a solution to the problem of a Democratic President that would violate the constitution and deprive the people of four states of their vote for President of the United States.  They would overturn the election and elect the President they preferred. God knows why they would have preferred Donald Trump, but they did.   So, too for the Members of Congress

We should be prepared to oppose these Attorneys General with all the vigor we have.  We should be prepared to oppose these Members of Congress with the same vigor.  The Washington Post suggests that particular attention should be given to defeating the Congressional leaders who urged support for the lawsuit.  The Post describes the following as particularly responsible:  Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA), Minority Whip Steve Scalise (LA), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee Jim Jordan (OH), Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee Kevin Bradty (TX), head of the Republican Policy Committee Gary Palmer (AL), and Mike Johnson of Louisiana who organized the entire effort.

The LDAD legal advocacy group has suggested that state bar associations look into and consider disbarring the state Attorneys General who supported the Texas lawsuit as well as the Members of Congress who supported the lawsuit who are lawyers.  The Members of Congress who signed on to the law suit and are lawyers are bolded above.

Some, including Members of Congress, have suggested that the Members of Congress who joined the Texas law suit should not be seated in Congress.  To refuse to seat 126 Members of Congress would be earth shattering.  Would it be prudent to refuse to seat just one of them?  If anyone is the right candidate it would be Mike Johnson of Louisiana who organized the support for the Texas lawsuit.

The best solution is defeating the signators in elections.  That will not be easy because these Attorneys General and Members of Congress reflect their constituents.  Nevertheless, we should not be excluding people from Congress because of a single wrong-headed and dangerous act.  Excluded from Congress, they become particularly dangerous to democracy.  Bar Association decisions are a different matter.  They have professional standards for disbarment.  Let them do their work.

Meanwhile, let us do our work.  Find ways to defeat the 18 Attorneys General and the 126 Members of Congress.