Florida GOP ignores Trump’s bad behavior, takes on drag shows, blames Biden instead | Opinion

In Florida, home to Jan. 6 plotters, the revelatory work of the Select Committee to Investigate the Attack on the United States Capitol calls for political deflection — and not an ounce of reflection.

From Gov. Ron DeSantis to members of Congress who voted against the probe, and every shade of Republican politico in between, there has been no condemnation of the acts that put American democracy in peril.

Nor is there any apology to voters whom former President Donald Trump and GOP leaders manipulated and lied to.

Floridians deserve at least a moment of GOP reckoning with truth.

In Washington, Republican Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney, a pillar of dignity, highlights — in minimalist but powerful language —Trump’s criminal behavior.

Using video evidence and witness testimony, she charts Trump’s role in encouraging the deadly attack, refusing to call the National Guard to help Capitol police and telling people who had beaten and injured law enforcement officers that he loves them. And Cheney brandishes proof of Trump’s repeated attempts to engage in election fraud by strong-arming election officials and attorneys general in several states to change election results.

Shouldn’t that be something Florida, or at least South Florida, is paying attention to?

Nah.

“Eyes that do not see, heart that does not feel,” goes a popular Spanish saying — if you turn a blind eye, you won’t suffer.

Open your eyes, people!

Trump’s top lawman, Attorney General William Barr, bluntly describes Trump’s allegations of voter fraud: “Bull----!” And he offers evidence that Trump knew it, but lied anyway. Other officials who worked for the president say the same.

The nicest thing Barr says about the president is that he’s “detached from reality” — a description befitting of Republican elected officials in Florida, too.

Their version of things boils down to: But it’s all Joe Biden’s fault.

Joe Biden is old! Joe Biden is infirm! Joe Biden gets a word wrong! Joe Biden left the country without baby formula! Joe Biden, and not Vladimir Putin’s invasion or the gas station gouging you, is responsible for hike in gas prices!

They’re a sorry, silent bunch. Especially when you consider their antics:

DeSantis drags drag

As his former idol burns in the fire of revelations by his own people, DeSantis — who downplayed the Capitol insurrection on its one-year anniversary — stands vigilant against a drag show in Texas attended by children and videotaped.

If Floridians dare take their kids to a drag show, the governor grandstands, he’ll sic the Department of Children and Families on them. And wait until DeSantis finds out that Target has debuted a line of clothing and accessories for children celebrating gay pride!

Rubio’s bright idea

Marco Rubio, who was right when he called Trump a “conman” in 2016, does his part to avoid Republican disgrace by keeping Venezuelans busy on Maduro watch. He calls for U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to request an Interpol red alert for the arrest of Maduro while the Latin American despot is traveling to Tehran.

Rubio wants Maduro to stand trial on drug-trafficking charges in the United States.

Oh, the headline!

Because if you want to catch a bad buy, the best strategy is to send a press release to media and tweet intentions to the world, right?

But not a word from the senator about Trump’s disgraceful bid to help himself to another four years.

Salazar on the summit

Then, there’s Miami Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar hysterically screaming on videos posted in her social media that President Biden doesn’t care about Latin America — as if Trump did.

Biden blew the Summit of the Americas, she claims, even though he didn’t invite Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, in keeping with what Republicans wanted. But wouldn’t it be wonderful if we were angry at Trump only for fumbling a diplomatic gathering instead of violating the U.S. Constitution?

No, Trump betraying his oath of office isn’t a thing for self-righteous Florida Republicans, claiming, tweeting, hollering that Biden weakens America.

There’s nothing Florida Republicans won’t do to distract voters’ attention from the staggering evidence being presented — and by other Republicans, who, unlike ours, are truth-telling patriots.

Nothing weakens the United States more before the world than its former president outed as what he was, what he is and what he’ll always be: a crass American version of Maduro, a Banana Republic político hell-bent on usurping power.