beto orourke

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Beto’s response to impeaching Trump is to wax about a painting

Why did he shout-out a Trumbull?

 

David Covucci

Tech

Posted on Jun 27, 2019   Updated on May 20, 2021, 9:45 am CDT

In the numerous profiles of Beto O’Rourke that have cropped up ever since he entered the national scene, much has been made about his time as an aimless gadfly in New York City. One job he had during this directionless period was for a company called Hedley’s Humpers, where he moved fine art, including a Picasso.

Apparently, that job made an impression on him, because when asked by Chuck Todd during Wednesday night’s 2020 Democratic debate—about whether he would prosecute President Donald Trump for his behavior outlined in the Mueller Report if elected—O’Rourke waxed about a painting.

https://twitter.com/jimspellmanTV/status/1144074112530354176

In what was an extremely normal and casual reference, O’Rourke went on about Washington Resigning His Commission, a painting by John Trumbull, who painted some of the most famous scenes from the Revolutionary War.

“One of the most powerful pieces of art in the United States Capitol is the Trumbull painting of General George Washington resigning his commission to the Continental Congress, at the height of his powers, submitting to the rule of law and the will of the people,” said O’Rourke. “That has withstood the test of time, for the last 243 years. If we set another precedent now, that a candidate who invited the participation of a foreign power… if we allow him to get away with this with complete impugning, we will have set a new standard. That some people …are about the law and we cannot allow that to stand. We must begin impeachment now.”

O’Rourke went on to say he would direct his Department of Justice to look into Trump obstructing the investigation into his campaign. But people had questions about the Trumbull reference. Mainly… why?

https://twitter.com/StefanLuts/status/1144076419187838976

Then there were some who thought, despite O’Rourke’s assured delivery, he got the main message of the Trumbull painting completely wrong.

Or maybe it was a reference to Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol, a note that the key to impeaching Trump lies somewhere in the message hidden deep within that painting.

Get sleuthing, resistance figures.

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*First Published: Jun 27, 2019, 10:28 am CDT