“Legitimate political discourse” – remember those three words. They will be with us for a while.

They were officially uttered by the Republican National Committee (RNC) in a resolution to censure two Republican U.S. Representatives who have dared to serve on the House January 6th Select Committee looking into the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol following the 2020 presidential election.

The lengthy resolution that condemns Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois for their service and actions on the committee reads in part:

“WHEREAS, Representatives Cheney and Kinzinger are participating in a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse, and they are both utilizing their past professed political affiliation to mask Democrat abuse of prosecutorial power for partisan purposes…”

The response to calling the January 6th attack on the Capitol “legitimate political discourse” drew prompt response, even from some top Republicans.

“We all were here. We saw what happened,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. “It was a violent insurrection for the purpose of trying to prevent the peaceful transfer of power after a legitimately certified election from one administration to the next. That’s what it was.”

The censure resolution also said the RNC “shall immediately cease any and all support of them as members of the Republican Party.”

It was highly unusual for the RNC to censure two sitting Republican members of Congress. It was unprecedented for the party to cease supporting them. Even McConnell criticized that move. “The issue is whether or not the RNC should be sort of singling out members of our party who may have different views from the majority,” he said. “That’s not the job of the RNC.”

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan called it “a sad day” when Republicans are “punished just for expressing your beliefs, standing on principle, and refusing to tell blatant lies.” Senate GOP Whip John Thune of South Dakota called the resolution “not a constructive move.”

Days after the voice vote, the RNC sought to clarify what the resolution meant. The RNC claimed “legitimate political discourse” referred only to people who did not commit violent acts on January 6th, though the resolution itself made no such distinction.

But by then the fox was already in the hen house. And, there were at least three serious consequences from that.

First, it made party political leaders look stupid. You can’t admire “legitimate political discourse” on the one hand then censure members for legitimate nonconforming political discourse on the other.

Second, it caused friction within the party when unity is needed heading into mid-term elections. “Why are we talking about this resolution?” said GOP Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas. “Why aren’t Republicans talking about the failures of the Biden administration?”

Third, it opened the door for violent political acts the party regularly condemns to be portrayed as legitimate, e.g. the violence-ridden George Floyd protests in Portland, Philadelphia, and elsewhere. You can’t claim to be the law and order party in one case but not the other.

Hmmm.

Every which way you look at it, Republicans flubbed legitimate political discourse.

“The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you” – Matthew 12:37.

Crawford is a syndicated columnist from Jackson.