Mitch McConnell just picked a fight he can’t win

| 4:30 pm EDT June 18, 2019
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There’s a reason Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has survived in politics for decades despite being one of the most corrupt criminals in politics: he generally has a sense of which battles he can win. That said, in the Trump era, McConnell has become increasingly brazen with the corrupt risks he’s been taking – and now he’s picked a fight he definitely can’t win.

Since leaving the Daily Show, Jon Stewart has been somewhat hesitant to remain involved with politics – with the notable exception of his tireless work in getting the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund reauthorized. Last week Stewart testified about the issue before the House, which ended up passing the legislation. But it’s far from clear whether Mitch McConnell will allow it to be voted upon in the Senate, because he never shows any interest in legislation unless it’s aimed at benefiting the wealthy.

In a sign of his own defensiveness, McConnell lashed out at Jon Stewart, telling Fox News that he didn’t know why Stewart was “all bent out of shape” over the legislation. McConnell then went on to insist that it’ll get passed in the Senate – though based on his track record, McConnell is probably lying.

This prompted Jon Stewart to fire back, saying “I’m bent out of shape for them … These are the first heroes and veterans and victims of the great trillions of dollars war on terror” according to CNN. So now Mitch McConnell has backed himself into a corner. If he doesn’t put the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund up for a vote, he’ll be seen as the villain who blocked it. And if he does put it up for a vote, the money will go where it should, instead of to McConnell’s wealthy donors.