In accordance with President Donald Trump‘s stated position that he is a mere victim of bloodthirsty Democrats in the impeachment proceedings, Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) took the president’s self-diagnosed martyrdom one step further: On Wednesday, December 18, the congressman likened the embattled POTUS to Jesus Christ, a refugee born in a stable.
The Republican likened Trump—a philanderer on his third marriage and accused serial predator who recently admitted to defrauding his charity—to the son of God during the debate on the House floor ahead of today’s impeachment vote. The vote is expected to move the articles of impeachment forward to a Senate trial. Despite the president refusing to allow witnesses to testify and declining to mount a defense in impeachment proceedings against well-substantiated accusations that Trump attempted to extort foreign interference in the 2020 election, Loudermilk extolled a mostly imaginary scenario where the president was being railroaded.
“I rise today in opposition not only to these articles of impeachment but in strong opposition to the process that has brought us to this point,” Loudermilk said on the House floor. “Our founders knew a government without constraints could accuse anyone of any crime at any time even without compelling evidence.”
Of course, one could argue that the president, his personal lawyer, and his chief of staff openly admitted that Trump pressured the president of Ukraine into announcing an investigation into Hunter Biden in exchanged for Congressionally approved foreign aide is compelling evidence. But go off, Loudermilk. Bring this baby home.
“Before you take this historic vote today, one week before Christmas, keep this in mind: When Jesus was falsely accused of treason, Pontius Pilate gave Jesus the opportunity to face his accusers,” Loudermilk said. “During that sham trial, Pontius Pilate afforded more rights to Jesus than Democrats afforded this president in this process.”
The impeachment vote is more or less a foregone conclusion, but like many of Trump’s other dimwitted yet pugnacious defenders, Loudermilk knows he’s performing his allegiances to a wannabe strongman despite the facts not being in the congressman’s favor. So much for the truth setting him free.
It’s honestly surprising that it took this long for someone to compare Trump’s plight with Christ’s, given that the president’s unhinged impeachment protest letter claimed that “more due process was afforded to those accused in the Salem Witch Trials.” And in October, the Trump tweeted a quote from the perpetually screeching right-wing radio host Mark Levin claiming “serial killers get more due process than the Democrats give to the President of the United States.” During the impeachment hearings held earlier this month, Rep Greg Steube (R-FL), said that “even terrorists in Iraq were afforded more due process than you and the Democratic majority have afforded the president.”
It’s a baseless and flimsy talking point, but damn if House Republicans aren’t committed to it, forever and ever. Amen.
