Republicans surrendering to Democrats is not a new concept — and this past week’s border bill “negotiations” is just another example.
After scheming in secret with Democrats for weeks, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., and Senate GOP leadership unveiled one of — if not the — worst immigration bill in the modern era. Not only does the legislation include roughly three times as much funding for Ukraine than U.S. border security, but it also seeks to effectively enshrine President Biden’s existing border crisis into law.
While enough Republican opposition has seemingly killed the measure for the time being, that hasn’t stopped Lankford or McConnell’s acolytes from lashing out at the bill’s biggest critics. During a recent Senate floor, for example, Lankford misconstrued comments by commentator Jesse Kelly to push the left’s phony claim that conservatives aren’t interested in stopping the invasion at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Several weeks ago, Kelly vowed to “destroy” Lankford’s “entire professional life” over his surrender on border negotiations, arguing that conservatives must send a message to Republicans that selling out their voters won’t be tolerated. Lankford distorted these remarks during his Senate speech, claiming a “popular commentator” told him, “If you try to move a bill that solves the border crisis during this presidential year, I will do whatever I can to destroy you because I do not want you to solve this during the presidential election.”
Acting as Democrats’ useful suckers isn’t the only commonality shared by McConnell and Lankford, however. Both senators were overwhelmingly supported by the majority of GOP primary voters in their
