Trump scolds Romney over criticism about China's interference

Most Republican leers were silent or supportive of President Donald Trump’s public call for ar foreign government, China, to investigate his political foe, while a handful voiced concern that president was trying to enlist a rival power in his reelection effort. Several House and Senate leers stayed mum as Trump escalated controversy that has fueled an impeachment inquiry and ploughed through ar rm of American politics. quiet continued as House Democrats released a trove of text messs showing U.S. diplomats conducted a campaign to push Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a leing candidate for Democratic mination to face Trump next vember, and Biden’s son Hunter.

Foreign interference in elections

Foreign interference in elections has long been viewed as a threat to U.S. sovereignty and integrity of democracy, and soliciting foreign help in an election is illegal. But Trump found support in his willingness to openly challenge that convention. Vice President Mike Pence me clear he backed president and believes he is raising “appropriate” issues. Or allies agreed.

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“I don’t think re’s anything improper about doing that,” GOP Sen. Ron Johnson, chairman of Homeland Security Committee, said of Trump’s call on China to investigate Bidens.

Dissent came from familiar corners this past week, and Trump took tice. Utah Sen. Mitt Romney tweeted, “By all appearances, President’s brazen and unprecedented appeal to China and to Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden is wrong and appalling.”

Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse said in a statement to Omaha World-Herald: “Americans don’t look to Chinese commies for truth. If Biden kid broke laws by selling his name to Beijing, that’s a matter for American courts, t communist tyrants running torture camps.”

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Neir Senate Majority Leer Mitch McConnell r House Mirity Leer Kevin McCarthy responded to requests for comment Friday. Trump fired back at Romney on Twitter: “Somebody please wake up Mitt Romney and tell him that my conversation with Ukrainian President was a congenial and very appropriate one, and my statement on China pertained to corruption, t politics,” he wrote Saturday in tweets that also attacked Romney personally.

President breaking ar barrier

While president was breaking ar political barrier, his party leers have me public effort to rein him in. Critics have argued that reaction has only emboldened president while doing lasting dam to party and presidency. Trump allies argue president’s rule-breaking rhetoric is t as important as his policies, which y support. But silence this time also reflects a sharper dilemma for Republicans.

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As Democrats pursue an impeachment investigation, Republicans have struggled with how best to shield mselves — and unpredictable president who may decide ir political fortunes — from stey drip of new revelations. With little guidance from White House, lawmakers have tried to say as little as possible, blame Democrats or express vague optimism about investigative process.

Some Republicans appeared er for controversy to simply t exist. “I don’t think it’s a real request,” Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a prominent China critic, told reporters Friday. “I think he did it to get you guys. I think he did it to provoke you to ask me and ors and get outrd by it.”

Rubio later tried to clean up his statement with a tweet. “Before we nullify results of an election or dismiss some very serious accusations as an attempted coup, maybe it would be a good idea to try and gar all of facts & n give some thought to what would be in best interest of our country.” His reference to “coup” ories was a backhanded chastisement of Trump, who has used that term to describe investigation.

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