Profile In GOP Cowardice Rob Portman Says Trump Was Inappropriate But Not Removable

Last updated on July 18th, 2023 at 11:55 am

Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) said that Trump’s Ukraine behavior was inappropriate and wrong, but doesn’t rise to the level of removal.

Portman said in a statement:

I do not believe that additional witnesses are needed. I have said consistently for the past four months since the Zelensky transcript was first released, that I believe that some of the president’s actions in this case – including asking a foreign country to investigate a potential political opponent and the delay of aid to Ukraine – were wrong and inappropriate. But I do not believe that the president’s actions rise to the level of removing a duly-elected president from office and taking him off the ballot in the middle of an election.

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I also believe that processing additional witnesses will take weeks if not months, and it’s time for the House and Senate to get back to addressing the issues the American people are most concerned about – lowering prescription drug costs, rebuilding our roads and bridges, and strengthening our economy.

Trump’s actions were not “inappropriate.” They were illegal

The GAO found that Trump broke the law when he withheld the aid from Ukraine in a bid to extort a Biden investigation out of Ukraine. Republicans don’t have the guts to hear from witnesses, so they are scrambling to blame everyone but themselves for their failure to hold Trump accountable.

Lisa Murkowski said that it was impossible to hold a fair trial, so she was voting against making the trial fair. Rob Portman is one of several Republicans who are dumbing down Trump’s crimes while blaming the House.

The truth is that Rob Portman’s statement could have been released before the trial started. Republicans were never going to listen to the evidence. Trump’s trial was always a sham, and Senate Republicans are showing the nation why they should lose their majority in November.

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Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association