Cummings’ shocker: Americans don’t ‘have a clue’ how hard the GOP pushed the FBI to attack Clinton

[Dem2]

Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) is furious that the FBI is caving to GOP pressure without giving the same treatment to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

In a Monday morning interview with CNN’s “New Day,” Cummings admitted he was shocked by the letter that FBI Director James Comey sent to his committee.

“I was surprised that the director who has told our committee on several occasions that his number one concern is his reputation that he would issue a letter that, number one, was so vague,” Cummings began. “And that, basically, gave Donald Trump a softball to hit over the fence. And he knew, I’m sure, that this is exactly what Donald Trump would do. He would exaggerate.”

Cummings went on to call the letter vague again, saying that it leaves so many facts out of the equation. But given the pressure Comey was under from the GOP, he’s not shocked it happened. “We don’t know how many of these e-mails are duplicates. And we don’t have very much information at all. But the fact still remains that — it doesn’t surprise me, though, in a way that he did this. Because I don’t think the American people have a clue as to how hard the Republicans, particularly on my committee, have been on the FBI.”

...

He continued, saying that the fairness is missing in the FBI because it has left Clinton unable to defend herself while Trump gets to make wild accusations based on zero information. He wants to see the FBI give Manafort and Trump the same treatment.

http://www.rawstory.com/2016/10/cummings-shocker-americans-dont-have-a-clue-how-hard-the-gop-pushed-the-fbi-to-attack-clinton/

[Coyotl]

1. Video:

Last edited Mon Oct 31, 2016, 11:33 AM - Edit history (1)

from: Rep. Elijah Cummings on @NewDay discussing @FBI Director Comey = VIDEO

VIDEO: https://twitter.com/OversightDems/status/793083480284463104

House OversightDems @OversightDems
ICYMI: @RepCummings was on @CNN @NewDay discussing the FBI's letter to Congress.

From July, Cummings points out the FBI found a big nothing burger:

Rep. Elijah Cummings Questions FBI Director James Comey 7/7/16

FBI Director James Comey testifies that the emails were not properly marked as confidential. Rep. Cummings confirms that the State Department indicated a day after Director Comey made his statement, had indicated that even the three emails in question that were improperly marked were also not actually classified.

July 7, 2016
Rep. Elijah Cummings Highlights How Comey Debunked Right-Wing Media "Talking Heads' Claims Of Bias" In Clinton Email Hearing

"First, the director testified that his entire team of 15 to 20 FBI investigators and analysts unanimously agreed on the recommendation not to prosecute Secretary Clinton. Second, Director Comey made crystal clear that Republican claims, some of the talking heads' claims of bias are completely false. He testified that he would treat John Doe the same way he would treat Hillary Clinton, that he was very forceful on that point. Third, on the claim that Secretary Clinton sent or received e-mails that were marked as classified, that claim has now been significantly undercut. Those documents were not classified, and those markings were not proper. Finally, Republicans have repeatedly cried foul about a double standard when it comes to secretary Clinton's e-mails. But director Comey testified that the real double standard would have been to prosecute her with this completely inadequate -- with this completely inadequate evidence."

[Dem2]

14. Thanks for posting the link to the video

[Coyotl]

17. Video on YouTube, so added on edit above too.

[Gabi Hayes]

20. media just about completely ignored this part of Comey's testimony during their swiftboat-like

feeding frenzy during those lucirous hearings

[Coyotl]

2. Video:

[vlyons]

3. FBI won't do anything before the election

They'll just let the rotting stink hang in the room for the week. Hillary will still get elected. Perhaps Comey will be forced to resign then. God we have to take the senate.

[Cosmocat]

5. THAT is my biggest concern

if Hillary's margin was as solid as it appeared to be - not monstrous, but 4 maybe 5 points, I doubt this keeps her from getting elected.

But, the margin to get the senate is SO thin, with two or three races a point or two apart that would get it to 50-50 or better.

It is important enough on its own, but it means whether the Rs have control and WILL refuse to put ANY SC justice in who Hillary nominates or being able to take the filibuster of the table and getting the 9th justice set and any others that open up in the next two years.

