I could write about any mumber of things right now, like the long overdue passing of Fox News founder Roger Ailes, or the fact that Trump and DeVos are pushing for deep cuts to public school programs, but I keep coming back to this bewildering clip of Senator Lindsey Graham on Fox News talking about how, since we now have a special prosecutor looking into charges of collusion between members of the Trump campaign and the Russians, Congress can once again turn its full attention toward what really matters…. the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s email.
Sen. Graham: Now that there's a special counsel the Senate investigators will move on… to investigating Clinton. Can't make this stuff up. pic.twitter.com/e4d30YZVd3
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) May 18, 2017
Yup, as we discussed might happen yesterday, now that it’s been announced that former FBI Director Mueller will be heading an independent Russia investigation on behalf of the Justice Department, the Republicans are attempting to scurry away from the whole mess as fast as humanly possible. And, I guess, as Graham sees it, going back after Clinton will not only give the impression of equivalency, which as we know, is absolute bullshit, but also allow him the opportunity to look like a badass investigator looking out for the welfare of the nation, instead of as a bootlicking coward who doesn’t have the courage to stand up to what is likely a criminal conspiracy that extends all the way to the Oval Office… So, yes, while Mueller looks into the real threats facing our country, it looks as though Graham and company will be delving into Clinton’s server security, and theorizing as to how, hypothetically, a handful of marginally classified documents could have fallen into the hands of our enemies… completely ignoring the fact that, just a few days ago, in the real world, our sitting President snuck a Russian agent into the White House and gave him the identity of an Israeli asset undercover in ISIS, jeopardizing both that man’s life, as well as our intelligence relationship with a trusted ally.
Any last remaining shred of respect I may have had for Lindsey Graham is now completely gone. This is beyond disgraceful. But, sadly, it doesn’t come as a surprise. Once it became clear that they couldn’t stop the Russia investigation, we knew this would happen. We know they would do anything in their power not only to slow the investigation, but to muddy the waters, leaving people confused as to what’s really going on, further sewing seeds of distrust in American institutions. And what’s really going on is that, in spite of the fact that we know with some degree of certainty that our Republican President is a corrupt, lying, conman, who, in all likelihood, corroborated with the Russians to tip the election in his favor, the overwhelming majority of Republicans in Congress have made the decision that they’re not only going to continue standing by his side, but that they’re going to aid him in his efforts, just so long as they feel he’s able to push forward their agenda of shuttering public schools, privatizing social security, rolling back environmental protections, and pushing deregulation across every sector. They know what Trump is, and it doesn’t matter to them. They bought their tickets, and they’re on the ride, and they’re going to see it through to the bitter end. And it’s our job to make sure that, when the ride ends, so too do their tenures in DC.
Here, for those of you who didn’t watch the video above, is a bit of the transcript from the folks at Think Progress.
…“I don’t know what caused the appointment. I haven’t seen any evidence of a crime yet. The bottom line is I respect the decision, but this pretty much shuts Congress down,” Graham said. “Democrats, you got what you wanted. You got a special counsel. Now we’ll just move on. We’re not prosecutors.”
That doesn’t mean, however, that Graham thinks all of Congress’ investigations should stop.
“There’s a new front opening here. I have reason to believe that there are emails between Clinton campaign officials, democratic operatives to the Department of Justice regarding the Clinton email investigation that happened on Obama’s watch. I have reason to believe those emails exist,” Graham said. “I’m on the Judiciary Committee. And I think it’s important that the Judiciary Committee be given any emails that were directed to the Department of Justice by Clinton campaign officials or operatives because we have jurisdiction over the Department of Justice.”
Graham added that he had not seen the emails, and did not elaborate on why he said he had “reason to believe” they exist…
If you’re looking to send a signal today, illustrating to the Republicans just how bloody it’s going to get for them come November 2018, please join me in making a contribution to the campaign of Rob Quist, the white cowboy hat-wearing folk singer going up against Republican tech billionaire Greg Gianforte for the Montana House seat recently vacated by Ryan Zinke, Trump’s new Secretary of the Interior. It’s a long shot to be sure, but, according to the polling, Quist is now down by just single digits, and Democratic money is starting to flow into the state in unprecedented amounts. And I know it could be wishful thinking, but I can’t help but think Quist might have a shot on May 25, when the special election is scheduled to take place… So, what do you say? Shall we send a message to Republicans like Graham who, as least so far, have shown us that they’re willing to place partisan politics over the wellbeing of the nation?
