Republican lawmakers refuse to back Trump's attacks on Comey

[DonViejo]

Source: Politico



The president is not finding help from Congress as he brands Comey a 'leaker' and questions whether he acted illegally.

By KYLE CHENEY 06/11/2017 12:51 PM EDT

If President Donald Trump was hoping congressional Republicans would rally to his side in his effort to discredit former FBI Director James Comey, he’s probably pretty disappointed.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Trump might bring down his own presidency. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) said Trump’s interactions with Comey were “very inappropriate.” And Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said it’s unclear whether Trump’s actions toward Comey — leading to his abrupt firing on May 9 — amounted to a crime.

Across national news shows on Sunday, Republican lawmakers showed varying degrees of concern about Trump’s handling of the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, and his decision to fire Comey in the midst of that probe. Though many contended the reaction to Comey’s testimony was overblown, most said Trump had acted improperly — even if it was out of naivete and not malice.

None embraced Trump’s depiction of Comey as a liar or attempted to dispute Comey’s account of private meetings with the president. Comey told the Senate intelligence Committee that in several meetings prior to his ouster, Trump asked him to help “lift the cloud” of the Russia inquiry and, in the most damaging instance, said he hoped Comey would let go of his related investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn. “He doesn’t strike me as someone who would lie under oath,” Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) said of Comey.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/11/trump-comey-republicans-leaks-239402

[marylandblue]

1. Just the usual suspects saying the usual empty words. nt

[riversedge]

4. Collins said she would be fine with issuing a subpoena if Trump refuses but will she push for

the subpoena is another thing.

[iluvtennis]

6. Agree

[bresue]

2. I watched the whole hearing and every Senator applauded and praised Comey

for his service, integrity, and coming before them to ANSWER there questions....lol!

If they now said anything to the contrary (and performed the dance and pony ride Dump is requesting), they would lose their credibility and be taunted liars....

[marylandblue]

3. Does the GOP have any credibility left?

[bresue]

5. None that I can see....

[Xipe Totec]

7. He wanted them to drink the Kool-Aid. They won't even drink weak tea. nt

[politicaljunkie41910]

8. I disagree. I was watching MSNBC all day yesterday and this morning and I recall hearing someone say

that the Repugnant's leadership had issued talking points discrediting Comey to all Repugnant lawmakers to use. I thought it was on AM Joy either yesterday or today, but I could be wrong. I had a lot of recorded shows that I went through yesterday and this morning (most related to Thursday's hearings and the aftermath), and I know for certain that I heard that, and the guest on the show saying that the Repugs were doing their job of recirculating those talking points to discredit Comey.

Mike Lee said this morning on This Week with George Stephanopoulos that he's seen no evidence of collusion, corruption, or obstruction of justice and it's time to wrap this investigation up. Stephanopoulos started his segment with Lee with a tape of Lee (after the Extra Tape leak) saying that Trump was not the kind of person their party needed. Today he had nothing derogatory to say about Trump.

In response to Stephanopoulos question of whether he had confidence in Jeff Sessions to lead the Justice Dept, Lee said that Jeff Sessions was a close personal friend of his, and someone he has a lot of confidence in and he doesn't know what meetings he's had or didn't have but he was confident, that Sessions would never intentionally mislead anyone or misstate the truth.

He said of Comey with whom he said he had served together with at the Justice Dept he had a lot of respect for but cannot agree with his decision to leak documents to the press. That is not something we want in an FBI Director whose example will affect everyone else in a department. Someone needs to tell Mike Lee that Comey was no longer the FBI Director when he had his friend submit that document to the press.

Over the past two days I've heard Repugs repeatedly say that they see no evidence of collusion by the Russians and the Trump campaign while many suggesting that Comey may have committed a crime by leaking documents to the press.

[BlueJac]

10. I agree

[BumRushDaShow]

9. Did Politico forget Mike Lee

(and his ilk)? He was on Stupidfuckidous 'show

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10141796572

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/time-move-probe-russia-collusion-trump-obstruction-gop/story?id=47960861

Drumpf has plenty of "support", starting from the GOP's congressional leadership, and working on down through the GOP committee chairs. That's all he needs.

[Martin Eden]

11. Rats will flee a sinking ship

Principles and integrity have nothing to do with it.

[cstanleytech]

12. Trust me they are still backing Trump this is simply a hedge bet on their part

when the house of cards they have built starts to fall down they will try and pretend to not have backed Trump.

[Txbluedog]

13. Of course they've seen what pissing off the IC can do

You think they're going to get on the IC's s##t list?

[bluecollar2]

14. Doesn't change the fact that they still support Trump....

Leopards can't change their spots and assholes are still assholes.