. "Spare me. That's what I mean. I don't need phony off-the-record after-the-fact friends."

[dajoki]

Dem lawmaker drops hammer on GOPers ‘covering their butts’ by rushing to defend Vindman after Trump fired him
https://www.rawstory.com/2020/02/dem-lawmaker-drops-hammer-on-gopers-covering-their-butts-by-rushing-to-defend-vindman-after-trump-fired-him/

Saying “spare me,” Rep. Sean Maloney (D-NY) trashed the anonymous Republican lawmakers who contacted the New York Times to claim they tried to stop Donald Trump from firing EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland and Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman to make it look like they cared.

Speaking with MSNBC host Kendis Gibson, the New York lawmaker expressed disgust with what he called their “cowardice,” while reacting to a New York Times report noting the alleged concerns of Republicans over the president’s actions.

“I think what you’re seeing there is pretty obvious,” Maloney stated. “You’re seeing vulnerable Republicans, after the fact, try to cover their butts by leaking to the New York Times that they want us all to know they were deeply troubled by this. And even though they took a vote that could have absolutely guaranteed that people like Lt. Col. Vindman would be hurt, would be made to pay the price for their fecklessness, for their cowardice, they want us to know they were troubled by it.”

“They’re going to continue to support this president, but they want the New York Times to know they secretly know it’s wrong,” he continued. “Spare me. That’s what I mean. I don’t need phony off-the-record after-the-fact friends.”

[lark]

1. Phoney friends with pretend concerns who are personally responsible for the turmoil

and treachery and criminality they have unleashed. This is just the beginning and they are compllicit and this BS will not save them, not for 1 second. They enabled the destructions of the USA and need to pay the personal price at election time. They are lying and trying to pretend to be on both sides, but that never works and I look forward to all of them getting the pink slip they deserve.

[Scarsdale]

6. I am right there alongside of you.

Their constituents saw them do the wrong thing. Not protecting them, but their orange tinted idol. Shameful. Every last one of them deserves to be driven out of office. They are not representing their people at all. tRump is a total disaster as president, or even as a decent human being and they know it. Vote into office people who will speak up for the working class people of the country, not the millionaires.

[irisblue]

2. Dude is righteous.

His Twitter, addy & bio.
Sean Patrick Maloney
@spmaloney
Father of three awesome kids. Accompanying
@RandyFlorke
through life. Representing NY-18 in Congress. Join my campaign ⬇️
Cold Spring, NYbit.ly/35juHGpJoined March 2009


Send him your thanks there, cause some staffer will need to tell him about the thanks he is getting.

[soldierant]

21. I love Sean

He was in the primary for NY State Atty Gen, but I'm just as happy he's still in Congress. And Tish James is doing jsut fine in the AG job.

No, I'm not from NY, but the NYAG is the closest thing the nation has to a real AG with Barr in that position,

[PatSeg]

3. That is so pathetic

Trying to have it both ways, but looking complicit in the process, except now they look two-faced as well.

[Leghorn21]

4. HELL YEAH MALONEY - this guy is *not playing* with this pack of scumbucket LOSER BAYBEES

Remember when he wiped the floor with Gordon Sondland’s lying face??! HELL YEAH

Thanks for posting, dajoki!!

[GoCubsGo]

5. I loves me some Sean Maloney.

So happy to see him speaking out. The rest of his party better follow suit every chance they get.

[not_the_one]

16. Another member of his fan club

He seems to be willing to do what needs to be done. A democrat of the future.

Hope his particular virus is catching...

[sarge43]

7. How noble and courageous of you ... Anonymous.

I'm sure Sondland and Vindman are grateful and Mitt Romney appreciates you having his back.

just in case

[keithbvadu2]

8. When Trump is finally gone, there will be many retroactive epiphanies from republicans.

[volstork]

9. Exactly.

"Never supported him." Liars. Milquetoasts. Cowards.

[brutus smith]

10. Repubs are not our friends.

[hangaleft]

24. Nor are they "the opposition"

They are the enemy. We’re in a Cold War and our Democracy is at stake.

