I keep thinking one of these days, politicians will remember the internet exists, and along with it, evidence of almost about everything they’ve said or done while in office (and often outside of the office, too — just ask David Wu). Alas…
As the Trump cabinet targeting continues, Sen. Claire McCaskill stepped in a huge pile by claiming she never had a meeting or call with a Russian ambassador.
Recently confirmed Attorney General and former Senator Jeff Sessions became the target of what appear to be trumped-up charges that he lied about his involvement with Russia during confirmation hearings. The political media set, along with federally elected Democrats are having a heyday, demanding Sessions resign.
In response to the allegations against AG Sessions, McCaskill’s official account tweeted:
I've been on the Armed Services Com for 10 years.No call or meeting w/Russian ambassador. Ever. Ambassadors call members of Foreign Rel Com.
— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) March 2, 2017
Again, As senior member of Armed Serv, never received call or request from Russian Amb for meeting. Never met one on one w/him.
— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) March 2, 2017
Unfortunately for McCaskill, THE INTERNET KNOWS EVERYTHING.
And here is picture proof of @clairecmc meeting Russian ambassador. Damn the internet amirite Claire?! #mosen pic.twitter.com/lYhRpJ6BY2
— Ian Prior (@iprior1177) March 2, 2017
No meeting, she says?
Off to meeting w/Russian Ambassador. Upset about the arbitrary/cruel decision to end all US adoptions,even those in process.
— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) January 30, 2013
And no phone call?
Today calls with British, Russian, and German Ambassadors re: Iran deal. #doingmyhomework
— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) August 6, 2015
Then Sen. McCaskill sort of recanted:
4 years ago went to meeting of many Senators about international adoptions. Russian Amb also attended.
— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) March 2, 2017
So there were meetings and calls, yes?
Oh so you never met with him in "your capacity" as Armed Services member. I was confused by your use of the one word sentence "EVER." #mosen https://t.co/hDZ1sktl79
— Ian Prior (@iprior1177) March 2, 2017
WE’RE ALL SPIES NOW:
.@ericgeller @LouiseMensch So that makes everyone he ever met a spy? Like @clairecmc? https://t.co/1woAwNFRmI
— Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) March 2, 2017
There’s an obvious double standard at play here. Charles Cooke from NRO sums it up nicely:
The most charitable way to read McCaskill’s tweet is to assume that she was talking about meetings she attended in her capacity as a member of the Armed Services Committee. But if that’s the case, one wonders why she hasn’t extended the same method of interpretation to Jeff Sessions, whom she has called upon to resign on the grounds that he used similarly misleading and ambiguous language during his recent confirmation hearing.
…
Question: If McCaskill’s “no call or meeting” was assumed to inherit her reference to the Armed Services Committee, rather than any other function she might perform, then why isn’t Sessions’s “I did not have communications with the Russians” assumed to inherit Franken’s references to the “campaign” and to “surrogates” (Franken never refers to the Armed Services Committee)? Certainly, Sessions could have been clearer (as could Franken). Arguably, as a lawyer he should know better than to fall into traps such as these. But it seems a stretch to jump from “he screwed that up” to the charges of “perjury” and “treason” and “lying” that we’re hearing now (being under oath doesn’t impart superhuman memory, nor act as a prophylactic against giving ambiguous answers to ambiguous questions). To avoid any appearance of impropriety, Sessions should recuse himself from the Russia investigation. He should give a full account of his communications with Russia, too. But resign? Come now. Let she who is without sin cast the first tweet.
I loathe the tit for tat, he said, she said nature of politics, but pointing out such hypocrisy is crucial when people like Rep. Pelosi and Sen. McCaskill are out for blood.
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Comments
This harangued specious insanity is getting real real real old. Reallllly old. The facts on this Sessions case are a pretty simple nonissue.
It’s like the democratic star is collapsing in on itself. It’s trying to shine so hard.. but instead the force of its BS will only serve to rip it further apart, in super dramatic fashion. A large segment of the media may be totally consumed in the black hole.
Like what the heck is happening? A large group of people are appearing to behave like instead of sacrificing the young male innocent, they may have gotten kicked into the volcano. They collectively grabbed onto each other in hopes that one can find traction in their panicked mahem
Many of us in Missouri are fed up with Mrs. McCaskill as democrat shill who burps up 827 press releases every week on nearly any issue that comes before county, state, or federal government.