40 Comments
They appointed an independent investigator. Of course the investigation will include Hillary’s emails, how they got released to Wikileaks, and the coverup of the investigation of the death of the person who Assange said had been sending him information. The more Trump gets attacked with unsubstantiated speculations, the more apparent it becomes that the Deep State and establishment politicians are colluding with MSM to destroy Trump and deny any alternative to the insiders agenda. This impeachment frenzy is pathological. You lost the election, there’s a Republican majority in both houses and the majority of States have Republican governors. The tactics of protests and vandalism and personal attacks are turning more people away. Get a grip.
Graham and McCain are more opposed to Trump than the Democrats. The reason Graham is suggesting that Congress needs to investigate Clinton is to discourage the independent investigator from doing so. It’s out of his hands now. He should focus on repeal and replace.
The 17 American intelligence agencies are in agreement on this, EOS. The Russians, for whatever reason, worked to put strums in the White House. This is not partisan politics at work. Coney and Mueller are not Democrats. This has nothing to do with people of one party being angry that they lost the election. This is about national security and protecting our institutions from attack by foreign agents. This isn’t just reverse birtherism.
What happens to your scenario if the independent investigator confirms it was a DNC staffer who gave the info to the Russians?
Actually, it was the Democrats who worked the hardest to put Trump on the Rep ticket. They assumed, as did most, that Trump was the weakest candidate. This points to the probability that any one of the Republicans running for president could have beaten Hillary.
For those you who aren’t following right wing conspiracy sites, when EOS says ” it was a DNC staffer who gave the info to the Russians,” he’s referring to Seth Rich, the young DNC employee who was murdered in DC during the campaign. You can read more about the case here. Pay special attention to the letters from his parents begging right with conspiracy theorists to please leave their son out of their nonsense.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/05/16/the-big-money-pr-war-over-seth-richs-death
Yeah, He was shot on the street during a “robbery” that failed to take his money or watch. Assange has offered a $20K reward for info. It will be good for the independent investigator to look into this. Wonder why the left wing conspiracy sites haven’t mentioned this?
No offense, EOS, but didn’t you tell us all that Hillary Clinton was suffering from Parkinson’s during the campaign, and that you thought there might be something to rumors about her running a child sex ring from a cave beneath a D.C. pizza parlor?
No.
There really are two Americas now. Believe what you want EOS. The truth will come out and a lot of people on the other side of it are going to not believe it and will be very, very angry and blame the other party for their dirty tricks or the other side’s media.
Regarding Seth Rich, shooting someone before taking their money is the definition of a botched robbery. I’m not saying that’s what happened because there’s no way I could know, but that’s one possible explanation as to why he still had valuables on him.
EOS is correct about this:
“Graham and McCain are more opposed to Trump than the Democrats.”
Not the rest, but the establishment GOP believe Trump is destroying their party. Everything they do is an attempt to shore up their standard party line against him. Senate hearings are about creating propaganda, not producing results. So diverting to HRC emails is a means to appear to be strong against the hated Dems while the FBI investigation (which will NOT be public, like Senate hearings) goes on. They want Trump gone desperately. They also expect to be creamed in the midterms. They want to get through their legislative agenda as soon as possible and then heave Trump over board. Everything Graham does has a political calculus, but it’s about preserving the GOP, not protecting Trump.
Dems do the same shit. Our shock that the GOP behave politically falls flat, given that all of the left– Dem Party loyalists to radical leftists put politically righteous spin on their take of every scenario. We are so far away from journalism.
Re EOS idea that Senate hearings are an attempt to forestall a special investigation in the Hillary emails– didn’t that already happen?
I do think that Max is correct that going after HRC will be ineffective now. It is like a reflex among the GOP. It worked so well for so long. I just don’t think it will play any longer, especially if HRC stays out of the public eye.
(And part of me wishes she wouldn’t. It’s like the right threw acid on her, and then the far left joined in at the behest of Sen Sanders, and now we think she’s ugly and should stay hidden.)
