What McCarthy and House Republicans hope to accomplish with Biden impeachment inquiry

Months of Republican allegations and investigations into President Biden have led to the GOP-controlled House of Representatives launching an impeachment inquiry. Republicans have lobbed unsubstantiated allegations against Biden since taking over the House, but have turned up no evidence of wrongdoing so far. Laura Barrón-López discussed the developments with Heather Caygle of Punchbowl News.

Schiff says classified documents case against Trump ‘a lot stronger’ after new indictment

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) argued Thursday that the classified documents case against former President Trump is now "a lot stronger," after the Justice Department (DOJ) announced new new charges in the case.

“Trump apparently asked for Mar-a-Lago security footage to be deleted. After getting a subpoena to produce it, no less,” Schiff tweeted Thursday. “The case against him for illegally retaining classified information and for obstruction just got stronger. A lot stronger.”

In Thursday's superseding indictment, the DOJ accused Trump of attempting to delete surveillance footage at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla. The new charges claim the former president acted with a new co-conspirator, Carlos De Oliveira — the property manager of the Mar-a-Lago hotel — and aide Walt Nauta, who has already been charged in the case, to try and get rid of the footage.

Schiff, who served as the House impeachment manager during Trump's first impeachment trial, has faced retaliation from his Republican colleagues for his former role.

House Republicans voted to censure him late last month for “for misleading the American public and for conduct unbecoming of an elected Member of the House of Representatives.”

“Today, I wear this partisan vote as a badge of honor,” Schiff said at the time. “Knowing that I have lived my oath."

"Knowing that I have done my duty, to hold a dangerous and out of control president accountable," he continued. "And knowing that I would do so again — in a heartbeat — if the circumstances should ever require it."

Crenshaw denounces ‘crazy’ GOP rhetoric on FBI: ’99 percent of Republicans are not on that train’

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) on Sunday sought to distance himself from those in his party calling to defund the FBI following the agency’s search of former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.

“Oh yes, it's crazy,” Crenshaw responded when CNN’s Jake Tapper asked him about recent GOP rhetoric on “State of the Union.”

Many in the GOP have portrayed the search, which was connected to an investigation into the former president’s handling of classified documents, as politically motivated. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) filed impeachment articles against Attorney General Merrick Garland and called for the FBI to be defunded.

Those demands have been met with condemnation from some in the GOP, drawing comparisons to the defund the police movement that has been promoted by progressive lawmakers including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).

“It makes us seem like extremist Democrats, right?” Crenshaw said on Sunday. “And so Marjorie and AOC can go join the defund the law enforcement club if they want. Ninety-nine percent of Republicans are not on that train.”

Despite separating himself from those calls, Crenshaw on Sunday did call for accountability and transparency from the FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ) following the search, saying it was "automatically political." 

A federal judge last week signaled openness to releasing a redacted version of the affidavit to support the search warrant application, but the DOJ has opposed the move, citing concerns for witness safety.

“The criticisms that we're leveling against the FBI and DOJ are fully warranted,” Crenshaw told Tapper. “It is not those criticisms that lead to a crazy person attacking an FBI.”

An armed man attempted to breach the FBI’s Cincinnati field office in the days following the Mar-a-Lago search, and the intelligence community cited the incident in a recent bulletin warning of increased threats to federal law enforcement.

The FBI arrested a Pennsylvania man following the search for allegedly threatening to kill the agency’s personnel.

“That's completely wrong, but that's not where 99 percent of Republicans are at, of course,” Crenshaw said on CNN.

Report: Trump To Award Devin Nunes, Jim Jordan With Presidential Medal Of Freedom

President Trump will reportedly award two of his staunchest allies – Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) and Rep. Jim Jordan (D-OH) – with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The prestigious award is the Nation’s highest civilian honor.

The Washington Post, citing a source familiar with the plans, claimed the President “is using his final days in the White House in part to reward friends and allies with pardons and other decorations.”

They describe Nunes as “one of Trump’s most vocal supporters in his quest to undermine the Justice Department’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.”

