They either got co-opted, or in the case of Catherine Engelbrecht and others who weren't able to be co-opted, the Federal government was used on them in violation of many, many laws.
You have to believe that Republicans were cooperating with those efforts.
Mark Bradman ‘Sundance’ is correct that McConnell was behind the hit on Chris McDaniel in Mississippi and all the names listed above were in on it at McDonnell’s behest.
We posted voluminously about it here on FR and presented direct evidence of McConnell’s duplicity and involvement. Many Freepers were shocked to discover their US Senator was acting on McConnell’s orders.
McConnell controls the money and hence the reelection chances of many Senate incumbents. The money he controls is provided by special interests one of which is mentioned by Sundance above, Tom Donohue of the so-called US Chamber of Commerce which pushes for massive amnesty of illegals.
Want to know why there is no Wall funding? Look to McConnell. Oh for sure McConnell voted for funding the wall but he allowed for 60-vote cloture to fund the Wall it was DOA. So he knew when he voted to fund the Wall it was DOA. He could have tabled the cloture vote and brought the Wall funding in on a budget bill requiring only a simple majority. But he didn’t and we know why.
McConnell allows Senators to vote for things like defunding Planned Parenthood, repeal of Obamacare, etc. knowing ahead of time that those items will lose. So he provides cover for Senators as well as reelection funding and grifting.
He’s a snake.