Before Rep. Steve Scalise ended his bid to become the next speaker of the House, he was forced to experience some ghoulish concern-trolling from many members of his own party. Scalise isn’t a great guy. He’s famous for once describing himself as “David Duke without the baggage,” but no one deserves to have people like Donald Trump and Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Chip Roy use one’s cancer diagnosis to throw doubt on their nomination.
Early on Friday, Rep. Jamie Raskin, himself a cancer survivor, tweeted out a reminder of the kind of character and integrity the people on the other side of the aisle have. “When I came down with cancer, my Caucus colleagues rallied around to support me as Ranking Dem on Oversight. I’m dumbfounded that GOP Members (& Trump!) used Steve Scalise’s cancer as a reason to abandon him on the House floor—after nominating him for the job!”
It is an important reminder of who we’re dealing with: Republicans who will use any excuse and climb over anyone without looking down in a shameless pursuit of power.