[INdemo]

38. That was the plan...After eleection they will come out with

"nothing here to see there is nothing new its all duplicated"
Bastards.
I live behind enemy lines in solid Red Country and as always I find that give a damn Republican an ounce of negative news about Hillary
and that is all they need to immediately verbally crucify her.Last night I was in a conversation with 3 Republicans and one said "well this will probably do Hillary in ,,its over"
I replied "WTF are you talking about" "What do they have" (no answer)
then I said "anyone that would vote for that f&*king Trump would vote for a dried up Dairy Cow if she had a "R" in front of her name.
Everything got quiet and I loved it.
I found out a long time again in all probability that I would never win a seat on our County Council.

[GeorgeGist]

4. This should have been a clue:

... his number one concern is his reputation

. Not his family, not his country.

[George II]

8. Well then, he screwed up and destroyed his number one concern. His reputation is in shambles.

[anamandujano]

35. It's my feeling the the reputation thing was only an excuse to send the letter.

[yallerdawg]

6. Where do they get this, "Democrats were happy with him?"

The press conference and his mouthy, ridiculous testimony (AG Lynch demonstrated how to testify before Congress on investigations) had us wondering how he got away with a 'drive-by shooting'?

I cannot believe no one in the Obama administration didn't tell him to never do that again!

[George II]

7. I've been ranting about Manafort for months - there are a lot of skeletons in his closet.

[misterhighwasted]

21. More on this from the Daily Beast: re Cummings/Comey/Manafort

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/10/30/top-dems-to-fbi-spill-on-trump-s-russia-ties.html

Snip
“The FBI now potentially faces a very serious credibility problem,” Rep. Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the powerful House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said in a statement to The Daily Beast on Sunday evening.
“If it turns out that the FBI is in fact investigating—or planning to investigate—[former Trump campaign manager] Paul Manafort because of his dealings with Russia, or anyone else associated with Donald Trump—and does not disclose these facts to the American people before the election—then the FBI will be accused of a double standard when those facts ultimately do come out.”

("When those facts ultimately do come out". This is the part that bothers me. A cover-up is clearly at play here & with Comey in a position to keep it covered up to answer to his "mob bosses", will the depth of Russian ties ever be known. I would like to see Pres Obama have a way of relieving Comey of his position until this is resolved, & replace him with someone who knows where to look for the buried bodies.)

Manafort resigned from the Trump campaign this summer after revelations of his business dealings with the government of ousted Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

And former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page is alleged to have visited with two Russian government officials in a possible effort to open a diplomatic backchannel with the Kremlin, according to U.S. officials.

This month, 17 U.S. intelligence agencies issued a unanimous finding that senior Russian government officials ordered a campaign of computer hacks against Democratic political organizations in an effort to “interfere” with the upcoming presidential contest.
Trump has praised Putin and called on the Russian government to mount further operations against Clinton in order to reveal her private emails.

And Trump adviser Roger Stone has claimed to be in contact with WikiLeaks, which has posted emails that Russian hackers stole from the Democratic National Committee and Clinton’s campaign chairman, John Podesta.

Cummings joined the Senate’s top Democrat, Harry Reid, who demanded that Comey release information he claims the FBI has on Trump’s connections to Russia.

_____________________________

Most we already know of but Cummings puts it in a timeline perspective.

I worry about the Hatch Act as a tool to force Comey to come clean about Trump/Russia or to be fired/resign. Hatch Act violation is based on intent. Not the fallout from info divuldged as in this case.
A guilty result isn't criminal but it would give way for Obama to fire him or request his resignation if he doesn't come clean as to Russian involvement before the election.
I am hoping that THIS pressure on Comey is what destroys Trump & his ilk before Nov 8th, but time is quickly running out.


Also, Intent would be hard to prove with Comey, & the Repubs (Chaffetz, Gowdy) will be protecting him.

My question is:
Who investigates & prosecutes Comey?
House judiciary with Chaffetz at the lead?
I haven't found a clear answer on this process yet.

[Nitram]

9. What's shocking to me is that Comey caved under the pressure. He is not worthy...

...of his post at the helm of the F.B.I.

[MADem]

10. I think Putin has video of Comey having congress with a farm animal.

Or something.

He's being blackmailed or bribed--pick one.

[Nitram]

11. Kind of the reverse of Hoover, eh?

[MADem]

12. Bingo! nt

[Nitram]

13. Who knows, maybe Comey got caught in sexy female duds...

[MADem]

33. Or in the barn...!

He just keeps fucking up. He HAD to know what this would do.

If he really wanted to keep things "sotto voce" while fulfilling his "requirement" to keep Congress informed he would have briefed Speaker RYAN in person and in confidence, not written a letter that was delivered first to a crew of GOP hacks and released on twitter before the Dems even got their lousy "copy to's."

