Sen. Rand Paul denounced Democrats’ hypocritical impeachment attempt against former President Donal Trump, calling it a “sham.”
“Shame. Shame on these angry, unhinged partisans who are putting forth this sham impeachment deranged by their hatred of the former president,” Paul said.
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The Republican from Kentucky listed Democrat politicians who used speech similar to Trump’s but got away with it, completely lacking criticism from their colleagues. Notable incidents, Paul said, include Sen. Bernie Sanders, whose “false and inflammatory rhetoric” on American health care inspired a shooting at a congressional baseball practice, Sen. Cory Booker, who previously used “visual and specific incitement” to egg on his supporters to physically confront legislators, and Rep. Maxine Waters, who urged people to physically attack Trump supporters in public places.
“But what of Democrat words, what of Democrat incitement to violence?” he asked. “No Democrat will ask…Is that not incitement?”
Paul also noted that, while he and his wife were attacked by a leftist mob leaving the Republican National Convention, the GOP never considered using that as political ammo against Democrats, who clearly called for that kind of violence in the past.
“That night we were assaulted by the crowd, I wasn’t sure if we’d survive even with the police protection. But no Democrat has ever considered impeaching Maxine for her violent rhetoric,” Paul said. “In fact, Republicans, to our credit, have never once thought it legitimate to formally censor or impeach these Democrats. No Republican has sought to use the government to hold these Democrats responsible for Antifa and Black Lives Matter violence that has consumed our cities all summer, resulting in over a billion dollars of destruction, looting, and property damage. Not one Republican said, ‘Oh, let’s impeach the Democrats who are inciting this’ because it would be ridiculous.”
The same principle, the senator said, is applied to Vice President Kamala Harris, who went to bat for the destructive BLM mobs, as well as the Seattle mayor who called the summer’s events including the deadly Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone “a Summer of Love.”
“Many on the Democrat side of the aisle cheered them on. Kamala Harris famously offered to pay the bill for those who were arrested. I wonder if she’ll be brought up on charges of inciting violence for that now that she’s vice president,” he said. “Should Kamala Harris be impeached for offering to pay for violent people to get out of jail, who’ve been burning our cities down? No. And no Republican is offering that because we’re not going down the road the Democrats have decided, this low road of impeaching people for political speech.”
The double standard, Paul said, completely undermines the reason for impeachment and portrays those on the left side of American politics in a bad light.
“Who hasn’t used the word ‘fight’ figuratively? And are we going to put every politician in jail? Are we going to impeach every politician who has used the word ‘fight’ figuratively in his speech?” Paul concluded.
Paul’s speech came shortly after he demanded a vote on the constitutionality of the impeachment, which was quashed after a 55-45 vote, with all but five Republicans voting to condemn the political ploy.
The vote, Paul said, “shows that impeachment is dead on arrival.”
