Denver Post Front Page: Gardner “Mum,” Refuses to Answer Basic Questions on President’s Conduct or Demand A Fair Trial

“Gardner’s Silence Dates Back Months” to “When He Made National Headlines for Refusing to Say Whether It’s Inappropriate for an American President to Ask a Foreign Government to Investigate a Political Rival”

Senator Cory Gardner’s year is off to a rocky start with the front page of the Denver Post highlighting his ongoing refusal to answer basic questions about the president’s conduct or demand a fair impeachment hearing. 

After Gardner earned “national headlines” for refusing to say whether it is inappropriate for a president to ask a foreign government to interfere in U.S. elections, he’s been “mum” and has “avoided conservative talk radio, once a political safe space, along with most news media.” The most vulnerable Senate Republican on the ballot this year, Gardner cannot afford to anger the GOP base — especially after he said in 2016 he “cannot and will not” support Trump.” Gardner “made an early endorsement of Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign” last year. 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Denver Post: Cory Gardner, facing impeachment questions from all sides, is mum as the Senate looks ahead

By Justin Wingerter

January 6, 2019

Key Points:

• Colorado’s Democratic senator has been outspoken on both questions. Its Republican senator, Cory Gardner, has not.

• He and his office have not answered questions about his impeachment preferences.

• Gardner’s silence dates back months. His public appearances, never numerous in 2019, were rarer still this fall. He has avoided conservative talk radio, once a political safe space, along with most news media. His office agreed to arrange an interview with The Denver Post in Washington, D.C., during the House impeachment process, but later said he was unavailable and instead emailed a statement criticizing that process.

• Asked last week whether Gardner believes Trump cabinet members should testify during the trial and whether he agrees with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s decision to work in “total coordination” with the White House, Gardner’s spokeswoman sent the same statement, answering neither question.

• The last time the senator spoke with a significant contingent of Colorado reporters was Oct. 10, when he made national headlines for refusing to say whether it’s inappropriate for an American president to ask a foreign government to investigate a political rival. Gardner declined to answer the question a dozen times that day.

• …as impeachment gripped the nation’s capital, Gardner was quiet. And since then, as senators have debated how to conduct a trial of Trump, he has remained quiet. His critics on the political left and political right have not.

Read the full story here.

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