Campaign Action
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell took to the Senate floor on Wednesday morning to welcome a group of distinguished Kentucky veterans to Washington, D.C., and then to undertake a lengthy and fallacious attack on Obamacare. Eventually, he got around to the event that rocked the nation last night—popular vote loser Donald Trump's firing of James Comey. And if you were under any misapprehension that McConnell would take seriously his role as leader of the greatest deliberative body in the world and overseer of the White House? Hahahahahaha!!!!!
Nope, McConnell is fully committed to helping the White House cover this up, rejecting Democratic calls for an independent investigation and special prosecutor, saying it would "impede the current work being done."
Two investigations are currently ongoing. The Senate Intelligence Committee's review of Russian active measures and intelligence activities and the F.B.I. investigation disclosed by Director Comey. Today we'll no doubt hear calls for a new investigation which could only serve to impede the current work being done to not only discover what the Russians may have done; also to let this body and the national security community develop countermeasures and war-fighting doctrine to see that it doesn't occur again.
Those "partisan calls" for a new investigation, he says, "should not delay the considerable work of Chairman Burr and Vice Chairman Warner. Too much is at stake." With so much at stake, McConnell wants to make sure that no investigation is out of his ultimate control. Ultimately, as leader of the Senate, McConnell has his thumb on the Intelligence Committee and its activities.
He certainly doesn't intend to let anything—even potential treason by the president of the United States—get in the way of advancing his partisan agenda.
So what we have now, Mr. President, our democratic colleagues complaining about the removal of an F.B.I. Director whom they themselves repeatedly and sharply criticized. That removal being done by a man, Rod Rosenstein, whom they repeatedly and effusively praised. Mr. Rosenstein recommended Mr. Comey's removal for many of the very reasons that they consistently complained about.
Two investigations are currently ongoing. The Senate Intelligence Committee's review of Russian active measures and intelligence activities and the F.B.I. investigation disclosed by Director Comey. Today we'll no doubt hear calls for a new investigation which could only serve to impede the current work being done to not only discover what the Russians may have done; also to let this body and the national security community develop countermeasures and war-fighting doctrine to see that it doesn't occur again.
Partisan calls should not delay the considerable work of Chairman Burr and Vice Chairman Warner. Too much is at stake. Deputy attorney general Rosenstein was just confirmed on a bipartisan vote 94 to 6. 94 to 6. And that sort of fair consideration should continue when the Senate receives an F.B.I. Director nominee. As I said yesterday, once the Senate receives a nomination to fill this position, we'll look forward to a full, fair, and timely confirmation process. This is a critical role that is particularly important as our country continues to face serious threats at home and abroad.