I say ignore it. She isn’t president this is all they have. She isn’t even in politics, it is the definition of desperate.
EOS during the debates: “It will be interesting to see if Hillary can stand for 90 minutes tonight without having any coughing fits or neurological spasms. There won’t be any neurologists standing by her side. She will probably dose up to avoid medical symptoms and could possibly end up with slurred speech and muddled thinking. She is not charismatic and if she tries to impress us with details of obscure policies she will lose the audience.”
I don’t want HRC to remain hidden. The very suggestion that she should kind of pisses me off. Like she should hide in shame? Puh-leeze. She isn’t hiding though, thank goodness. The only people who should feel ashamed are those who didnt vote for her last November
As for the midterms…we will see. EOS is right about one thing. Trump and our current crappy congress are there legitimately because the left havent figured out that voting is important. Our only real hope is a massive left wing turnout in the midterms where we all unite to vote in Dems for Congress but also state and local races. We are going to be redrawing congressional districts after the 2020 census and it really matters what party is in power then. I am hopeful but wont be surprised if turnout is as low as it usually is.
@ Jean,
As much as MSM wants to quote McCain and Graham as speaking for the Republicans, they have been working to implement a Democratic agenda for years. Remember the “gang of 8”. They get re-elected because of name recognition only. They are not the establishment GOP. They are dinosaurs. McCain ran the worst presidential campaign in history. He played the role so that a Democrat could get elected. Their charade is nearly over.
@site admin,
I don’t see any reference to Parkinson’s. Fact is after she fell and hit her head, she wore prism glasses to prevent double vision. Many doctors think they see symptoms of continuing neurological damage.
Can we have relevant quotes that EOS thought there might be Clinton involvement in a child sex ring under a pizza parlor in DC?
A great discussion with EOS about the people Clinton had murdered.
http://markmaynard.com/2016/08/trump-appears-to-call-for-the-assassination-of-his-rival-stating-that-second-amendment-people-could-keep-clinton-from-appointing-judges-and-destroying-the-country/
Another one of EOS’s greatest hits.
“A Washington Times story stated that it was reported in the Lebanese news organization Tayyar.org, citing AFP news sources, that U.S. ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens was reportedly raped before being murdered. A news report made by the Libyan Free Press is also reported that Ambassador Stevens was sodomized before he was killed. It is not outside the realm of possibilities since is consistent with video footage of Qadaffi’s killing that show him being sodomized with a stick prior to being killed. Early reports said that the whereabouts of Christopher Stevens was unknown for several hours.”
There aren’t any. No need to waste your time looking. More fake news.
Different perspective from my own but with salient points. I still believe, based on conversations with establishment GOP folk, that they want to throw Trump under. They may prefer we do it for them…
“The fact that the G.O.P. is a party of apparatchiks was one crucial factor in last year’s election. Why did Marine Le Pen, often portrayed as the French equivalent of Trump, lose by a huge margin? Because France’s conservatives were only willing to go so far; they simply would not support a candidate whose motives and qualifications they distrusted. Republicans, however, went all in behind Trump, knowing full well that he was totally unqualified, strongly suspecting that he was corrupt and even speculating that he might be in Russian pay, simply because there was an “R” after his name on the ballot.
And even now, with the Trump/Flynn/Comey story getting worse by the hour, there has been no significant breaking of ranks. If you’re waiting to find the modern version of Howard Baker, the Republican senator who asked “What did the president know, and when did he know it?” you’re wasting your time. Men like that left the G.O.P. a long time ago.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/19/opinion/whats-the-matter-with-republicans.html?action=click&contentCollection=Opinion&module=Trending&version=Full®ion=Marginalia&pgtype=article
The difference in the elections in the U.S. and France was that France had another candidate that was considered an acceptable option. It’s not that Trump was a good option, merely that he was better than Clinton.
And we are off. What are we talking about? Hillary Clinton. EOS is doing what the other Trump supporters do: reject, deflect and try to change the conversation just like Lindsay Graham is doing. It is being done successfully here. Can we say “no” to him and others who would try to steer the discussion away from the issues at hand? Don’t we recognize this tactic by now? So to EOS and others like him I say….NO!
I’m all for an independent investigator. We need the facts. Mark is the one who continues to drone on about the despicable things Trump has done without a shred of evidence.
