‘It Is Not a Prop!’ Trump-Backer Mike Lee FUMES As McMullin Roasts Him For Waving Pocket Constitution in Jan. 6 Debate Throwdown
Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee was visibly perturbed when independent candidate Evan McMullin roasted him for waving around a pocket U.S. Constitution during a debate exchange over the January 6 plot.
Lee and McMullin faced off in a debate Monday night, during which McMullin attacked Lee for supporting the various legal schemes that underpinned the plot to overthrow the election on January 6.
But things really got heated when McMullin slammed Lee for taking out his pocket constitution while defending himself for changing course and voting to certify the election on January 6 after the riot was put down — complete with an indignant “How dare you, sir!”
McMullin explained how it is that he dares:
SEN. MIKE LEE: I was one of the people trying to dismantle this situation, trying to stop it from happening, because I believe in this document (waves pocket constitution) written by the hands of wise men, raised up by God to that very purpose. I followed it. I studied it. And I defended it to a tee.
EVAN MCMULLIN: Senator Lee, the constitution is not a prop!
DOUG WRIGHT: You’ll have 30 seconds here in a moment.
SEN. MIKE LEE: For you to suggest otherwise looks right in the face of truth and in the face of the Constitution. How dare you, sir!
DOUG WRIGHT: Mr. McMullin, you have 30 seconds.
EVAN MCMULLIN: Look, Senator Lee has been doing this thing with his pocket constitution for the last several years. Senator Lee? It is not a prop. It is not a prop. (applause) Senator Lee, the Constitution is not a prop for you to wave about. And then when it’s convenient for your pursuit of power to abandon without a fight, that’s what you’ve done with that. Okay. If you’re committed to the Constitution, then stand up for our free and fair elections, stand up for the peaceful transfer of power. You did, so you voted to certify the election in the last moment, in the same way that someone knows of, you know, a plot that isn’t quite working out ought to abandon it. That’s what you did. But look, Senator Lee is retreating to a safe space. Again. These are his broken politics of right versus left, Republicans versus Democrats. Senator Lee, you know, I’m not a Democrat. You’re not worried about that. You’re worried about the fact that I’m an independent and that I’m building a cross partisan coalition of Republicans, Democrats and independents and members of third parties to replace you and to stand up to your broken politics, and those of the party bosses and special interests who line your pockets. That’s what I’m doing. And I know it frightens you, because if you can keep us divided, then that’s how you hold on to power. You’re used to that. But we’re building a cross partisan coalition to replace you. Senator Lee. And it must be done.
DOUG WRIGHT: Okay. Senator Lee, we’re going to give you a 30-second rebuttal to that. I wasn’t going to call that, but I think we should in this case.
SEN. MIKE LEE: This is not a prop, and I don’t carry it a prop. This is a reference manual. I carry it with me next to my heart because I refer to it daily, constantly. You’d be surprised at how often it comes in handy to have it right there. My colleagues have come to depend on it because they know I’ve always got one. The words matter. I followed the words. You distort the truth and you should be ashamed.
Watch above via ABC4 Utah.
