If Democrats' theories about President Donald Trump and Russia are proved true, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow believes that Republicans will “rise above their party” and impeach him.
Many Democrats currently assume that Trump has committed some political — or even criminal — wrongdoing by allegedly colluding with Russian operatives during last year’s presidential election to undermine Hillary Clinton’s campaign and win the White House.
The Democratic conspiracy theory gained traction earlier this month after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, who was leading an active investigation into Trump-Russia allegations. Trump initially said he fired Comey upon a recommendation from the Department of Justice but later admitted that he planned to fire "nut job" Comey no matter what the DOJ recommended. Democrats allege Trump did so to alleviate pressure put on him by the FBI's investigation into his campaign.
Speaking with Stephen Colbert on CBS' “The Late Show” Monday, Maddow explained that federal investigators need to get to the bottom of the Trump-Russia allegations for the good of America.
She conceded that the entire series of events might be coincidental but cautioned against that view in light of the “millions” of contacts the Trump campaign had with Russian officials, citing a recent Reuters report that revealed 18 more previously undisclosed contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives.
Maddow also said that Trump’s abrupt decision to fire Comey needs to be investigated, offering the idea that Trump potentially committed obstruction of justice by doing so.
But Colbert noted that many legal experts such as Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz say that Trump didn’t commit obstruction of justice by dismissing Comey and was instead carrying out the duties of the head of the executive branch.
"He can’t go on trial for obstruction of justice but he could be put on an impeachment trial by the House and the Senate,” Colbert informed. "But do you think there is any chance that would happen if the Democrats do not get back the House and the Senate?"
Maddow quipped that she doesn’t try to analyze the situation in “partisan terms, then said:
If it’s proven that, lets say, the Department of Justice inspector general or the FBI itself determines that the FBI director was fired and other actions were taken to impede that investigation into the president and his campaign because he wanted that investigation to be knocked off course — it is hard for me to believe that Republicans would not rise above their party in that instance.
“I believe that — and I want to believe that,” Maddow emphasized.
Colbert appeared warm to the idea that Republicans might rise up if evidence proved Trump committed wrongdoing but cautioned that Trump has lowered political standards as president, and so it is unlikely to happen.
But Maddow said she was optimistic.
“I think that people, when confronted with real issues of national interest, that people do the right thing,” Maddow said to a thunderous applause.
Despite claims made by Maddow and other prominent Democrats, no concrete evidence suggesting Trump-Russia collusion has surfaced. Thus far, the FBI has confirmed only that an investigation into the matter is ongoing.
The bureau previously said last October that, after a thorough investigation into Trump’s campaign, they found no connection between Trump, his campaign, and Russia.
