When Joe Cunningham ran for Congress, he led us to believe he wouldn’t be a lapdog to extreme national Democrats or to his party’s radical leadership. His independent streak would always prevail, he said.
There have been signs that our “independent” voice was a facade, but it all became clear last week. After a year in office, we’ve learned a lack of experience and a deficit of leadership has left a hole in the independent streak that, for years, was the 1st Congressional District.
We’ve also learned that Cunningham is unable to stand up to Nancy Pelosi. The bipartisanship talk was just that.
For weeks now, Cunningham said impeachment was just not his focus. However, being a member of Congress means you have a responsibility to lead us through tough political times, like this one.
Leadership means you communicate. It means you believe in transparency and the rule of law. Leadership means doing the right thing, even against your own party.
We elect leaders to make decisions, tough decisions sometimes, on our behalf. Leadership doesn’t mean you remain silent on the most important political issue of our time because you’re worried about reelection.
One of the hallmarks of the American Experiment is our ability to have open debate, public dialogue and the opportunity to agree to disagree. It means we are a nation of laws and respect one’s right to due process. Being a member of Congress means you fight to ensure that these principles continue to thrive.
Pelosi said she would pursue impeachment only if it were bipartisan. Yet, not a single Republican voted with Democrats, making the impeachment resolution the only partisan impeachment vote in history.
On top of that, Pelosi’s attack dog is the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff, who spread false Russian hoax rumors as a means to compromise President Donald Trump. When this strategy failed, the Democrats doubled down on impeachment. Schiff and his staff coordinated with a whistleblower who lacked firsthand knowledge and was alleged to be a John Brennan and Susan Rice plant. Some news accounts say the alleged whistleblower was also booted from the White House in 2017 because of a starring role in the Russia hoax.
Democrats have weaponized the impeachment process, and history will judge them harshly for it. Democrats also weaponized the intelligence community. This is how fascist and communist governments behave.
Cunningham says this impeachment process is “too important to be conducted behind closed doors. …” And his vote for the resolution was because “The American people deserve hearings and due process. … ”
No, Joe, your vote for the resolution codified an unprecedented, illegitimate and unfair process.
What Joe voted for has no requirement to hold public hearings. There is no requirement to allow the president’s attorneys to be present in any of the hearings. It continues to lack transparency. There is no due process even with Democrats attempting to rewrite the rules.
Schiff continues to have complete discretion on which witnesses may be subpoenaed. The same Schiff who has been coaching witnesses and directing what a witness may or may not answer. The same Schiff who will not call the whistleblower to testify.
Many amendments to the resolution were put forth by Republicans and every one of them was rejected.
Of course, no one in public office should be immune from the consequences of misconduct. Americans have been witness to years of corruption by government officials on both sides of the aisle.
I’ll root out trouble and corruption anytime I see it. I’ve spoken against my own party many times in my career. I won’t hesitate to do it again.
If Joe Cunningham feels voting the party line is how bipartisanship works, perhaps we need a new representative with a bipartisan record to show him how it’s done. I’ll even help him find a new job. I hear the “women in white” are hiring.