The President is expected to award Nunes with the medal on Monday, and Jordan next week.

RELATED: Report: Durham Investigation Into Origins Of The Russian Probe Are Moving ‘Full Steam Ahead’

Devin Nunes and Jim Jordan to Get the Presidential Medal of Freedom

Of course, describing Nunes’ efforts as “undermin(ing) the Justice Department’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election” is an incredibly biased way of saying ‘revealing corruption during the Special Counsel’s probe.’

And Nunes did that in spades.

If not for the California Republican, America might never have known about the deep-seated corruption that took place behind closed doors during the Russia probe.

Nunes authored a memo that was released by the House Intelligence Committee in February, 2018, which alleged abuses of power by the FBI during its investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia.

Nunes, according to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), would ultimately be “proven correct” by the Mueller report, while House Intelligence Committee Chair Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), who provided a counter-memo and repeatedly leaked information to the media, would ultimately be proven a liar.

Schiff repeatedly stated through left-wing media outlets that there was “direct evidence” of collusion even as he knew that Obama officials testified time and again that there was no such evidence.

Nunes suggested Schiff was so adept at lying that he might be in need of rehabilitation.

“After publishing false conclusions of such enormity on a topic directly within this committee’s oversight responsibilities, it is clear you are in need of rehabilitation,” Nunes wrote in a letter, “and I hope this letter will serve as the first step in that vital process.”

More recently, Nunes announced plans to submit a criminal referral to the Department of Justice following the release of newly declassified messages from former FBI agent Peter Strzok. 

The California Republican suggested the DOJ and FBI misled Congress regarding documents that had been requested during an investigation of potential FISA abuses. 

RELATED: Jim Jordan Hammers Adam Schiff at Impeachment Hearing: ‘Nobody Believes You’

Jim Jordan, like Devin Nunes, has also been a vocal supporter of the President and will receive the Medal of Freedom.

Jordan repeatedly made a fool of Schiff during impeachment inquiry meetings, pointing out that the Democrat had a reputation for lying.

Fox News host Sean Hannity told Nunes that he deserved the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a segment on his show in August of 2018.

Hannity said Nunes “frankly, deserves the medal of freedom for really showing, sadly, the biggest abuse of power corruption scandal.”

President Trump would later laud Nunes during an interview on Fox & Friends.

“He is really, what he has gone through and his bravery. He should get a very important medal,” Trump said. “Maybe we’ll call it medal of freedom because we actually give them, they’re high awards for civilians.”

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Alan Dershowitz Makes Bombshell Claim About Obama And Soros

By PoliZette Staff | February 18, 2020

Fox News reports that Harvard Professor and Trump impeachment defense lawyer Alan Dershowitz is claiming, in a startling new bombshell, that Barack Obama personally asked the FBI to investigate the political enemies of far left globalist leader George Soros.

If true, that while president Obama tried to use his own Justice Department as a tool to do the bidding of Soros, heads could roll in a controversy that could engulf DC for some time. It could tank any future political ambitions of Michelle Obama and ensnare the Obama era FBI in yet another cauldron of contention.

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“There was a lot of White House control of the Justice Department during the Kennedy administration and I don’t think we saw very many liberal professors arguing against that,” said Dershowitz in an interview with Breitbart News, putting the subject in historical perspective.

“I have some information as well about the Obama administration – which will be disclosed in a lawsuit at some point, but I’m not prepared to disclose it now – about how President Obama personally asked the FBI to investigate somebody on behalf of George Soros, who was a close ally of his.”

Dershowitz went on: “We’ve seen this kind of White House influence on the Justice Department virtually in every Justice Department. The difference: This president is much more overt about it, he tweets about it. President Obama whispered to the Justice Department about it. And, I don’t think these 1,000 former Justice Department officials would pass the shoe-on-the-other-foot test. Maybe some of them would, but a good many of them wouldn’t.”

