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Republican Senator Just Got Seriously Smacked Down by His Home Paper After He Flip-Flopped on His Vote on Donald Trump's Emergency Declaration
Oof.
President Donald Trump's declaration of a so-called national emergency at the southern border was seen by many as an improper use of executive emergency powers in an effort to secure funding for a border wall.
The move was so controversial that twelve Republican senators crossed party lines to vote yes on a motion of disapproval for the declaration—enough to pass the motion and force Trump to veto it.
For some of the Senators who endorsed Trump's declaration in the vote, the consequences of their acquiescence are coming home to roost. Among them? Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO).
The Denver Post endorsed Gardner for the Senate in 2014, but in a scathing editorial published Thursday, the paper revoked its previous approval of Gardner, mincing no words in the process.
The Post said:
"We endorsed Sen. Cory Gardner in 2014 because we believed he’d be a statesman...We see now that was a mistake – consider this our resolution of disapproval. Gardner has been too busy walking a political tight rope to be a leader. He has become precisely what we said in our endorsement he would not be: “a political time-server interested only in professional security.”
The Conservative paper cited Gardner's support for the emergency declaration as the reason for rescinding the endorsement.
"This is a bogus emergency that takes executive over-reach to an extreme not seen even under President Barack Obama. Trump’s declaration is an abuse of his power, a direct overturning of Congress’ deliberate decision to pass a federal budget without funding for a wall. Put simply this is a constitutional crisis and one of Colorado’s two senators has failed the test."
Despite the Post's strong words, many thought it was still too little, too late.
@denverpost @denveropinion @denverpost, it took you this long to realize that?!?!— Arriana Belkin (@Arriana Belkin) 1552612355.0
@denverpost @denveropinion I'm torn between wanting to applaud you for this realization and wanting to kind of smac… https://t.co/vXdVv6P632— Gena Ozols (@Gena Ozols) 1552612621.0
@denverpost @denveropinion Too little, way too late. But way to be consistently bad.— Tracy Abell (@Tracy Abell) 1552613245.0
@denverpost @denveropinion You're just realizing this now? https://t.co/ya0AkkUIbk— HONK if your daemon is a horrible goose (@HONK if your daemon is a horrible goose) 1552618504.0
@denverpost @denveropinion And that was apparent before today, but continue.— Denise Shearin (@Denise Shearin) 1552613867.0
However the responses weren't completely pessimistic.
Some applauded the Post for owning up to its error.
@denverpost @denveropinion Glad you've seen the light...2020 can't come soon enough...— Robert Goodyear (@Robert Goodyear) 1552614461.0
@denverpost @denveropinion I now love the Denver post. Admitting when you were wrong is huge. Nice job.— ⚾️I'm Daniel Paul (@⚾️I'm Daniel Paul) 1552614911.0
@denverpost @denveropinion Yes. Glad you can own up to it.— North Coast Blog (@North Coast Blog) 1552613826.0
@denverpost @denveropinion Really wish you realized this in 2014. Better late than never.— Nicole (@Nicole) 1552613060.0
@denverpost @denveropinion Thank you for your honesty, @denverpost!— (((Karen)))💙 (@(((Karen)))💙) 1552667993.0
In a national climate of polarization and fundamental disagreement, it's admirable that at least one paper is willing to admit that it made the wrong call in supporting a senator who has become one of Trump's most dedicated allies.