[Nitram]

43. I wonder if he doesn't actually have a bone in this fight.

Maybe he really wants Clinton to lose.

[MADem]

44. If you look at his political donations, that would be true to form for him. nt

[Matthew Rose]

18. Should I ask my Congressman if this is true?

#PeopleAreSaying

[MADem]

37. Why not? Ask him why they didn't look into this, too, while you're at it!

http://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/291465-ivanka-trump-vacationing-with-putins-rumored-girlfriend

Ivanka Trump is vacationing with Rupert Murdoch’s ex-wife, Wendi Deng Murdoch, who is rumored to be dating Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump posted a photo of the two in Croatia on Sunday.

This happened in August. Talk about strange bedfellows....

[Divine Discontent]

42. another one of the "if Hillary did it" things that is so stunning, in this case, "if Chelsea did it"

and was seen with Vlad's GF, they'd be saying Hillary's clearly a commie!

[SwankyXomb]

36. They probably threatened his budget

It's always worked for them with other agencies, so why not the FBI?

[TrishaJ]

39. Exactly.

Caving to any kind of pressure makes him unqualified to lead the FBI, which serves to protect the public. He is now compromised in the job. And this is especially troubling given the issue of Russia's hacking into our systems.

[Akamai]

41. Well -- what did you think this July when he said he could not prosecute

but she was "exceedingly careless" with her emails?

This guy is a f***head of the worst rank.

At that time, I knew he had declared her not prosecutable, but then to pile on with his words of "exceedingly careless" -- what bullshit. Either prosecute or walk away. And he -- this apparently learned man -- screwed justice, the American people, the Democratic party and screwed the future of our country, as he traduced Hillary Clinton.

I hope he leaves the country quickly so we don't have to breathe the same air he breathes. The professors who had him their classes should renounce him immediately and to the last of time, unless he renounces immediately what he had done.

Tick-Tock Comey -- repent immediately or life a life of endless shame. You and all your family should suffer the same opprobrium unless they renounce you.

[INdemo]

15. Why doesnt Obama just fire this bastard Comey ..or at lest suspend him

for ethics violations until investigation completed?
Secondly ...after Trump loses on November 8 he should be handcuffed,loaded in a Cruiser for violating election laws by voter suppression and instructing his followers and staff to interfere with voters at the polls.

[es35]

22. Amen, and I'm an atheist!

Amen!, and I'm an atheist!

[lillypaddle]

16. K&R nt

[es35]

19. Hooray for Cummings

We can all take heart however from the realization that her ability to stay focused and principled despite this mistreatment helps Hillary demonstrate why she is such a great leader and will make a great president.

[Cha]

23. Exactly! Mahalo, Dem2

He continued, saying that the fairness is missing in the FBI because it has left Clinton unable to defend herself while Trump gets to make wild accusations based on zero information. He wants to see the FBI give Manafort and Trump the same treatment.

Cummings’ shocker: Americans don’t ‘have a clue’ how hard the GOP pushed the FBI to attack Clinton

http://www.rawstory.com/2016/10/cummings-shocker-americans-dont-have-a-clue-how-hard-the-gop-pushed-the-fbi-to-attack-clinton/

[mcar]

24. Great job!

As usual. Rep. Cummings is excellent.

[ffr]

25. GOTV, volunteer, donate time and money. Defeat the Republicans & the Russians at the same time.

The work we do in the next 8 days determines if America survives as a democracy or goes under the fold of Donald's Kremlin.

[Hekate]

26. KnR

[cilla4progress]

27. If they knew about the pressure before the letter was released

why didn't they expose it, then?

[Dem2]

28. Double-edged sword I think

It would imply that there is something to hide in Republican minds.

[napi21]

29. Great interview Congressman. I'm prooud to say you are from Georgia.

I WISH there were a lot more like you in The House!

[BeyondGeography]

30. It's the only way they know how to win anymore

Lie, cheat, work the refs. Not that it works in the GE. By next Wednesday, they will have lost the PV in six of the last seven presidential elections.

[tblue37]

31. K&R for visibility. nt

[allan01]

34. wasnt this guy a bushco appointee , and he needs to be fired .

[Ilsa]

40. Rep. Elijah Cummings should be Person of the Year.

He's been on top of everything (it seems) the GrOPers have thrown at Hillary.