“Without a shred of evidence.” That might be the funniest thing you’ve ever written, EOS.
This is why you elitist liberals keep losing. It’s you inability to accept that our reality is just as valid as your reality. You just can’t accept that there isn’t one definitive truth, but multiple truths. You can’t accept that the glaciers can be melting and not melting at the same time, or that Obama both tapped and didn’t tap the phone lines at Trump Tower. Just because one is verifiable fact and one is fiction doesn’t mean that both can’t be equally true. I applaud you, EOS, for descending into the belly of the beast and speaking alternative-truth to power. Keep up the good fight.
We can’t let Congress off the hook. We need more than Mueller.
From the Indivisible Guide.
https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resource/truth-or-trump/
THE SOLUTION: WE NEED AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION IN ADDITION TO A SPECIAL COUNSEL
A Special Counsel is Not Enough. There are three possibilities for achieving an independent investigation, and a special counsel is just one of them.
Independent commission. Congress can pass legislation creating an independent commission, which is what the Protecting our Democracy Act (H.R. 356) in the House and a similar bill introduced by Sen. Cardin (S. 27) in the Senate would do.
Independent special prosecutor authorized by Congress. Congress can pass a bill authorizing the appointment a special prosecutor. Given that Republicans continue to choose party over country, this not happening anytime soon. Speaker Ryan and Senate Majority Leader McConnell can and will unilaterally squash this legislative action.
Special prosecutor appointed by the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice can unilaterally appoint a special counsel/special prosecutor to conduct the investigation.
Hey,
If EOS can’t prove that he never accused Clinton of involvement in a pizza parlor basement sex ring, then I am, of course, forced to believe that EOS did in fact accuse Clinton of being involved in a pizza parlor basement sex ring.
Incredibly credible stuff!
Why would you still have any shred of respect for Graham anyway? EOS is extra full of shit today but I hate to break it to you Jean, your Bernie obsession is equally bizarre.
I recommend everyone ignore this shit and listen to this new collection of Nolan Strong and the Diablos records. Possibly the greatest Detroit recordings ever.
Re-opening the email issue re-opens the issue of improper handling of classified information. Maybe not wise: http://time.com/4781328/donald-trump-classified-information-hillary-clinton/
Bob– kisses! I only mention Bernie lately to lure you from your lair.
https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/140430/width237/image-20161005-15882-13x0gd1.jpg
@Site Admin,
Funny you should bring up Benghazi today. Judicial Watch got a favorable ruling from a Federal Court that requires the State Department to turn over unredacted emails between Clinton and Obama on the night of the attack. We’ll soon know what they knew and when they knew it.
http://www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/press-releases/court-rules-state-department-must-release-clinton-emails-detailing-obama-response-benghazi/
Sure.
Is it not obvious that the Russians killed Seth Rich, and Assange is just part of the redirection campaign, oh and the Russians secretly bought Fox News too. After all Fox has a long history of being owned by foreigners who are out to influence public opinion.
As we cheer on the deep state coup, the question is, which will provide us with more bread and circuses, Trump or Pence after all the endless wars for Empire must go on.
16 years and no end in sight. No resistance to the true agenda’s of the powerful, only delusions that changing of personalities will make a difference.
Deep state. Oh brother.
Trump, Pence, Ryan, impeach them all, as the situation occurs, one by one as the founders intended. Don’t be chickenshits. Have courage that democracy will prevail.
In case you missed it, EOS, Fox News retracted their Seth Rich story.
Read more:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/the-life-and-death-of-the-seth-rich-conspiracy-theory/2017/05/23/aba640c4-3ff3-11e7-adba-394ee67a7582_story.html
Cat got your tongue, EOS?
Here’s another story about the breaking Seth Rich story that never materialized.
Read more:
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/may/26/sean-hannity-advertiser-boycott-fox-news-seth-rich
Meta you are a liberal asshole. Thank god for Hannity. You want the real truth watch his show. The shit will hit the fan on what the government did to try and stop Trump. Talk about interfering with the election?
One Trackback
[…] given his stated refusal to serve as a “fair juror” during Trump’s impeachment trial, ridiculous threats to reopen the Clinton email case, behavior during Bret Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing, etc. [And I didn’t event […]