Here Lies the Republican Party

"I was on the phone call"
-- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

Yes, this is the same Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (in case you confused him with another) who only a week earler told ABC reporter Martha Radditz that he was completely unaware of what the whiisteblower complaint was about this mystical phone call, since he supposedly hadn't read the complaint and therefore knew nothing about the call that he could comment on.  A call that yesterday he admitted he was in the room during the damning call.

To be clear, it is not illegal for Mike Pompeo to have said he was unaware of Trump's calling shaking down the Ukrainian president.

To be equally clear, it was still a lie.  And it was still a deception to cover up an impeachable act by Trump.  And it speaks to who he is.

When you lie, you are still a liar, just because it's not illegal.

What I'd have loved for a reporter at that event yesterday to have asked Pompeo as a follow-up is -- "Okay, sir, having said that, can you please then explain why a week ago you lied and said you knew nothing about it.  And why should we ever believe anything you say from here on in?"  

(By the way, I think all reporters should ask Pompeo that same question.  Just because it wasn't asked at the time doesn't mean it's not still valid.  In fact, going further, I think all reporters should ask Trump the same question that Jeff Mason asked him and keep doing so until they get him to answer, and not go into his Robert DeNiro/Travis Bickle, "Are you talking to me??" moment.)

When Corey Lewandowski testified before the House recently, he pompously sashayed his explanation why he had lied to MSNBC host Ari Melber that he didn't have to tell the press the truth.  And he's right, he doesn't have to and doesn't have to.  But again, the fact that he lied -- and acknowledged lying -- makes him a liar.  Even if it wasn't under oath.  Even if it wasn't illegal.  You're still a liar.

And the Washington Post has documented that, as of last August 12, Trump has lied or told untruths over 12,000 times while in office   He wasn't under oath.  It wasn't illegal.  But over 12,000 lies in 2-1/2 doesn't doesn't just make you a liar, but a pathological liar.

And this is all about today's GOP.  These are just three people noted in one article.  Obviously there are others, many others.  And they're not held accountable by the elected officials of the party.  So many of whom themselves lie, in parotting Trump lies that we -- and they -- know are lies.  And no, this is not the normal, basic fabrications we presume that most politicians make to cover themselves from uncomfortable situations.  We're talking about known, full-blown, egregious lies to cover-up investigations into federal crimes and known lies that are used to smear others. That's what today's Republican is doing.  They enable it all, they participate in it all, and they are complicit in it all.