Q: What caused Stepford senators in GOP? A: Campaign contributions from Trump's lawyers

I've often wondered what kind of blackmail has got Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, et al running so scared that they now don't even try to hide their mindless, sycophantic kneeling before King Trump. But, according to Salon, the answer is much simpler than blackmail - it's about what it's almost always about: money, or in this case, campaign contributions.

Apparently, Trump's lawyers donated thousands to the GOP senate puppets. For instance, in 2017, Kenneth Starr donated $2,700 to Lindsey Graham and $2,800 to Mitch McConnell in 2019.
From Salon:

Starr, who lamented that "we are living in " the age of impeachment" during the trial on Monday and accused Democrats of waging a "domestic war," gave $2,800 to McConnell in July 2019, according to CFPR.

Ray, who wanted to indict Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky affair but now claims Trump has been vindicated by the transcript of his July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, contributed the maximum $5,600 to McConnell in September 2019, according to the report.

The contributions came months before McConnell bragged to Fox News host Sean Hannity that he would be in "total coordination with the White House counsel's office and the people who are representing the president in the well of the Senate."

"Everything I do during this, I'm coordinating with the White House counsel," he said. "There will be no difference between the president's position and our position as to how to handle this."

Read more details at Salon.

Image: Liz West / Flickr