At the presidential debate, Donald Trump was forced to acknowledge that he bragged on tape about sexually assaulting women. At long last, Minnesota Congressman Erik Paulsen finally denounced Donald Trump for president – a “political calculation” that’s being acknowledged for what it is: an act of self-preservation that is frankly too little, too late.
At first, Paulsen sent out a one-sentence tweet, but declined to say whether he’d still be voting for Trump.
Then, the next day, he finally said he wouldn’t vote for him, a “political calculation” that, as the Star Tribune reported, was in the hopes of minimizing “the damage rippling outward from their lightning-rod nominee.”
But it’s too little, too late for Erik Paulsen to minimize the damage. For more than a year, Paulsen and House Republicans have stood silent through every racist, sexist, and bigoted attack.
Here’s a side-by-side timeline of all the opportunities Paulsen had to stand up against Donald Trump:
What Trump Has Said Paulsen’s ‘critique’
June 16, 2015: “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.” (On undocumented immigrants from Mexico.)
July 18, 2015: “He’s not a war hero. He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured.”
Nov. 12, 2015: “I know more about ISIS than the generals do. Believe me.”
Nov. 24, 2015: “Now this poor guy, you ought to see this guy.” (Mr. Trump jerked his arms around in front of his body and used a mocking tone to imitate a disabled New York Times reporter.)
Dec. 7, 2015: “Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.”
Dec. 18, 2015: “When people call you brilliant, it’s always good, especially when the person heads up Russia.”
Feb. 1, 2016: “So if you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you?”
Feb. 6, 2016: “I would bring back waterboarding, and I’d bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding.”
Feb. 28, 2016: “I don’t know anything about David Duke. O.K.? I don’t know anything about what you’re even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists.” (Mr. Trump later blamed a bad earpiece for declining to disavow support from the former Ku Klux Klan leader in the CNN interview.)
March 3, 2016: “Look at those hands, are they small hands? And, he referred to my hands — ‘If they’re small, something else must be small.’ I guarantee you there’s no problem. I guarantee.”
March 3, 2016: Minnesota’s three Republican members of Congress – Reps. John Kline, Erik Paulsen and Tom Emmer – all told the Star Tribune they’d support Trump if he becomes the standard-bearer.
March 11, 2016: “[Paulsen] said he expects to support the party’s eventual nominee — even if that is Trump. While Paulsen worries about the intense Republican criticism surrounding the GOP front-runner, he said he understands the frustration expressed by Trump supporters in his district.” [Star Tribune]
March 11, 2016 “Paulsen declined to say how he reconciles some of Trump’s more inflammatory positions, like banning Muslims from the United States and deporting all undocumented immigrants.” [Star Tribune]
March 23, 2016: “The images are worth a thousand words.” (A Twitter post with an unflattering image of Senator Ted Cruz’s wife, Heidi, next to a glamour shot of Mr. Trump’s wife, Melania.)
March 30, 2016: “There has to be some sort of punishment for women who have abortions.” April 1, 2016: “No, I do not agree with that position.” [Tweet]
April 21, 2016: “He did say he has concerns with the rhetoric of Trump, adding that he pushes back when Republican candidates say things he doesn’t agree with. ‘I disagreed with President Bush on a number of issues,’ he explained, ‘and said so.’” [Minn Post]
May 4, 2016: “Paulsen’s campaign issued this statement: ‘Like a lot of voters, Erik has problems with both Trump and Clinton but expects to vote for the nominee.’”
May 22, 2016: “The reality is that a lot of Minnesotans and voters in the 3rd District are frustrated with the top two candidates, and I feel no differently…but you have to realize he has been able to capture more than a million votes this primary season.”
June 5, 2016: “I’ve been treated very unfairly by this judge. Now, this judge is of Mexican heritage. I’m building a wall, O.K.? I’m building a wall.” (On Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel, a federal judge overseeing a suit against the defunct Trump University.)
June 14, 2016: “President Obama claims to know our enemy, and yet he continues to prioritize our enemy over our allies and, for that matter, the American people. When I am president, it will always be America first.”
June 20, 2016: “’We haven’t had the [Republican National] Convention yet. I said I expect to vote for the Republican nominee, but he has to earn my support. He hasn’t yet.’ Pressed to clarify whether he will vote for Trump, Paulsen said: ‘I said I expect to — that doesn’t mean I’m committed to it.’”
July 20, 2016: “If we cannot be properly reimbursed for the tremendous cost of our military protecting other countries . . . then yes, I would be absolutely prepared to tell those countries, ‘Congratulations, you will be defending yourself.’”
July 27, 2016: “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing.” (An apparent reference to Hillary Clinton’s deleted emails.)
July 30, 2016: “If you look at his wife, she was standing there. She had nothing to say. She probably — maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say. You tell me.” (On the parents of a Muslim soldier killed in Iraq after they denounced Mr. Trump at the Democratic National Convention.)
Aug 2, 2016: “Erik agrees with the VFW – Trump’s comments about the Khan family are out of bounds.” Paulsen and his staff have said he expects to support Trump in the election, but that so far the real estate mogul has not earned his backing. [Star Tribune, “Paulsen condemns Trump’s comments after criticism”]
Aug. 10, 2016: “[Obama is] the founder of ISIS. He’s the founder of ISIS. He’s the founder. He founded ISIS. I would say the co-founder would be crooked Hillary Clinton.”
Aug. 10, 2016: “If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people — maybe there is, I don’t know.”
August 10, 2016: U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen – still deciding whether he will vote for his party’s presidential nominee, Donald Trump – on Wednesday declined to more forcefully denounce Trump’s vague but seeming encouragement of violence against his opponent over her gun-control position. “My vote has to been earned, and it has not been earned,” said Paulsen, the Third District incumbent congressman seeking re-election this fall. “I heard about those comments late last night — I’ll just say that words matter,” Paulsen said. “They especially matter for presidential candidates.”
August 17, 2016: “It shouldn’t be up to any of us to denounce presidential candidates.”
August 17, 2016: “Anyone can earn my vote. Except for Hillary Clinton.”
Oct. 7, 2016: “I moved on her like a bitch. But I couldn’t get there. And she was married. Then all of a sudden I see her, she’s now got the big phony tits and everything.” (Part of a 2005 recording that surfaced showing Mr. Trump speaking in extremely vulgar terms about pushing himself on women.)
October 8, 2016: “Donald Trump’s words released today are disgusting and offensive.” [Tweet]
Now, Paulsen is declining interviews and dodging on-camera forums in a blatant attempt not to have to answer the tough questions, on Trump or on any part of his anti-choice, anti-LGBT, pro-gun record.
“National Democrats point out Paulsen hasn’t given a televised interview in 52 days. He has also not granted interviews to the Star Tribune.“
“For more than a year, Congressman Paulsen has barely spoken out against Donald Trump’s hateful rhetoric, his sexist and bigoted language, and his reckless policies that would put our national security at risk. Instead he has hid behind his loyalty to his party,” said Sacha Haworth of the DCCC. “Paulsen needs to realize that this election is a binary choice, and the only way now to ensure that Donald Trump does not become Commander in Chief is to vote for Hillary Clinton.”
