Category: Capitol Hill

Donald Trump Meets With Kevin McCarthy At Mar-A-Lago To Plan 2022 Republican House Takeover 

Posted on by John Hanson

On Thursday, House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy met with former President Trump in Florida where the two discussed plans at Mar-a-Lago on how Republicans could take back the House in 2022.

McCarthy’s meeting was “very good and cordial” with the former President, according to Trump’s team.

After the meeting, McCarthy tweeted, “United and ready to win in ’22”

RELATED: RNC Says They Will Be Neutral If Trump Runs In 2024 – But Polls Show GOP Voters Definitely Won’t

‘President Trump Has Agreed To Work With Leader McCarthy’ On 2022

A statement from the Trump-backed Save America PAC read, “President Trump has agreed to work with Leader McCarthy on helping the Republican Party to become a majority in the House.”

“They worked very well together in the last election and picked up at least 15 seats when most predicted it would be the opposite,” it continued. “They will do so again, and the work has already started.”

A statement from McCarthy’s team on the meeting read, “For the sake of our country, the radical Democrat agenda must be stopped.” 

“A united conservative movement will strengthen the bonds of our citizens and uphold the freedoms our country was founded on.”

Fox News reports that an aide familiar the meeting said its purpose was to move the Republican Party forward. 

The aide told Fox News, “They are catching up as McCarthy will be in the neighborhood.” 

“They’ve been on good terms for a while, and that will be important for the party moving forward” the aide added.

Liz Cheney A Top Target For Trump

CNN reports that Trump will bring his energy to bear on neoconservative Rep. Liz Cheney, the #3 Republican in the House. 

Cheney, along with nine other Republicans, voted with Democrats to impeach Trump in January.

According to CNN, Trump has been following the effort by House Republicans to remove Cheney from her leadership position. 

Just this week, America First Congressman Matt Gaetz, a top ally of Trump, flew to Wyoming to encourage Republicans to toss Cheney and elect someone else to Congress.

The Meeting Indicates GOP Needs Very Popular Trump

The meeting was reportedly set up after Trump’s team learned McCarthy would be fundraising in Florida.

It is no secret McCarthy would like to replace Nancy Pelosi as House Speaker if his party can take back the House in two years.

Trump invited McCarthy to Mar-a-Lago and the House Republican Leader was quick to accept.

What this also signifies besides the upcoming midterm is that top Republican leaders appear to have no plans to break away from Trump following the January 6 Capitol Hill attacks.

McCarthy had said that Trump bore some responsibility for the attack.

RELATED: Rashida Tlaib Boasts That Green New Deal Pressured Biden To Be ‘More Aggressive’ About Climate Change

McCarthy Criticized Trump After Capitol Violence

Opposing impeachment on the House floor on January 13, McCarthy still said “the President bears responsibility for Wednesday’s attack on Congress by mob rioters.”

“He should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding,” McCarthy added. “These facts require immediate action by President Trump.”

As for whether or not Trump’s speech that day provoked the attack, McCarthy said last week, “I don’t believe he provoked it if you listen to what he said at the rally.”

It is likely that this subject was not a focus when McCarthy and Trump met Thursday at the former president’s resort.

Whether Republican leaders like it or not, Republican voters still very much support President Trump. 

An Axios poll from the week after the Capitol incident showed that 92% of Republican voters want to see Trump run for President again in 2024.

The post Donald Trump Meets With Kevin McCarthy At Mar-A-Lago To Plan 2022 Republican House Takeover  appeared first on The Political Insider.

MSNBC’s Jason Johnson: Democrats “Can’t Negotiate, Can’t Work With ‘Terrorists’”

Posted on by John Hanson

On Wednesday, MSNBC political analyst Jason Johnson cited the example of alleged QAnon supporter and GOP Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and came to the conclusion that Democrats can’t work with “terrorists.”

Making his comments on MSNBC’s “Deadline,” Johnson declared, “you can’t negotiate, you can’t legislate and you can’t work with terrorists.”

Watch the video clip below.

MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace Warns That Republicans Are Flirting With Terrorists

MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace, who formerly served as George W. Bush’s press secretary, said of Greene, “This isn’t even about views. She’s a conspiracy theorist, committed the very same kinds of disinformation that today the Department of Homeland Security warned against, in almost an unprecedented bulletin.”

“She is what they are describing in the Homeland Security Department’s bulletin about the world views of potentially violent extremists who represent domestic terrorism,” Wallace continued.

