Last updated on September 25th, 2023 at 02:45 pm
The Florida Republican Party and GOP county leaders have higher standards than John Boehner, who will justify and excuse any behavior in order to keep Trey Radel in the U.S. House. The Florida state party and county leaders are calling for Radel to resign after he pled guilty to buying an 8 ball from undercover officers.
With the support of Republican Party of Florida Chairman Lenny Curry, county leaders called emergency meetings to prepare statements calling for Radel to step down.
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They say Radel’s “actions clearly disqualify the pursuit of another term and if he should run for re-election, he would not enjoy our support,” and that he has “violated the trust of those whom he was elected to represent and fall short of the standards for an elected official,” according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Republicans told the Miami Herald that Republicans have a sense that “that his rehabilitation at a pricey Naples facility wasn’t genuine and that he wasn’t honest with them.”
Two Republicans, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of disclosing private GOP talks, said Radel was reaching out to fellow Republicans to shore up support and talk politics while he was in rehab — instead of focusing on getting well.
“That left a bad taste,” a source said.
Republicans are also not digging the comparisons to crack smoking Rob Ford and the way Radel has become a national joke.
Contrast the state and county GOP’s standards with national Republicans in the U.S. House, who all jumped on board the “this is personal” bandwagon, even playing the God card in order to excuse a freshman lawmaker who breaks the law keeping his seat:
“He is a hard-working, good legislator and I hope that he makes the right decision for him, for his family and his district,” Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FLA) said. “I don’t presume what is best for him. Other members have gotten in trouble. There but for the grace of God go all of us – perfect only God. I’m careful not to cast stones, because I live in a glass house as all of us do.”
Apparently Republicans still believe they’re the righteous party that can claim moral authority whenever they need it, because even worse were the reactions of Republican leadership. Remember that the GOP used to proudly run on the “tough on crime” position as the “law and order” party. But now, Republican House leadership Eric Cantor and Kevin McCarthy are falling over themselves to excuse a freshman lawmaker who bought cocaine on more than one occasion, while voting to drug test food stamp recipients.
If you didn’t know any better, you’d think this statement came from the Republican idea of the “hippies” of the 1960’s:Aides said that this was an “an unfortunate time for Congressman Radel and his family… He’s admitted he has done wrong and is seeking treatment.”
These radical Republican hippies will excuse anything with feelings and God. He just needs therapy…
How far the mighty have fallen. Republicans are becoming everything they accuse Democrats of being. But don’t tell them, because Republicans are forever stuck in the 1950s and 60s.
Republicans can’t see that their desperation is turning them into national jokes who now have a Congress full of “sinners”, post-abandoners, cheaters, campaign law violators, grifters, con artists, and full on crazies. These aren’t the fringe of the party. Oh, no. Leadership approves.
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