The 7 GOP Senators who chose not to participate in unprecedented subversion of foreign negotiations,

[Faryn Balyncd]

...and violation of the Logan Act, by 47 of their colleagues (87% of the GOP Senate caucus):


Lamar Alexander
Dan Coats, Senate Intelligence Committee
Thad Cochran
Susan Collins
Bob Corker, Chairman, Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Jeff Flake
Lisa Murkowski



In an age when their party's habitual hypocrisy, with regard to the Constitution and the rule of law, knows no limits, at least some of the 7 must wonder what happened to the party they joined long ago.

Coats, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, presents an interesting study on this issue, in that in November he wrote a letter to (then) Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Robert Menendez and Ranking Member Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) urging them to use existing authority to request a report from the Secretary of State on the verifiability of the administration’s recent nuclear agreement with Iran, iindicating that he favored Congressional oversight under existing law.

It would appear that both Coats and Corker, the current GOP Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, (and probably the other 5 non-signers), while favoring traditional legal Congressional involvement, made a decision not to participate with 87% of their GOP caucus in their deliberate and unprecedented attempt to subvert sensitive vital negotiations, and in clearly violating the Logan Act, and in misstating the legal realities in their subversive letter.

There hasn't been much room in the Republican caucus for traditional Republicans, or anyone with an ounce of judgement or integrity for years, and its clearly getting smaller.

[Tom Rinaldo]

1. I will try to remember the names of these seven

and will try to afford them a degree of respect moving forward from here, though undoubtedly I will continue to strongly disagree with them on most things in the future. Given the mind set of today's Republican Party, not to mention the money and influence of AIPAC, it took some spine and principles for them to hold out against signing a letter that 47 of their peers supported.

[Pacifist Patriot]

2. Just an FYI. Menendez represents New Jersey not Florida.

Lucky us. We've got Rubio.



Wonder why Coats' website has it wrong.

[Mass]

5. and Menendez is ranking member and Corker chair.

We lost the Senate last year.

[Faryn Balyncd]

9. Thanks. That was a paste from the linked article which incorrectly identified Menendez state

Will edit.

[Mass]

3. Flake seems to be one of the last decent guys the GOP has when it comes to foreign policy.

This is not an endorsement of his policies, but at least he does not take that as a football, same goes for Murkowski and Corker.

Coats, Cochran, and Alexander are just old guys who still live in the old times. When they are gone (probably in 6 years for Coats and Cochran) they will be replaced by the typical 21th century republicans. I am still reserved concerning Collins, but at least she was smart enough not to sign the letter.

Corker said clearly the letter was idiotic and counterproductive.

Sadly, the current brand of Republicans makes W look moderate on foreign policy. Hard to believe. And all that to please their base.

[Capt. Obvious]

4. 2016 Republican primaries are set

Murkowski
Coats

[Duppers]

6. amazing. both of Tennessee's senators!

[Lars39]

7. Truly!

[d_r]

13. I know, right?

I think it is because they are both such snake oilers that they probably don't sign their name on anything.

[ewagner]

8. Call me a cynic......but......

Coming so closely on the heels of Bibi's speech to congress, I smell AIPAC all over the letter....and the $$$$ that go with it.

[PhilosopherKing]

20. It may have more to do with...

The fact that Tom Cotton spoke to the defense industry the day after he sent the letter. It speaks volumes.

[Dustlawyer]

10. When you have already sold out all Americans in favor of Wall Street, MIC, oil companies, etc.,

there is not any shame in your game to pull a treasonous stunt like this! They all know they are above the law now so they are not worried!

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Jeff Flake has really surprised me since he became a Senator

I followed him closely when he was in the House and his claim to fame was pointing out "pork barrel" items added to the budget. He appeared in every budget debate, without fail, even pointing out the pork from his own party while they yelled and pointed at the Democrats. Although he was GOP, I admired his persistence, consistency, and avoidance of rank hypocrisy (at least on that subject). Considering that he was elected from a teabagger state with a loon for a governor and McLame as a sidekick, he has managed to dampen the crazy... At least so far.

[Brother Buzz]

21. Sen Flake was just on NPR's All Things Considered - measured words as he walks through the minefield

http://www.npr.org/2015/03/10/392142479/flake-senate-gop-letter-to-iran-not-appropriate

[BumRushDaShow]

24. Thank you for that!

Very enlightening.

[mopinko]

12. are women more moral than men?

notice that it is the women in the party on the right side of things AGAIN.

[magical thyme]

14. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) signed the letter

no the crazy isn't limited to men.

On edit, also Joni Ernst, Deb Fischer and Shelley Moore Capito.

[DeSwiss]

15. No one is more surprised than me.....

...that Alexander and Corker didn't sign the letter.

- Here ya go:

K&R

[KamaAina]

16. The Sane Seven.

As opposed to the Traitor Tots.

[hifiguy]

18. DUzy for

Traitor Tots. So accurate in so many ways.

[KamaAina]

22. Not original, I'm afraid

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141035315#post4

[dissentient]

17. These seven republican senators are heroes, as far as I'm concerned.

[Barack_America]

19. Not heroic, just not batshit crazy on one solitary issue.

But then to think that only seven(!) in that entire caucus decided to distance themselves from such clear insanity. Wow.

[UTUSN]

23. Thread-winner!1

[font size=5] [FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: yellow"]Not heroic, just not batshit crazy on one solitary issue. [/FONT] [/font]