We’ll try again in 2018 to dislodge this attention whore, but in the meantime, in light of the blatant criminal actions of Obama’s two AGs, Holder & Lynch, in which crickets chirped, I’ll consider this kerfuffle about AG Jeff Sessions as FAKE NEWS.
Prior to depositions I always tell clients to be careful about saying “never.” Sure, if you are really certain, go ahead. But I consider human memory to be a nigh on worthless source of information.
No reason for air-quotes around “lied” in the title. She outright lied, no question about it, and is currently doing the “Get it off! Get it off me!” dance where the MSM has historically covered for her.
Sorry, Air Claire. Remember that little thing about “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone?” This is why.
Democrats always operate off the George Costanza Rule – “If you believe it’s true, it’s not a lie!!!”
(so someone who’s too stupid to remember what they had for breakfast in the morning is automatically off the hook for any crazy thing they might say. As far as they knew, it was true.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn_PSJsl0LQ
I wonder why this is just coming out since Sessions was interviewed and approved last month. /sarc
It seems that the Ds have done some opposition research on the Rs and have selected people to lead the response when the news comes out. And, it usually comes out when there is a good point for Trump. I wonder if the Rs are doing the same thing? It seems that the counter points on Claire sure came out fast.
Or, they have decided to seize the narrative and not let Trump create the next media buzz, such as his comments on violence in Sweden.
What, you think the R’s organized a strike on Claire before she unleashed her strike on Sessions? How would they have known she would deliver the strike? Did they have a similar strike ready no matter what D accused Sessions? There’s little doubt the D’s have something negative to say about everything der Donald does right (e.g.,Ivanka’s dress was inappropriate; OMG, Kelly has her feet on the couch), but the R’s must have one helluva an operation if they have their comebacks ready and waiting.
What’s with all the neo-McCarthyism?
I understand that the Russians are only as truthful and reliable as required by necessity, but shouldn’t we be asking why the US gave military assistance to ISIS and Al Qaeda?
Um, when did they do that?
Hey, lighten up on Sen. McCaskill. I mean, it is not as if she asked the ambassador to tell Putin that she would have more “flexibility” after the election.
Last I checked, senators have a constitutionally protected role as a legislative branch. Senators are empowered to meet with people, to gather information, to have their own opinions, and to debate with each other and formulate advice and consent for the President of the United States. There is no provision that they in effect cease to be Senators, and become mere minions, by the simple fact of deigning to provide policy advice to a presidential candidate from outside his campaign. This is hurting the Senate itself, and all future Senators will be diminished by it… but it is obvious they’ve stopped caring about such things.
This is sort of along the lines of breathing the same air or giving the upwards nod and saying “S’up?”
AHAAA, got you!!!
“I loathe the tit for tat, he said, she said nature of politics, but pointing out such hypocrisy is crucial when people like Rep. Pelosi and Sen. McCaskill are out for blood.”
Kemberlee
——-
I agreel. When you aren’t willing to give the benefit of the doubt you shouldn’t be surprised when you don’t receive it.
“I loathe the tit for tat, he said, she said nature of politics, but pointing out such hypocrisy is crucial when people like Rep. Pelosi and Sen. McCaskill are out for blood.”
We all hate it but it is not going to change. The msm has become totally a member of the DNC. They make no pretense of being neutral and I believe this entire Russian crap story is to take away from Trump’s great speech. Today the only thing the msm is talking about is this make believe story and no matter the answer that there is nothing there, they keep asking the same questions over and over. I believe that the American public is going to reach its limit with this phony Russian line and I pray that they turn on the msm and the Demorats.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/mar/2/press-coverage-of-trump-in-first-month-of-office-8/
Cooke still gets it wrong. The questioning of Sessions was over allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. The questions at the hearing were with respect to this concern, and the specific questions that were asked were couched in terms of the focus of the hearing. Sessions answered those questions in particular and in general answered them with respect to the focus of the hearing. Neither the questioners nor Sessions used “ambiguous language,” nor was there any doubt about the nature of the focus of the hearing, the questions, or the answers at the time. All this hullabaloo is based on willful misconstruction of the nature of the hearing, the questions, and the answers given in response.
What’s with the scare quotes around “Lied” – she LIED, she is a LIAR.
The evidence is crystal clear.
LibDem Senator met with the Russian Ambassador? Nothing to see here – move along.