After being impeached for abusing his office, what did Republicans say? That it’s a witch hunt. That they’re trying to keep us down. That it’s all the media and socialist Democrats’ fault.

As the evidence of Trump’s malfeasance mounted, what did Republicans do? They asked no questions, called no witnesses, and claimed the president was within his rights to do whatever he wants.

In February, when it became clear that COVID-19 was a crisis and that Trump had fumbled it, what did Republicans say? It’s not as bad as everyone says. It’s the fault of the Chinese Communist Party. Let the old people die.

And this week, when Donald Trump finally said the not-so-quiet part out loud, that he’s the president and that means he has “total” authority, as if he were a king? Where was the party of federalism and small government and the rule of law? At least this time, some of them didn’t cheer. They just insisted that the media was worse.