[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 101 (Thursday, June 10, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S4024]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, on one final matter, I want my 
colleagues to be aware of the number ``29 percent.'' That is the 
percentage of Republican voters who believe that President Trump will 
be ``reinstated'' as President later this summer--29 percent. Almost a 
third of Republican voters believe he will be reinstated as President. 
According to that recent poll by Morning Consult, nearly a third--
nearly a third--of Republican voters believe Donald Trump will be 
reinstated.
  Of course, the idea of ``reinstatement'' comes from the disgraced 
former President Trump himself and is nothing more than the deluded 
ramblings of a defeated politician. But it is a glaring warning that 
the Big Lie has created fertile ground for all sorts of insane 
conspiracy.
  It is a depressing fact of our times that there is an audience out 
there who will literally believe anything the former President says, no 
matter how unrealistic or untrue. They believe him when he just 
abjectly lies.
  The blame here, however, does not rest only with the former 
President. The blame falls heavily on Washington Republicans and the 
political right who have not done enough to stand up to the Big Lie.
  After making a few brave noises in the wake of January 6, Republican 
leadership here in Washington now seems to have traded political 
courage and truth for appeasement.
  The Republican minority leader in the House called Donald Trump 
``morally responsible'' for the attack on January 6. He empowered his 
deputies to take part in painstaking negotiations to establish an 
independent commission to study those events and then promptly voted 
against it. He convened his entire conference to deliver a pink slip to 
the one Member of his leadership team who dared repeat the truth that 
President Biden is the President.
  Here in the Senate, the Republican leader gave a strong speech on 
January 6 and was willing to hold Donald Trump responsible for what 
happened that day. Several months later, however, the Republican leader 
whipped his Members into a partisan filibuster of an independent 
commission, which he called a ``purely political exercise.''
  The Republican Party is now wrapped around the axle of the Big Lie, 
and a big reason why is that Republican leaders are unwilling to move 
on from Trumpism.
  We are watching the results play out in State after State, where 
Republican legislatures have swallowed the Big Lie whole and are 
rapidly constricting the right to vote and fumbling through old ballots 
for traces of bamboo.
  The truth is, the Big Lie has consequences. It erodes our trust in 
elections, faith in our democracy, and it is gnawing away at the very 
right to vote in America.
  After 4 long years during which the Republican Party foolishly tried 
to ride the tiger of Donald Trump, it seems as though many of them 
wound up inside.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Hickenlooper). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

                          ____________________