I would have much more respect for any Republican who would offer the following truthful defense for their anti-impeachment/anti-removal stance in lieu of their current party-wide policy of removing themselves entirely from the plain of facts and truth:

Thread.

Hypothetical Republican Senator:

“Of course Trump is guilty of a wrongful quid pro quo in Ukraine. Of course he inappropriately sought personal gain. Of course it’s impeachable. Of course we’d vote for removal were he a Democrat.

Trump committed a terrible action, and that demented motherfucker has put us all in a bind. Just about none of us wanted President Trump. He is a con man with no moral compass. Full stop.

But the almighty public chose him for us, and he brings his power against Republicans. Remember the erstwhile face of the GOP future, Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House and vice-presidential candidate? And today? Thanks to Trump, he’s nothing. We refuse to face the same prospects.

Here’s the other thing. As much as we hate Trump, we hate Democrats more. The prospect of Democrats governing terrifies us because, please trust us, we really do believe they will destroy everything we love about our country—and they’ll do it with self-righteous mocking derision.

So as much as we resent Trump, we recognize that Trump is part of the Republican party and we think the Republican party is worth preserving because the danger of a Democratic-led future is too bleak to accept.

We’d rather stand with this monster of a president than deal with a monstrously misguided Democratic majority party. Deal with it."