Jared Huffman: “Outside this building, more and more Republicans bemoan the effect of Trumpism on their party. We should take a moment…”

“Outside this building, more and more Republicans bemoan the effect of Trumpism on their party. We should take a moment to define this new phenomenon. Trumpism is when the whims of our authoritarian President ``trump'' the values Republicans once stood for. It is when evangelicals say character doesn't matter. It is when ``rule of law'' constitutionalists shield Trump by attacking the institutions that guarantee the rule of law. It is when First Amendment champions join Trump in attacking our free press. It is when Russia hawks bow and scrape before a President who chooses to believe his pal Vladimir over our own intelligence agencies. Trumpism is when this House, which is supposed to conduct serious oversight, acts like Trump's lapdog, ignoring or abetting corruption and obstruction of justice. Because Trumpism threatens democracy, many Republicans are leaving their party or, like George Bush's speechwriter, Michael Gerson, are calling on voters to deliver a message this fall. Without that political jolt, Gerson writes, ``elected Republicans will just keep clinging to the USS Trump as it sinks further into the swamp.'' Now that we have defined Trumpism, let's work together to save this country from it. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Curtis). Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President. ____________________”