“Those are the views that this congresswoman has.”

Yesterday, the Department of Homeland Security issued a National Terrorism Advisory System bulletin “warning the public of a “heightened threat environment” across the United States following last week’s presidential inauguration.”

The bulletin claims “Information suggests that some ideologically-motivated violent extremists with objections to the exercise of governmental authority and the presidential transition, as well as other perceived grievances fueled by false narratives, could continue to mobilize to incite or commit violence.”

The bulletin goes on to encourage readers to report “suspicious activity” to the FBI, and to avoid large crowds.

RELATED: Dem Rep. Introduces Bill Barring Security Clearances For Capitol Rioters, QAnon Believers

Wallace then set her sights on the 45 Republicans who essentially voted against an impeachment trial for former President Donald Trump.

Wallace said, “I think what is revealed by the Senate vote this week, with 45 Republicans to not even hold a trial for the president who incited the insurrection, who had all of them had all of them hiding in their own offices with the furniture pushed up again the doors. What were they hiding for?”

Wallace asked what Republicans were scared of.

“If Donald Trump hadn’t incited a violent insurrection that they were scared about,” the questioning Wallace persisted. “Why weren’t they roaming the halls? If they weren’t afraid, why were they in offices with furniture pushed up against a door?”

MSNBC’s Jason Johnson Claims Republicans ‘Have A Violent Terrorist Organization That’s Supported By Their Ideology’

Speaking to Johnson, Wallace went on:

“And my only point about the opportunity that Democrats have is that they have today, this bulletin describes the threat, they describe the world view of the people who right now and through the end of April, in the views of the people at the Department of Homeland Security, the world view is the same word view as the views publicly espoused by the QAnon member of Congress.”

In August of 2020, Rep. Greene said she had distanced herself from QAnon, saying, “And so, yeah, there was a time there for a while that I had read about Q, posted about it, talked about it, which is some of these videos you’ve seen come out. But once I started finding misinformation, I decided that I would choose another path.”

Johnson replying to Wallace, stated of Greene, “If that community, if Georgia wants this crazed conspiracy theorist to represent them, that’s their right, but the Republican Party doesn’t have to support her.”

“They don’t have to put her on committees, take money away from her, they can criticize her, but they are not,” Johnson added.

Johnson then implied that Republicans support a “violent terrorist organization,” apparently referring to the so-called QAnon movement.

He continued, “They know that they have a violent terrorist organization that’s supported by their ideology. They try to pretend it’s not the case.”

Johnson later referred to far left Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, saying, “AOC mentioned in interviews after the insurrection that she didn’t want to shelter in place with fellow Republicans, because she was legitimately concerned that they may rather out, that they may tell some of the terrorists where she was hiding.”

RELATED: Google Announces It Will Stop Donating To Republicans Who Objected To 2020 Election Results

Johnson: ‘We Don’t Negotiate With Terrorists’

“So when you have members of the Republican Party who are seen as being in lockstep with a terrorist organization, the Democrats have to stop saying — it’s above and beyond unity — they have to say these people are terrorists and don’t want to govern,” Johnson said.

This is where Johnson laid it all out.

“We don’t negotiate with terrorists” Johnson said, referring to Republicans.

Then he gave some advice to Democrats.

“The first Democrat that says that is the person who should be the leader of the messages for the party for the next 18 months,” Johnson added. “You can’t negotiate, you can’t legislate, and you can’t work with terrorists.”

Watch the MSNBC segment here:

The post MSNBC’s Jason Johnson: Democrats “Can’t Negotiate, Can’t Work With ‘Terrorists’” appeared first on The Political Insider.

Schumer Promises Quick Impeachment Trial, A Lot Of Witnesses Not Necessary

Posted on by Rusty Weiss

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer indicated President Trump’s impeachment trial would be “quick” adding no decision has been made on the need for witnesses.

Schumer (D-NY) made the comments during an interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow.

“The trial will be done in a way that is fair but … relatively quickly,” he said.

Schumer added, “I don’t think there’s a need for a whole lot of witnesses,” insisting the trial will be “fair.”

The Hill reports that Schumer “added that no decision had been made on whether or not there would be witnesses,” but his call for a swift process indicates he “didn’t think many witnesses are needed.”