Dershowitz is referencing an open letter by Democrat and Obama era DOJ employees asking Bill Barr to resign as Attorney General over alleged misdeeds involving the Roger Stone case.

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He concluded with more words on his charge against Obama and Soros, “That’s going to come out in a lawsuit in the near future, yeah. That is not unusual. People whisper to presidents all the time; presidents whisper to the Justice Department all the time. It’s very common; it’s wrong, whoever does it — but it’s common, and we shouldn’t think it’s unique to any particular president. I have in my possession the actual 302 [witness report] form which documents this issue and it will at the right time come out, but I’m not free to disclose it now because it’s a case that’s not yet been filed.”

This is political dynamite. The left is no doubt already readying the spin. But if Dershowitz is not bluffing or exaggerating, this time spin may not be enough.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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Gowdy to Dems Calling For Barr Resignation: “Dumbest Damn Thing I’ve Ever Heard”

Former House Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy blasted Democrats demanding the resignation of Attorney General Bill Barr, calling it the “dumbest damn thing (he’s) ever heard.”

The left has been in quite a tizzy after President Trump lashed out at federal prosecutors via Twitter for recommending an excessive prison sentence for former associate Roger Stone.

The Department of Justice earlier this week revealed that they would seek a reduction of the “extreme” sentencing request – nine years – setting off a firestorm of controversy that culminated in four career prosecutors quitting the case one by one.

The issue seems to be a matter of timing. The announcement was made after Trump’s tweet, giving the impression that Barr and the DOJ were reacting to the comments.

Gowdy says none of it is true.

 

RELATED: Juanita Broaddrick Whacks ‘Bottom Dwelling Slug’ Hillary After She Calls Trump a ‘Failed-State Fascist’

He’s Seen Some Pretty Dumb Things

The former Representative from South Carolina has certainly seen some dumb things during his career, but this one apparently takes the cake. The argument is two-fold.

First, Gowdy agrees with the President that Stone’s sentence is beyond the pale.

“There are child pornographers, people who rob banks who do not get nine years,” he noted before advising that a sentence of two or three years would be more appropriate.

Second, he explains that there is roughly a zero percent chance Barr was swayed by the President’s comments.

“I can tell you this: Bill Barr was aware of this recommendation before President Trump ever tweeted a single syllable, a single character,” said Gowdy. “So the notion that Barr was somehow motivated to move because of this tweet is just factually wrong.”

“The notion that Barr should resign is about the dumbest damn thing I’ve ever heard,” Gowdy added.

 

RELATED: New Trump Impeachment Push For Democrats Over Roger Stone Affair?

Barr Is Fully Within His Rights

To absolutely nobody’s surprise, Democrats, permanently housed in their perpetual outrage echo chamber, are using the DOJ’s actions as their latest effort to force an administration member out of office.

Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal demanded Barr step down on Wednesday. The House Judiciary Committee promised to interrogate him over his handling of the sentencing during a hearing in late March.

Failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton accused Trump and his administration of operating like a “failed-state fascist.”

There has even been talk of more articles of impeachment.

“I can tell you this: Bill Barr was aware of this recommendation before President Trump ever tweeted a single syllable, a single character,” explained Gowdy. “So the notion that Barr was somehow motivated to move because of this tweet is just factually wrong.”

And while the former Rep. wishes Trump – or any other President – would cease weighing in on ongoing investigations, he concluded that he was well within his rights to commute Stone’s sentence or pardon him, should he so desire.

“He could do it [pardon Stone] by tweet tonight,” insisted Gowdy. “He’s the head of the executive branch and people have a chance in November if they want a different one.”

Imagine the outrage when President Trump announces Stone’s pardon via tweet. That will be about the “dumbest damned thing you’ll ever see.”

Until the next faux outrage.

The post Gowdy to Dems Calling For Barr Resignation: “Dumbest Damn Thing I’ve Ever Heard” appeared first on The Political Insider.

New Trump Impeachment Push For Democrats Over Roger Stone Affair?

