Monday, March 20, 2017

The Biggest Takeaways From Today's House Hearing On Russian Interference In The Election


Here, to us, are the biggest stories from today's House Intelligence Committee hearing on Russian interference on behalf of neo- fascist Putin pocket charm Donald "Rump" Trump in the recent elections. (Nancy LeTourneau has been liveblogging the hearing, and we've relied on her reporting here; check out her insights.)

First, FBI Director and election ratf*cker James Comey confirming right out of the box that there is an active investigation of links between Rump's campaign and the Russian government:
As you know, our practice is not to confirm the existence of ongoing investigations. Especially, those investigations that involve classified matters. But, in unusual circumstances, where it is in the public interest, it may be appropriate to do so, as Justice Department policies recognize. This is one of those circumstances. I have been authorized by the Department of Justice to confirm that the FBI, as part of our counter-intelligence mission, is investigating the Russian government’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. And that includes investigating the nature of any links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government and whether there was any coordination between the campaign and Russia’s efforts.
Furthermore, when Rump shill Rep. Michael Turner (Weasel- OH) attempted to slough off the grounds for initiating an investigation by suggesting any little ol' thing could trigger one, amirite?, Comey responded it would have to be "A credible allegation of wrongdoing." Boom.

Second, Comey asserted that the FBI and Justice Department investigated and have no evidence that President Obama ordered a wiretap of Rump, and that Obama couldn't have ordered one anyway. Boom.

Third, efforts by the Rump White (Supremacist) House to change the narrative are being refuted almost in real time (thanks, Twitter!).


Fourth, as we point out below, not unexpectedly party- before- country Republicans are desperately trying to change the narrative from the leaked information to Rump's focus: "Find the leakers!"  The same pattern occurred during the Watergate hearings, when diehard Nixon supporters in Congress threw every roadblock they could in the way of the investigation -- until those infamous tapes painted them into a corner and forced them to stand down. They're different faces now, but the same empty souls.

Why would anyone with nothing to hide react in the manner Rump is reacting?  Why would elected officials sworn to uphold the Constitution actively engage in dissembling and diversion in order to provide cover for a thing as unfit and unworthy as Rump?  Rhetorical questions, folks!

BONUS:  Be sure to read the statement of Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), which laid out in detail what we already know about the Russia-Trump connection (embedded in the linked article).

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