RELATED: Democrats Seeking To Root Out ‘White Supremacists’ From The Military

Chuck Schumer Promises Quick Impeachment Trial

President Trump’s first Senate impeachment trial took just 21 days. Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial lasted 36 days.

But Democrats have argued the second Trump impeachment would be quicker due to the riots he allegedly incited having played out in real-time in public.

Or, perhaps it indicates they have less proof of a high crime or misdemeanor than they did with the first minimal-evidence impeachment effort.

Schumer has indicated a desire to move quickly due to concerns that the impeachment trial would interfere with President Biden implementing his 100-day agenda.

“We have so much else to do,” he lamented.

RELATED: Democrat Tulsi Gabbard Slams Dems For ‘Domestic Terror’ Bill For Targeting ‘Half Of The Country’

Biden Says Dems Don’t Have Enough Votes

At the very moment the historic article of impeachment was being delivered to the Senate, President Biden indicated the trial would likely not lead to a conviction because Democrats simply don’t have the votes.

Biden, according to CNN, said he doesn’t believe 17 Republican senators – the number necessary to lead to a successful effort by Nancy Pelosi’s manager – will vote to convict Trump.

“The Senate has changed since I was there, but it hasn’t changed that much,” Biden said.

While some Republicans have indicated they might join the effort to convict, several others have said the move would be disastrous for the GOP.

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) voiced his opinion that having GOP leadership move forward with Trump’s impeachment would be a “huge mistake” and would “destroy” the Republican Party.

Other senators warned Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) that he “could face backlash if he votes to convict Trump.”

Still, Biden said the trial “has to happen” and that there would be “a worse effect if it didn’t happen.”

The post Schumer Promises Quick Impeachment Trial, A Lot Of Witnesses Not Necessary appeared first on The Political Insider.

Mitt Romney Suggests Trump Impeachment Necessary For ‘Unity In Our Country’

Posted on by John Hanson

Republican Senator Mitt Romney suggested Sunday that impeaching former President Donald Trump could bring national unity.

The “Never Trump” Senator made his comments on “Fox News Sunday” with host Chris Wallace.

Watch the interview below.

RELATED: Pelosi Sending Impeachment Article to Senate Monday, GOP Senators Warn McConnell Against Vote To Convict

Romney Argues Senate Trial Necessary For Unity

Wallace asked Romney, “Senator, do you support holding this impeachment trial, and what do you think the rules should be on the length of the trial and whether or not to call witnesses?”

Romney replied, “Well, we’re certainly going to have a trial. I wish that weren’t necessary, with the president’s conduct with regard to the call to the secretary of state in Georgia as well as the incitation towards the insurrection that led to the attack on the Capital calls for a trial.”

Then the anti-Trump Republican suggested that the impeachment could bring more unity for the U.S.

“If we are going to have unity in our country, I think it’s important to recognize the need for accountability, for truth, and justice,” Romney said.

Romney: ‘Pretty Clear’ Trump Spent A Year Trying To ‘Corrupt The Election’

He added, “So I think there will be a trial, and I hope it goes as quickly as possible, but that’s up to the council on both sides.”

Romney said it has been “pretty clear” over the last year and Trump had been trying to corrupt the election.

“I think it’s pretty clear that over the last year or so there has been an effort to corrupt the election of the United States and it was not by President Biden, it was by President Trump and that corruption we saw with regards to the conduct in Ukraine as well as the call to Secretary of state Raffensperger as well as the in citation to insurrection.”

Romney has a long history of anti-Trump sentiment.

Romney was the only Republican Senator to vote to convict President Trump during the first impeachment trial. 

In 2016, Romney famously gave a “Never Trump” speech when it became clear that Trump was likely to win the Republican nomination for President.

RELATED: Joy Behar Comes Unglued – Says Trump ‘Made It His Business For Four Years To Rape This Country’

The Utah senator finished his interview with Wallace by saying Trump provoked an attack on American democracy.

“I mean, this is obviously very serious and an attack on the very foundation of our democracy, and it is something that has to be considered and resolved,” Romney added.

Watch:

The post Mitt Romney Suggests Trump Impeachment Necessary For ‘Unity In Our Country’ appeared first on The Political Insider.

Democrats Scramble to Save Face After National Guard ‘Banished’ To Parking Garage Following Biden Inauguration

Posted on by Rusty Weiss

Several lawmakers expressed outrage following a report that National Guard troops had been “banished” to a parking garage after serving to defend against potential threats at the inauguration of President Biden.