By David Kamioner | February 12, 2020

In the desire of Democrats to put the country last and their own pathological quests for power at the forefront, the Jerry Nadler-led House Judiciary Committee will bring Attorney General Bill Barr to testify in front of them on March 31st. Why?

As part of a story they will embellish between now and then. Democrats will make the case that President Trump pressured his Justice Department and Barr to lower the amount of time in jail federal prosecutors recommended for former Trump associate Roger Stone.

Silly?

These are the same guys who put the nation through a quickdraw impeachment over a phone call. Now going into an election year with no cudgel to bash Trump with they have hit upon this to start the hysteria all over again.

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The feds sought between 87-108 months in prison for the 67 year old Stone, who was convicted on seven counts of obstruction, witness tampering, and making false statements to Congress during the Mueller investigation. Normal federal sentencing guidelines in such cases call for 15-21 months. The federal prosecutors in the case contend that Stone’s actions post indictment, including violating a social media gag imposed by the judge, warrant the much harsher sentence.

AG Bill Barr and other top Justice Department officials did not agree and reversed the call of their own lawyers for the tougher penalty. At that, four of the federal prosecutors handling the case resigned. President Trump is said to be considering giving Stone a pardon.

The Dems may feature those four former feds as star witnesses. The lawyers know that national publicity like this will enhance their professional careers now that they have left federal service. So they, much like the witnesses in the last impeachment drama, would insinuate, but have no proof, that the president intervened to help Stone.

But lack of facts don’t ever stop Democrats.

They will make up stories of a cabal of Trump loyalists in the DOJ that conspired to pervert the course of justice to spare a Trump loyalist. As for the loyalist, Stone has a show pony reputation in DC. He goes out of his way to gain the spotlight every chance he gets.

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All this will be timed around the GOP convention and the fall campaign.

Is this a lock? Will it happen for sure? No.

But the chance of the U.S. having to endure another Democratic misadventure is enough to get ready for it.

Oh joy.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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CNN’s Brian Stelter Tries To Attack Fox News For Ignoring Major Trump Story – It Immediately Backfires

By PoliZette Staff | February 12, 2020

CNN’s Brian Stelter tried to call out Fox News for ignoring a major story about Donald Trump on Tuesday, but his attempts to humiliate the network immediately backfired when social media users let him know that Fox had in fact broken the story.

“Fox and MSNBC leading the 1pm hour with NH primary hype,” Stelter tweeted on Tuesday afternoon. “CNN leading with breaking news: ‘DOJ STUNS WITH EXTRAORDINARY REVERSAL ON STONE SENTENCING.'”

RELATED: CNN Ratings Continue to Struggle, Fox News Gets a Huge Boost From Impeachment Trial

Stelter was claiming that Fox was ignoring the major story of the Department of Justice pushing for a lower sentence for Roger Stone, a convicted former associate of Trump’s, despite prosecutors within the DOJ seeking a seven to nine year sentence, according to The Blaze.

Unfortunately for Stelter, he soon learned that he was dead wrong, as social media users pointed out that it was Fox News who broke this story in the first place.

“Fox News broke the friggin story,” replied Chuck Ross of the Daily Caller, with The Federalist’s Sean Davis responding, “Fox News broke that story, you incompetent buffoon.”

Other users pointed out Stelter’s mistake as well:

Stelter is clearly just jealous that Fox News absolutely dominates CNN in the ratings. In fact, the week of Trump’s acquittal in the Senate impeachment trial was the fifth most-watched week in the history of the network, and it’s highest since the president’s inauguration, according to Axios.

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On top of that, of the forty most-watched shows on basic cable last week, 39 were on Fox. The only other one to break the top forty was Rachel Maddow’s MSBNC show, and none of CNN’s shows were able to break through.

In 2019, CNN saw a 9% decline in total viewers, so it’s no wonder Stelter is feeling bitter. He can try to discredit Fox as much as he wants to, but it’s not going to stop the rest of us from tuning in to the one cable news network we can actually trust to bring us the truth.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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