MSNBC contributor Claire McCaskill said Tuesday on “Deadline” that she struggled “with grasping the reality that our country elected” former President Donald Trump.

McCaskill said, “You know, it is hard, I struggle with grasping the reality that our country elected this man in the first place. Then, J-6 happened and everything that went along with that. He then is indicted and repeatedly and investigated and indicted again repeatedly. Then he does this, which is so despicable and such a spit in the face of anyone who loves our Constitution and the rule of law. I think that the people that I served with, the Republicans, are taking a grave risk.”

She continued, “I took some time today to read through the list of the most heinous offenders on January 6. The ones that took an electric shock to the neck of a police officer, the ones that gouged at the police officer’s eyes, the ones that body slammed police officers into marble statues rendering them unconscious, those are the people that he opened his rallies with, and promised to pardon. I would say to John Thune and John Cornyn, you’re wanting to lead the United States in the Senate, that is a great responsibility. The risk you are taking by not speaking out against this man is one that history will pay attention to because if he’s willing to pardon the people that did that, really, you know what he’s capable of doing. They know. The idea that they’re sacrificing all of that, rather than leading their party out of the wilderness, they’re cowering. They’re cowering behind trees. Saying, please don’t look at me. Yeah, I don’t want to say I endorse him, but if I have to, if I don’t my party will be mad at me. Claim your party and your values and integrity and stand up to this guy. It shouldn’t be this hard.”