Donald Trump’s election fraud lies are wearing thin … on Republicans

Donald Trump can’t seem to quit spreading lies about election fraud.

Then again, I don’t believe he wants to.

He couldn’t wait to jump on a report issued by the Department of Homeland Security that said in part that the “widespread online proliferation of false or misleading narratives regarding unsubstantiated widespread election fraud” is “contributing to the current heightened threat environment.”

Meaning, domestic terrorism.

So, what did Trump do?

He issued a statement filled with “false or misleading narratives regarding unsubstantiated widespread election fraud.”

But, something has changed.

Trump’s ongoing delusional rant is wearing thin … on Republicans.

Maybe they should rename it Fox & Frenemies

His latest diatribe, instigated by the DHS advisory, involved debunked conspiracy theories from several states, including Arizona.

But now, instead of hearing criticism from longtime critics who have exposed the fantasy of his rants, Trump is hearing it from former loyal supporters.

For instance, Fox News host Brian Kilmeade, one of the early morning hosts of Fox & Friends, who for years has catered to Trump and his delusions.

On his radio show recently, however, Kilmeade said of Trump, “Nobody cares about 2020. Nobody. And everything that he said and the challenges that he made should have been done before the election. And they did a recount in Arizona, and the recount showed no difference almost, and he came out and said it showed that they won Arizona. That’s an outright lie, and please stop wasting our time with that, because he’s capable of doing so much more.”

McConnell called the insurrection what it was

Then there’s his former biggest enabler in Congress, Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, the minority leader, who actually called the Jan. 6 insurrection exactly what it was – an insurrection.

McConnell said, “We all were here. We saw what happened. It was a violent insurrection for the purpose of trying to prevent the peaceful transfer of power after a legitimately certified election from one administration to the next. That’s what it was.”

Did you catch that?

Insurrection.

Legitimately certified election.

Ouch.

McConnell also dressed down the Republican National Committee for censuring Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for putting country over party and serving on the House select committee investigating the insurrection. He said the RNC should not be “singling out members of our party who may have different views from the majority.”

Naturally, Trump issued a statement attacking McConnell.

Even Mike Pence said ‘Trump is wrong’

Even former Vice President Mike Pence has spoken out, dressing-down (with his Pence-like gentility) the former president for suggesting that Pence could have single-handedly overturned the election results.

“President Trump is wrong,” Pence said.

Adding, “There is almost no idea more un-American than the notion that any one person could choose the American president.”

Pence may believe that.

And that’s what it says in the Constitution. But there is someone who believes that “one person could choose the American president:”

Pence’s old boss.

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.

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*** This article has been archived for your research. The original version from The Arizona Republic can be found here ***