Sanders says Republicans must get engaged to avoid ‘real chaos’ in Washington

One day after her former boss cleared a hurdle toward impeachment acquittal, Sarah Huckabee Sanders told a Sebastian County Republican group that “real chaos, destructive chaos” will ensue if Democrats are allowed to win in November.

Sanders, President Donald Trump’s press secretary for more than two years (2017-2019), was the keynote speaker at the Sebastian County Republican Women’s Ronald Reagan dinner held Saturday (Feb. 1) in The Bakery in downtown Fort Smith. More than 400 attended the event which also included comments from U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, and Arkansas Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin.

Sanders, the daughter of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, is considered to be a potential candidate in the 2022 Arkansas gubernatorial race. In her opening remarks she praised the work of Womack and Griffin, who may also be a candidate in the 2022 race.

She said her greatest moment in the White House – a job that was a “front row seat to history unlike anything I’ve ever seen before” – was when she traveled Christmas 2018 to the Middle East on a secret trip with President Trump. She said the sight and sound of soldiers cheering for Trump when he emerged as a surprise in the dining hall is something she will not forget.

After telling several stories about raising children – she and husband Bryan have three children age 7, 6 and 4 – during her work at the White House, Sanders urged the crowd to support Republican candidates in November. She said if Democrats win in November they will “raise our taxes and force bigger government down our throats.” She also said Democrats will make abortion available on demand, will weaken the military, and will not pursue terrorists.

“If we want to see real chaos in Washington and Congress and in the Senate and the White House, we will allow Democrats to continue to tear this president down, continue to do everything they can to destroy him and everybody that works around him. We have to fight back, and we have to fight back aggressively and strong,” she said.

Sanders did not comment on the impeachment during her remarks, but later told Talk Business & Politics the Senate vote was “a good move” because it will result in a quicker ending.

The U.S. Senate on Friday voted 51-49 to not allow witnesses in the impeachment trial of President Trump. The vote set up what is likely to be an acquittal vote on Wednesday, one day after Trump’s State of the Union address in the U.S. House chamber.

The two articles of impeachment accuse Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress for his behavior in the controversy surrounding military aid to Ukraine and relations with the new Ukranian President, Volodymyr Zelensky.

Trump is accused of asking Zelensky to investigate potential corruption involving Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, in Ukraine. Through a call summary released by the White House, testimony from witnesses in the House Intelligence Committee, and on-the-record comments from Trump and his administration officials, Democrats have produced evidence they claim supports their allegations of abuse. Republican Congressional leaders and the president have either denied parts of the evidence presented, complained that it does not rise to the level of an impeachable offense, or avoided providing testimony that would refute some of the claims.

“Senators who opposed hearing from these witnesses, when their testimony would have better informed a judgment on the guilt or innocence of the president, will be hard pressed to explain why. Senators chose instead to set a dangerous precedent that will have long-lasting repercussions for the United States Congress, the balance of powers, and our democracy as a whole,” noted a statement from House impeachment managers.