During Wednesday’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing with Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz, Sen. Josh Hawley said the report on FISA abuse against the Trump campaign shows the FBI “effectively meddled” in the 2016 election.
“Which is worse? Is it worse to have a foreign government trying to meddle in our elections, or is it worse to have our own government meddling in the election?” Hawley asked Horowitz. “Because I think that is exactly what this report shows. It shows that our government, the most powerful law enforcement agency in the nation, the FBI effectively meddled in an ongoing presidential campaign.”
“Our government, the most powerful law enforcement agency in the nation, the FBI, effectively meddled in an ongoing presidential campaign… When our own government does it, how can the American people have confidence and what do we do?” -@HawleyMO pic.twitter.com/hfFGiSLr1d
— GOP (@GOP) December 11, 2019
Hawley said that it’s expected foreign governments like Russia and China attempt to meddle, but when the U.S. government does, it’s a completely different story, breaking the trust of the American people.
He went on to say how “extraordinary” it was that the DNC essentially started all of this.
“And there’s one actor here who I think has not gotten the credit that they collectively deserve and that’s the Democrat National Committee,” Hawley continued. “I just think, you know, I’ve heard my friends on the other side of the aisle complain about Hillary Clinton’s campaign and how ineffective it was and how the DNC didn’t do a good job in 2016.”
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“I beg to differ,” Hawley exclaimed. “This is the most incredible, the DNC pays for the Steele dossier, solicits the Steele dossier and then gets the Federal Bureau of Investigation to go get FISA warrants, surveil an American citizen, surveil a presidential campaign, all on the basis of this manufactured garbage that they paid for, I mean that’s extraordinary, that has got to be a first time in history.”
Hawley then asked Horowitz whether the “people whose misdeeds that you have documented here” are still working at the FBI.
“To my understanding, some are, some aren’t,” he replied.
“What about the case agent who directly misled the DOJ, an Office of Intelligence attorney, about Carter Page’s relationship with other intelligence agencies in our government, who directly misled the OI about that, is that person to your knowledge still at the FBI?” Hawley asked.
“To my knowledge that person is still there,” Horowitz responded.
WATCH:@HawleyMO: FBI “Effectively Meddled” in @realDonaldTrump's 2016 campaign. pic.twitter.com/1lpsoc3oJG
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) December 12, 2019
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