“Journalist Carl Bernstein on Sunday night called out Republicans in the Senate for remaining silent as President Donald Trump attempts to overthrow the results of the election and remain in office via lawsuits based on false claims. And he’s naming names. Bernstein identified 21 lawmakers who he said have “expressed extreme contempt for Trump & his fitness to be POTUS” behind the scenes. In a Twitter thread, the reporter who helped to uncover the Watergate scandal said he wasn’t breaking any promises of confidentiality ― because these senators expressed this disdain for Trump to others including staff, lobbyists and White House aides. I’m not violating any pledge of journalistic confidentially in reporting this: 21 Republican Sens–in convos w/ colleagues, staff members, lobbyists, W. House aides–have repeatedly expressed extreme contempt for Trump & his fitness to be POTUS. (1/3)— Carl Bernstein (@carlbernstein) November 23, 2020 The 21 GOP Senators who have privately expressed their disdain for Trump are: Portman, Alexander, Sasse, Blunt, Collins, Murkowski, Cornyn, Thune, Romney, Braun, Young, Tim Scott, Rick Scott, Rubio, Grassley, Burr, Toomey, McSally, Moran, Roberts, Shelby. (2/3)— Carl Bernstein (@carlbernstein) November 23, 2020 With few exceptions, their craven public silence has helped enable Trump’s most grievous conduct—including undermining and discrediting the US the electoral system. More from my appearance earlier on @cnn: https://t.co/c1jZXMR0Pv (3/3)— Carl Bernstein (@carlbernstein) November 23, 2020 Republican lawmakers have been loathe to criticize Trump publicly, and have been throughout his presidency. However, several of those named senators have publicly urged Trump to move on, including Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) who on Sunday said “it is time to begin the full and formal transition process” for President-elect Joe Biden. On Saturday, Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Penn.) did the same, telling Trump that he has now “exhausted all plausible legal” challenges and that it’s time to concede. Republican senators Mitt Romney (Utah), Susan Collins (Maine) and Ben Sasse (Nebraska) have all acknowledged Biden’s victory. Marco Rubio (Fla.) referred to Biden as the “president-elect” and John Cornyn (Texas) said Biden would “probably” be inaugurated and called for him to receive intelligence briefings.