Politico reported Thursday night that U.S. Capitol Police officials had the Guard troops removed from the facilities “sending them outdoors or to nearby parking garages after two weeks pulling security duty” following the Capitol riots in early January.

The report notes that outdoor temperatures in the area fell into the 40s, while conditions inside the parking garage for one unit of 5,000 consisted of just one electrical outlet and one bathroom.

One Guardsman conveyed his feelings about the situation to Politico.

“Yesterday dozens of senators and congressmen walked down our lines taking photos, shaking our hands and thanking us for our service,” he said.

“Within 24 hours, they had no further use for us and banished us to the corner of a parking garage,” the Guardsman added. “We feel incredibly betrayed.”

RELATED: 12 National Guardsmen Removed From Biden Inauguration For Alleged Ties To Right-Wing Groups

National Guard Troops Banished to Garage Following Biden Inauguration

A CNN report shortly thereafter indicated the National Guard troops had been “banished” to the garage but were “allowed back into the Capitol Complex” following an outcry from lawmakers.

The initial move to force them into a garage reflected poorly on Democrats considering the troops were used to help defend the inauguration of one of their own party members.

Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), an Iraq war veteran, tweeted, “Just made a number of calls and have been informed Capitol Police have apologized to the Guardsmen and they will be allowed back into the complex tonight. I’ll keep checking to make sure they are.”

Her Senate colleague Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) also took to Twitter writing, “This is outrageous, shameful, and incredibly disrespectful to the men and women keeping the U.S. Capitol safe and secure. We need it fixed and we need answers on how it happened.”

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who typically despises law and order, chimed in.

Even Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) gave out his office location and offered it to accommodate the National Guard troops, a service he normally reserves for Chinese spies – allegedly.

RELATED: Nancy Pelosi Suggests Trump Could Be Charged As Accessory To Murder For Capitol Riots

Props for a Photo-Op

The Democrat outrage was necessary because the optics of having the National Guard protect a Democrat president and then be summarily dismissed to a garage is outrageous.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), upon hearing the reports, called out House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

“Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer—why are American troops who are tasked with keeping security at the Capitol being forced to sleep in a parking lot?” he asked. “They deserve to be treated with respect, and we deserve answers.”

Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) brought the troops pizza and offered to let them sleep in his office as well.

“Our troops deserve better,” he tweeted.

There is no evidence that Pelosi, Schumer, or any other Democrat had any role in placing the National Guard troops in a parking garage. In fact, that would seem to fall on the shoulders of the Capitol police.

Still, it’s difficult to view the Guard’s treatment as further evidence that Democrats used them – either for a photo op for President Biden following overblown reports of a threat at the Capitol, or worse, simply as a means to prevent a pro-Trump rally from breaking out at his inauguration.

It wasn’t that long ago that the left ridiculed former President Trump for using National Guard troops to protect the southern border from actual threats to our nation, belittling them as props.

Now they’ve been used as props because a man so popular that he received 81 million votes in the presidential election had to be protected from the American people.

When their purpose had been served, our troops were quickly cast aside … until photos started leaking about what had happened.

The post Democrats Scramble to Save Face After National Guard ‘Banished’ To Parking Garage Following Biden Inauguration appeared first on The Political Insider.

National Guard In DC Authorized To Use Lethal Force Days Before Biden’s Inauguration

Posted on by Rusty Weiss

Washington, DC is beginning to resemble a war zone, as National Guard troops numbering in the tens of thousands are armed and have been given permission to use lethal force as Joe Biden’s inauguration date looms.

A statement from the D.C. National Guard indicates “National Guardsmen were given authorization to be armed in support of the U.S. Capitol Police to protect the U.S. Capitol and individual members of Congress and their staff.”

A defense official confirmed to U.S. News & World Report that the authorization “includes permission for Guard troops to use lethal force.”

Reports indicate that 20,000 National Guard troops are on-site in preparation for anti-Biden demonstrations over the weekend.

RELATED: Combat Veteran And Double Amputee Rep Brian Mast Shreds Jake Tapper After CNN Anchor Questions His Patriotism

DC Is In Lockdown As National Guard Given Green Light to Use Lethal Force

The Associated Press is reporting that “a state of lockdown” has “descended on Washington that will last through the Jan. 20 inauguration.”

The FBI warned of armed protests being planned in all 50 state capitals as well as in Washington for the days leading up to Biden’s inauguration.