What some candidates for the presidency don’t understand is that we cannot and should not “reach across the aisle” to any legislators who supported Trump, including those who supported him by inaction. They are Quislings, and there should be no looking forward without also addressing what happened on their watch.

[Newest Reality]

28. Good insight...

To me, they have been shifting from a valid, opposition party since around the 80s. They have crafted themselves into something more like an enemy, as you said. This is not longer a yin-yang relationship and so, that contributes to throwing things out of balance in our system.

They are so top heavy that we can clearly see the party being their main devotion rather than the common good of the country, which is what is both expected and demanded from a public servant who as taken the oath to do so. Terms like rogue and renegade party apply better than any now politically archaic ones like conservative and Republican.

Now, we get to see them pull out all the stops in an effort to try to remain in power, relevant and to take their party to an ascendancy in our politics that it does not deserve in any sensible way. We cannot be held accountable for their failure to adapt and move forward as needed in a very dynamic, fast-changing world that requires appropriate responses in order for our country to survive and thrive. Yet, they would like to give the impression that those outside their bunkers are the cause in order to deflect from the GOPs psychological self-destruction in the face of its present obsolescence and future, demographic irrelevance. Their fear, failure and fight is all based on that and so, why not try to take over the country while you can as a last ditch effort?

[brutus smith]

32. +

[dajoki]

34. You are right...

but the seeds were planted in the 60s.

[brutus smith]

31. +

[lunatica]

11. You can't serve god and the devil at the same time.

[SergeStorms]

12. A-freaking-men.

Expose these republican cretins for the cowards they are.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

13. Spot on

[Evolve Dammit]

14. Cowards. Nowhere to be seen when it mattered. Go to hell.

[Skittles]

20. "when it mattered"

that's it, right there - they seem to know what is right, but fail to do it WHEN IT MATTERS

[Evolve Dammit]

22. Yep. Cowards of un-fathomable bottom. Never would have believed it, were we not living it.

[Skittles]

23. I have long despised republicans

but they have gone so low now, I cannot them redeeming themselves as a legitimate party in my lifetime

[SWBTATTReg]

27. Ditto!

[struggle4progress]

15. "While I was driving him to the bank, I tried to discourage him from robbing it

But he did that anyway. And since there was nothing I could do then, I drove him to the airport"

[not_the_one]

17. Spot On.

A more accurate description I have yet to read...

[whathehell]

18. Gooo on him! .n/t

[democrank]

19. Sometimes it really is a little too late.

Can’t still have your cake once you swallow it, as the saying goes.

[MFGsunny]

25. We are fresh out of effin' pearls for these lily-livered repukes to clutch.

Full stop.

[mr_lebowski]

26. Now THIS ... this kinda thing is what I want to hear every day from our Dems til November ...

No FREAKING QUARTER.

No mealy-mouthed stuff.

No 'he misspoke' or it was 'contrary to the facts' or whatnot.

Nail this fucker, and his enablers, every chance you get.

BRAVO Congressman!

[The Wizard]

29. Like Susan Collins

They're very concerned.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

30. Spare me the bullshit. Maybe that should be our standard mantra.....

when addressing Rethugs. Cut 'em off at the pass.

KY...........

[blakstoneranger]

33. IT'S NOT OVER YET FOR LT COL VINDMAN

You see, Lt col vindman still gets to keep his rank and he still gets to retire at full rank, time in grade, and time in service. All trump did was transfer him to another job. He might lose some special pay, but that's it. He gets housing allowances and other benefits for his family. And he gets to retire with honors including an honorable discharge. All he did was get transferred. So what you bet somebody tells this to trump. Although it's highly unlikely given that trump knows he's guilty, but for publicity sake and to instill fear in any future whistleblowers, trump may, upon vindman making the slightest mistake, error in judgment, reduce his rank or set him up for a bad discharge like under other than honorable, bad or misconduct discharge. I don't see trump letting this guy get away with just a job transfer. That's not trump's idea of revenge! From what i've been reading about trump, when he gets a thirst for revenge he goes all the way. He crushes you. Even if you only did a minor thing to upset him. So let's keep a look out, because a bad discharge can ruin this vindman's life.