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I had to take a day off from Twitter yesterday, but here's my story from Sunday's @SpokesmanReview/ @Report4America
Rep. @cathymcmorris was 1 of only 2 House Republicans to change course and certify election results after Wednesday's violence.
1/thread https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/jan/10/where-does-the-gop-go-from-here-mcmorris-rodgers-o/
Rep. @cathymcmorris was 1 of only 2 House Republicans to change course and certify election results after Wednesday's violence.
1/thread https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/jan/10/where-does-the-gop-go-from-here-mcmorris-rodgers-o/
McMorris Rodgers told me last Tuesday she would object to the Electoral College results. 24 hours later, sheltering in her office, she changed her mind.
Her decision says a lot about a fracturing GOP.
2/
Her decision says a lot about a fracturing GOP.
2/
While about 1/3 of House Rs (including @RepNewhouse, @HerreraBeutler & @CongMikeSimpson) resisted Trump's demand to object, citing conservative principles, CMR said she would object "to amplify the voices" of voters who think the election was stolen.
3/ https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/jan/05/mcmorris-rodgers-fulcher-say-they-will-contest-ele/
3/ https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/jan/05/mcmorris-rodgers-fulcher-say-they-will-contest-ele/
Like most of the 2/3 of House Rs who objected, she cited the fact that a majority of GOP voters think the vote was a sham — a result of Trump & allies repeating conspiracy theories few Rs in Congress have resisted, even as GOP election officials have pleaded for honesty.
4/
4/
After the Capitol siege, Romney voiced the anger of many GOP sens at the objectors' stated goal of restoring trust by questioning the vote's legitimacy.
"The best way we can show respect for the voters who are upset is by telling them the truth!"
5/
"The best way we can show respect for the voters who are upset is by telling them the truth!"
5/
In an interview last Tuesday, CMR first avoided citing specific claims of fraud, but eventually she mentioned two:
1) That PA saw ~205k more votes than voters (not true — state officials have explained this was based on incomplete data.)
6/ https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/pennsylvania-205000-votes/
1) That PA saw ~205k more votes than voters (not true — state officials have explained this was based on incomplete data.)
6/ https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/pennsylvania-205000-votes/
2) She also cited a "sense that something went wrong when they stopped counting votes in the middle of [election night]."
That's also not something that happened.
7/ https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/nov/04/facebook-posts/battleground-states-did-not-stop-counting-votes-el/
That's also not something that happened.
7/ https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/nov/04/facebook-posts/battleground-states-did-not-stop-counting-votes-el/
Whether or not GOP lawmakers actually believe these claims, they've continued to express doubts after recounts, audits and lawsuits failed to change the outcome.
Without explicitly backing Trump's increasingly wild conspiracy theories, they've amplified the doubt he's sown.
8/
Without explicitly backing Trump's increasingly wild conspiracy theories, they've amplified the doubt he's sown.
8/
CMR's reversal reflects where a lot of Republicans are at: repulsed by Trump but afraid their voters will abandon them if they cross a man who doesn't seem to care about the party and whose political future is unclear.
9/ https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/jan/06/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers-reverses-course-will-vote-t/
9/ https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/jan/06/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers-reverses-course-will-vote-t/
I've gotten more hate mail (& some nice messages) about this story than any other, split pretty evenly between Trump fans & people on the left who say we're laundering CMR's image.
Still, I appreciate the feedback. I'm a rookie reporter still learning the ropes here.
10/end
Still, I appreciate the feedback. I'm a rookie reporter still learning the ropes here.
10/end