On January 6th, thousands of protesters upset over perceived election integrity issues stormed the Capitol, resulting in its evacuation and lockdown, and leading to five deaths.

The protests were mostly peaceful.™

Still, authorities are taking no chances as inauguration day approaches.

Federal officials indicate the National Mall will be closed to the public on Inauguration Day, in-part due to concerns of violence and the fact that Biden’s event will be mostly virtual.

Bloomberg News reports that soldiers flowing into Washington D.C. is “a scene reminiscent of Civil War deployments.”

RELATED: Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene – I Will File Articles Of Impeachment Against Biden The Day After His Inauguration

Stepping up Security

The stepping up of security efforts to include lethal force marks a significant shift in tactics from riots over the summer which caused countless buildings to be torched and businesses to be robbed and vandalized.

Lethal force was not an issue when domestic terrorists were persistently attacking Hatfield Federal Courthouse in Portland.

In fact, many of those charged with the assault on a federal courthouse were charged with minor offenses.

Republican California Rep. Tom McClintock, during the impeachment debate, pointed out that had criminals on both sides of the political spectrum been treated equally, there might not have been an escalation of violence on January 6th.

“If we had prosecuted BLM and Antifa rioters across the country with the same determination these last six months, this incident may not have happened at all,” McClintock said.

The post National Guard In DC Authorized To Use Lethal Force Days Before Biden’s Inauguration appeared first on The Political Insider.

Poll: Republican Voters Are Siding With Trump Over Mitch McConnell

Posted on by Rusty Weiss

A new poll from Axios-Ipsos shows Republicans are siding with President Trump over Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who signaled support of a second impeachment.

The numbers are actually quite astounding.

The poll was conducted during the early part of this week – when impeachment discussions were in full swing, and Democrats and the mainstream media were assailing the President for allegedly having incited an insurrection involving white supremacists at the Capitol.

“Republicans across the U.S. are siding with President Trump over Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — big time,” Axios writes.

The results show a vast majority of Republicans do not hold Trump responsible for the Capitol riots, believe he has a right to challenge the election, and still support him, with Trump supporters even sticking with him as their preferred nominee in 2024.

RELATED: Report: Mitch McConnell Signals Support For Impeachment, Says It Will Help Rid GOP Of Trump

The GOP Is Still Trump’s Party, Not Mitch McConnell’s – Poll

The Axios report is remarkable considering the fact that President Trump was a victim of character assassination by the usual suspects  – the Democrat media – over the last several days, but also by Republican lawmakers.

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) accused the President of having “summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack” in describing his actions leading up to the Capitol riots.

“There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution,” she dramatized.

Mitch McConnell (R-KY) meanwhile, reportedly viewed the Democrats’ effort to impeach the president as a means to “help rid the Republican Party of Trump and his movement.”

And yet, 64 percent of Republicans said they support Trump’s recent behavior, 57 percent of Republicans said he should be the 2024 GOP candidate, and just 17 percent think he should be removed from office.

RELATED: Trump Organization Fires Back After De Blasio Terminates All Contracts With New York City

Traditional Republicans Are in Trouble

Cowardice by some Republicans in siding with Democrats appears to be backfiring as the poll clearly shows support for Trump and not squishy lawmakers like Mitch McConnell.

McConnell, despite his reported support for ridding the party of the President and his supporters, has yet to commit to a vote on conviction in the Senate.

But he’s clearly got a voter problem.

“The survey shows why Trump could run again in 2024 (and possibly win) if he isn’t convicted — or banned from holding federal office — by the Senate,” Axios reports.

“It also shows the peril and opportunity for institutionalists like McConnell trying to reclaim the GOP.”

Fox News personality Tucker Carlson recently commented on what impeachment would mean for the President.

“By impeaching the president during his final week in office, Congress will not succeed in discrediting Trump among Republican voters,” he cautioned. “In fact, it will enhance Donald Trump among Republican voters. Obviously!”

Axios’ report and polling seem to confirm Carlson’s assessment.

The post Poll: Republican Voters Are Siding With Trump Over Mitch McConnell appeared first on The Political Insider.

GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger: Impeachment ‘Was Not A Hard Decision,’ Didn’t Need To Look For Evidence

Posted on by John Hanson

Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger voted to impeach President Donald Trump on Wednesday for allegedly inciting the attack on the Capitol last week.

