The former Trump campaign aide’s outrageous contempt before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday was a sign of the profound weakness of the congressional Democrats, a warning about the critical flaws in their continued practice of pre-Trump politics, and a caution flag on the people pushing impeachment as the tentpole strategy of the Congressional Democrats for 2020.

The hearing was a political test, and the House Democrats failed it. They’re shudderingly terrible at this work; they lack the bloodthirsty instincts of political killers. Trump and the House GOP are playing nuclear hardball, and the House Democrats were playing the old normie politics of the days before social media, reality television, and the Insane Clown President.

Centrally, Lewandowski continued to hide behind a phony privilege claim even after it was clearly established the claim was invalid, and Democrats seemed content to let him. His eye-rolling, snippy responses, and insults received nothing more than sour looks. Without consequences, people like Corey will always win, and in the nastiest way possible.