Senator Lindsey Graham, (R, S.C.), who along with fellow GOP Senator John McCain has been highly critical of President Donald Trump, stated on the program Good Morning America, that contacts between Trump and his campaign officials are "Big league bad" and "unacceptable," (ABC News, 2-15-17). Graham, who did not support Trump after withdrawing from the 2016 GOP primaries, also stated that, as he sees it, contacts between the Trump campaign and the Russians also are "a game changer," (ABC News, 2-15-17). Members of Congress and Senators on both sides of the aisle, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D, Calif.), are calling for a bipartisan commission to investigate the matter.
Trump and Russians must "Pay a price"
Graham continued his comments by stating that he believes that both the Russians and Trump campaign officials should "pay a price" for "interfering with our democracy," (ABC News, 2-15-17). Graham did not specify what he thought that price should be; but left no doubt that he believes that the matter is in dire of need of thorough investigation.
Rand Paul weighs in
GOP Kentucky Senator Rand Paul has a differing opinion on the matter of Russian interference with the 2016 Presidential campaign and contacts between the Russians and Trump campaign officials. As Paul sees it, it is not "useful" for Republicans to be attacking and investigating other Republicans.
In reference to such attacks and investigations, Paul, who is a licensed physician, bluntly stated, "I think it makes no sense," (ABC News, 2-15-17).
Additionally, Paul expressed concerns that while conducting investigations and attacking each other, that Republicans will not be able to advance their political agenda, i.e., the repeal of ObamaCare.
However, Paul failed to clarify what he would suggest that Graham, McCain and other concerned Republicans do about their concerns, especially if they are not allowed to conduct their investigations or attack Trump officials suspected of being involved in the fiasco.
Meryl Streep compares Trump followers to Nazis
Meanwhile, Meryl Streep, speaking to the Human Rights Campaign, a nationwide LGBTQ rights advocacy group, likened Trump followers to the "Brownshirts" of the Nazi era in Germany.
The Brownshirts were Nazis and activist followers of Hitler during the height of World War II in Germany. In comparing Trump's followers to Brownshirts, Streep is referring to the appearance of widespread misogyny, bigotry, racism and homophobia among Trump followers, as orchestrated by Trump himself. Thus far, Trump has neither responded nor tweeted his thoughts on Streep's latest accusations. Suffice to say that Trump has "taken the 5th" on Streep's comments by not responding. Observers can and definitely will come to their own conclusions as to what that means.