During an interview on “PBS NewsHour,” Kinzinger said that the decision to impeach President Trump wasn’t a particularly difficult decision given that “the evidence was not something we had to go discover. It was brought right to us on the 6th.”

Watch the video below.

RELATED: AOC Goes Wild On Instagram Live Video: Republicans Only Care About ‘White Supremacy,’ Trump Cabinet Has ‘Blood’ On Their Hands

Rep. Kinzinger Claims ‘It Was Hard To Go Through With It’

Kinzinger said, “Truthfully, it was not a hard decision. I mean, it was hard to go through with it.”

“Because, bottom line is, you’re impeaching a president a second time,” Kinzinger said. “It’s never something that should be easily done.”

But the evidence was no problem for Kinzinger.

“But I think the evidence was not something we had to go discover,” the Republican said. “It was brought right to us on the 6th.”

Kinzinger also claimed he had predicted the violence.

“Of course, I had predicted violence for weeks leading up to the 6th, but the 6th was the culmination, hopefully the culmination, of that violence coming to here,” Kinzinger said, referring to Washington, DC.

RELATED: ABC Quietly Edits Story That Claims Republican Movement Should Be ‘Cleansed’ Of Trump Supporters

Kinzinger: ‘If That Is Not Impeachable, I Don’t Know What Is’

The GOP congressman then cited the Constitution as justification for his vote.

“And, look, when you have the president of the United States, the Article 2 part of the Constitution, incite and send and ignite a mob to attack the Article 1 branch, that is nothing short of an insurrection,” he said.

The Congressman didn’t provide any evidence of how President Trump incited the mob.

Kinzinger added, “I think most people can look at that and know that the president has both built the foundation and executed the command to do it.”

“And if that is not impeachable, I don’t know what is,” Rep. Kinzinger added. 

Kinzinger Is A Longtime Trump Critic

Kinzinger has long been a Trump critic. He was also one of the early recipients of the Steele Dossier, the now-discredited document that supposedly showed President colluded with Russia to win the 2016 presidential election.

Kinzinger and the chief of staff to House Speaker Paul Ryan both received the Steele dossier, according to a court memo.

The Political Insider reported in December 2018, “The judge handling the case filed a document that stated that Christopher Steele, the dossier author, provided at least one memo from the dossier to Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger and Jonathan Burks, a longtime Ryan aide.”

“Steele gave Report 166 to Kramer, an unnamed senior British security official, Ms. Wallender [sic] at the NSC, Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), and House Speaker Paul Ryan’s Chief of Staff, John Burks,’ wrote Judge Ursula Ungaro, who ruled in favor of BuzzFeed in a defamation lawsuit filed by a Russian businessmen identified in Report 166, which Steele produced on Dec. 13, 2016.”

Kinzinger also considered running as an independent against Trump in 2016, when it became clear Trump would be the Republican nominee for President. 

Watch Kinzinger’s interview below:

The post GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger: Impeachment ‘Was Not A Hard Decision,’ Didn’t Need To Look For Evidence appeared first on The Political Insider.

Adam Schiff Claims Trump Impeachment ‘Gathering Momentum’ With Republicans

Posted on by John Hanson

On Tuesday, House Intelligence Committee Chairman and Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff said that he believes support for impeaching President Trump is “gathering momentum” in the GOP.

His comments come after reports that Republicans in leadership, like Mitch McConnell and Liz Cheney, are supportive of the effort.

Schiff made his comments during an interview on CNN’s “Situation Room” with host Wolf Blitzer.

Watch the entire interview below.

RELATED: Forbes Warns Companies Not To Hire Trump Associates Or They’ll Assume Everything The Company Says Is A Lie

Schiff: ‘These Things Have A Way Of Gathering Momentum’

Blitzer said to Schiff, “The third-ranking Republican in the House, Congresswoman Liz Cheney, she nows says she will actually vote to impeach President Trump tomorrow when this resolution comes up for a vote.”

Blitzer added, “The last time you impeached President Trump, you did so with no Republican support in the House, no Republican support at all. So what does this development mean?”

Schiff replied, “It means she won’t be alone. There will be other Republicans influenced by her decision, and these things have a way of gathering momentum.”

Trump Called Schiff ‘Watermelon Head’ In October

“So I wouldn’t be surprised now to see a considerable number of Republicans join in supporting the impeachment resolution,” he added.

The Democrat then noted how significant support for impeachment from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell could be in this effort.

