The Putinists Are Back In Charge

For a few hours yesterday, it appeared that the pro-Ukraine Republicans had managed to thwart the Kremlin Caucus by nominating Tom Emmer for Speaker of the House. Then Putin’s Number One fan chimed in (WaPo).

Trump decided to weigh in shortly after the GOP conference picked Emmer as its third contestant to replace ousted former speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). Emmer’s nomination followed the failed bids of Jordan and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.)

“I have many wonderful friends wanting to be Speaker of the House, and some are truly great Warriors,” Trump said on his social media platform, Truth Social. “RINO Tom Emmer, who I do not know well, is not one of them.”

Emmer’s candidacy collapsed literally within hours.  With a new lease on life, the Putinist Republicans got more than they could have hoped with the new nominee – Louisiana’s Mike Johnson.

Johnson’s record on Ukraine can be found here; it’s terrible. Not only did he oppose aid to Ukraine last month, he was among the at-the-time-very-few Republicans who opposed aid to Ukraine last year. He was even part of Trump’s defense team during the 2020 Ukraine impeachment – despite the General Accounting Office’s clear finding that Trump broke the law.

Naturally, Trump was ecstatic (Politico). The rest of us shouldn’t be. His election as Speaker would be a spectacular win for the Kremlin Caucus and a disaster for Ukraine. A party that universally admires him has no place holding power anywhere.