Republican House members on the House Judiciary Committee have already issued a pro-Trump conclusion on their 2016 Trump campaign Russian interference questions…
The Senate and Intelligence Community have concluded else wise….
So FBI Special Agent Peter Strzok KNEW he was walking into a political hornet’s nest today….
The worked counter-intelligence as his speciality…
From appearances ?
It seems that the agent did a good service for the Bureau in a political arena that has had the agency under continual attack from political types trying to defend Donald Trump, who from what we know probably didn’t do everything legit to get elected, or in other circumstances either….
Republicans exploded at FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok on Thursday, berating his assertions that his anti-Donald Trump sentiment — captured in text messages exposed by an internal watchdog — never affected his work on the Russia probe.
But a defiant Strzok hit back at GOP lawmakers, defending his professionalism and slamming the hearing as a “victory notch in Putin’s belt.” And he got backup from Democrats who accused Republicans of harassing Strzok and running roughshod over the committees.
“Let me be clear, unequivocally and under oath: Not once in my 26 years of defending my nation did my personal opinions impact any official action I took,” Strzok said in his opening statement to the House Judiciary and Oversight committees, his first public remarks on the matter.
Strzok instead cast his decision to help launch and lead the FBI investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election as an act of patriotism in defense of American democracy. And he took a swing at congressional Republicans for targeting him as the bad guy.
“I have the utmost respect for Congress’s oversight role, but I truly believe that today’s hearing is just another victory notch in Putin’s belt and another milestone in our enemies’ campaign to tear America apart,” he said.
Soon after, the hearing degenerated into a partisan morass.
In his first question, House Oversight Chairman Trey Gowdy pressed Strzok on how many witnesses he had interviewed in the first eight days of the Russia probe — from July 31, 2016, to Aug. 8, 2016 — and Strzok said FBI counsel instructed him not to discuss the ongoing probe.
House Judiciary Chairman Goodlatte quickly interjected and ordered Strzok to answer the question or risk contempt proceedings.
“You are under subpoena,” Goodlatte said.
“I do not believe I am here under subpoena,” Strzok replied.
Democrats repeatedly interrupted and demanded answers for how Goodlatte could instruct him to defy his employer, the FBI, to answer a question about an ongoing investigation.
The dispute resulted in bickering and shouting among members and an attempt by Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, the top Judiciary Committee Democrat, to adjourn the hearing.
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) accused Gowdy of engaging in “harassment” of Strzok.
Trump and GOP allies have fixated on Strzok after a series of text messages revealed deep anti-Trump sentiment from Strzok and former FBI attorney Lisa Page…..
image…John Shinkle/POLITICO
I did not see any of the hearing.
I suppose it goes without saying that james views it this one way and the Trump crowd over at the site he asks about thinks that Strzok was ripped to shreds by the Republicans on the panel.
The truth is probably somewhere in between.
Any feedback on the other topics I asked about?
I replied earlier in a post.
Do you really think the Bernie Sanders crowd primarying Tom Carper in Delaware is good for the party?
They will try emboldened by Ocasio-Cortez’s star media status ….
That’s fine
And it’s also fine if women pushe either
BTW?
I believe more women vote then me?
Hmmmmm?
From your perspective as Democrat, does Carper deserve to lose his seat?
Does that specific effort or challenging incumbents in general from the left a good development for your party?
I am surprised you believe those things.
If a stronger candidate is found in a district so be it …..
Sure incumbents are desiresble
But a stronger candidate bringing out a stronger vote is even more desirable
And the other plus is?
Make the incumbent come home and work the district
All politics is local CG!
Only a small handful of lefties have won Democratic primaries
That includes my local US House district
Is this first time candidate, the aforementioned biracial lesbian Bernie Sanders activist a stronger candidate than Tom Carper, who is something like 25-0 in statewide races there?
This rings very much like Christine O’Donnell vs. Mike Castle in reverse.
Are you sure you didn’t mess up by signing on to the Carper challenge by saying in a post it’s what your party needs?
His post was ridiculous.
What’s new?
Although you lectured me yesterday on paying attention to James”s off the wall stuff.
Et tu CG?
I was trying dipolomatically to give him an out on his post, but yes, he is as stubborn as the day is long.
James never takes “outs.”
All he knows to do is double down or sometimes verbally deflect with such standards as ,
Fake laughter(hehe)
“No cigar”
Or
Simply lying(claiming he never said what he plainly did)
Damn proud of being stubborn!
I gotta keep Jack Happy!
And while Ocasio-Cortez will certainly still win in her district, is it a smart move in general for Democrat to want incumbents, who have proven the ability to be elected in the past, to be primaried and replaced with more liberal challengers?
Is that going to lead to more victories in general or more uncertain races in general?
All I know is that if Carper goes down in a primary in a couple months (which I very much doubt will happen), that’s going to be a mega political story and reflect heavily on all Democrats.
If Carper loses, the Democrats are in deep trouble.
Anyone who understands the least about politics knows that.
James doesn’t know much of anything about politics and doesn’t “ get” that.
He just mindlessly bangs at his keyboard with whatever strikes him at the moment .There is no consistency in his comments at all.
Hell, tomorrow he’s just as likely to be commenting favorably on an article bemoaning all the “ lefties” running in the primaries.
Like Crowley?
Casper needs to check in the district and campign
If somebody wants to challange him?
Good!
Get on his game and confirm his ties to his district
This whole think is silly
What?
Incumbents get a free pass?
Tom Carper’s “district” is the State of Delaware, because he’s a U.S. Senator.
And it’s not very hard (unless you really try to fail) to move frequently between Washington, D.C. and anywhere in Delaware.
I have no idea what other Senators and Congressmen from Delaware have done, but I’d imagine that (apart from face-to-face buttonholing) it would be fairly easy to do much of the work at home in Delaware that other members of Congress hailing from more-distant states have to do somewhere inside the Beltway.
So, unless my vague impressions of ex-Gov. Carper are seriously wrong, I doubt that he’d let himself become estranged from his constituents — old and new — in the way that Joe Crowley did. And, unlike Joe Crowley, he’s not occupied with party leadership work or ambitions.
Thank You DSD….
I may have got the ‘district’ wrong…
But the basic is the same…..
Take care of your homework and challenges to your tenure in office SHOULD be just that….
CHALLANGES…