There has been a lot of talk about the fragility of our democracy, contested elections and where we go from here in the wake of a seismic change in presidential administrations.
Implications for both major political parties in California and nationally are huge.
"We’re watching actually the radicalization of the Republican base in real time because people who are not radical are leaving the party," said Rep. Ted Lieu of the state’s 33rd Congressional District.
"That’s making it somewhat difficult to work with the Republicans because now we have people like Marjorie Taylor Greene, we had Donald Trump, we have folks who just don’t accept reality and basic facts," he said.
Lieu was part of the House team managing the case against President Donald Trump in the Senate last week. Despite Trump’s acquittal in his second impeachment trial, Lieu called the case against him a success because bipartisan majorities in both chambers agreed with the charge.
That bipartisan group included Sen. Mitch McConnell, who said he agreed Trump had a role in the deadly January 6 riot immediately after voting to acquit the former president on grounds his impeachment was unconstitutional.
"We see a split now in the Republican party where some of the less crazy people are trying to excise Donald Trump and did not do a very good job of it," Lieu told KCBS Radio’s "The State of California" on Tuesday.
Trump on Monday lashed out at McConnell, saying he "is a dour, sullen and unsmiling political hack."
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