“These reports that Mitch McConnell may be open to the impeachment charges as well is quite a potential earthquake in the Senate,” Schiff said.

Schiff is no stranger to battles with President Trump. He was one of the key advocates of RussiaGate during Trump’s entire first term in office.

In October, Trump called Schiff “watermelon head” at a presidential campaign rally in Gastonia, North Carolina.

Trump also said Schiff should be “locked up.”

RELATED: President Trump Unleashed: ‘Watermelon Head’ Adam Schiff ‘Should Be Locked Up’

Schiff Led First Impeachment Trial Against Trump

Schiff led the first impeachment trial against President Trump over alleged collusion with Russia in the 2016 presidential election.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation found insufficient evidence to back up those allegations.

Progressive journalist Glenn Greenwald wrote at The Intercept in April 2019, “The two-pronged conspiracy theory that has dominated U.S. political discourse for almost three years – that (1) Trump, his family and his campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia to interfere in the 2016 election, and (2) Trump is beholden to Russian President Vladimir Putin — was not merely rejected today by the final report of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. It was obliterated: in an undeniable and definitive manner.”

Watch the interview: 

The post Adam Schiff Claims Trump Impeachment ‘Gathering Momentum’ With Republicans appeared first on The Political Insider.

Hillary Clinton Calls Capitol Riots ‘Result Of White-Supremacist Grievances,’ Agrees Trump Should Be Impeached

Posted on by Rusty Weiss

Hillary Clinton claims the Capitol riots were the “the tragically predictable result of white-supremacist grievances fueled by President Trump” and supported calls for his impeachment.

The comments come in a published op-ed at the Washington Post.

In addition to calling for the President’s impeachment, Mrs. Clinton also demanded any Republican lawmakers who objected to the certification of electoral votes be forced to resign.

“Removing Trump from office is essential, and I believe he should be impeached,” she writes.

“Members of Congress who joined him in subverting our democracy should resign, and those who conspired with the domestic terrorists should be expelled immediately,” Clinton added.

RELATED: Nancy Pelosi Accuses Capitol Rioters Of Choosing ‘Their Whiteness’ Over Democracy

Hillary Clinton: Trump Should Be Impeached But It Won’t Remove White Supremacy From America

Clinton went on to suggest that even Trump’s impeachment would not result in “white supremacy” being eradicated.

“That alone won’t remove white supremacy and extremism from America,” she stated.

You have to hand it to the Democrats – no matter how misinformed their talking points are – they just keep dishing out those talking points with total disregard for reality.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also made racial allegations against those who stormed the Capitol, stating they chose “their whiteness” over Democracy.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama ignored the fact that a white, unarmed 14-year Navy veteran was shot dead as a result of the protest, and instead claimed those involved were treated differently because they weren’t black.

Her husband echoed the same sentiment.

President-elect Joe Biden chimed in saying “that if it had been a group of Black Lives Matter protesting … they would have been treated very, very differently than the mob of thugs that stormed the Capitol.”

Prominent Democrat figures took a mostly peaceful protest about election integrity and turned it into a Klan rally. That’s how little these people think of Trump supporters.

RELATED: Biden Declares Economic Relief For Businesses Will Be Based Partly On Gender And Race

Clinton’s Advice on Dealing with Extremists

Clinton proceeded to outline her thoughts on how incoming President Biden should deal with “white supremacists and extremists.”

“There are changes elected leaders should pursue immediately, including advocating new criminal laws at the state and federal levels that hold white supremacists accountable and tracking the activities of extremists such as those who breached the Capitol,” she wrote.

Yes, the woman who made the phrase “superpredator” in referring to young African-Americans famous, who said they needed to “bring them to heel,” and who was mentored by the late Senator Robert Byrd, a recruiter for the KKK, has some thoughts on dealing with racists.

Clinton also celebrated Big Tech’s efforts to shut the President down.

“Twitter and other companies made the right decision to stop Trump from using their platforms, but they will have to do more to stop the spread of violent speech and conspiracy theories,” she said.

The Clinton op-ed is little more than the bitter ramblings of a person who has been sulking over her election defeat in 2016.

There is no evidence that the Capitol protests were fueled by race. There is no evidence that President Trump, who made multiple pleas with protesters to “go home” and “go in peace” is responsible for the violence that took place.

Yet, the Washington Post runs the disinformation campaign while Big Tech platforms help share it. The Democrat state-run media knows no lows with which they are unwilling to sink.

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