WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Republicans may subpoena former FBI Director James Comey to force him to testify before a House panel about the agency’s decisions before the 2016 presidential election, a House aide told Reuters on Monday. In a potential escalation of tensions between rival inquiries into Russian meddling in U.S. politics, House Republicans were prepared to increase pressure on Comey, who has already refused to testify in a closed session.
Comey's attorney David Kelley, in a letter dated Oct. 1 that was sent to the Republican chairmen of two committees, said: "Mr. Comey respectfully declines your request for a private interview. He would, however, welcome the opportunity to testify at a public hearing." A copy of the letter was seen by Reuters.
Representatives Trey Gowdy and Bob Goodlatte chair the House Oversight panel and the Judiciary panel, respectively. Both are probing the FBI's decisions before the 2016 presidential election; neither is seeking reelection in November.
The Republicans' probe is running parallel to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion between Moscow and the Trump campaign. That probe has resulted in indictments or guilty pleas from 32 people.
If the Democrats take majority control of the House in the Nov. 6 elections, the two committees' probes will likely end. Between now and then, it was not immediately clear what Gowdy and Goodlatte hope to accomplish. The House is out of session until Nov. 13.
Their probe into the FBI's handling of Russia's role in U.S. politics and Hillary Clinton's emails when she was secretary of state has been criticized by Democrats as seeking to undermine the Mueller probe.
Comey, who was fired by Trump, is seen as a key witness into whether Trump tried to obstruct the Mueller probe. Comey has also been criticized by the Justice Department's inspector general for announcing the FBI's decision not to propose criminal charges against Clinton over her use of a private email server.
Republicans have said Comey's handling of the Clinton matter shows he is biased against Trump. The inspector general found that while he acted improperly, he did not exhibit bias.
Goodlatte recently issued a subpoena to the Justice Department after he alleged it had refused to provide certain documents from the Russia investigation.
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller, has since agreed to meet with Republicans in coming weeks, said a person familiar with the matter.
[Breitbart] Former President Barack Obama endorsed Democratic socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Monday in her New York congressional race.
"The Democratic Party has always made the biggest difference in the lives of the American people when we lead with conviction, principle, and bold, new ideas," Obama said in a statement sent to reporters.
The former president did not include Ocasio-Cortez in his first round of endorsements in the congressional midterms but included her in his second round of over 250 additional endorsements announced on Monday.
"Our incredible array of candidates up and down the ticket, all across the country, make up a movement of citizens who are younger, more diverse, more female than ever before," Obama said. "They’re Americans who aren’t just running against something, but for something."
Ocasio-Cortez shocked the political establishment after she defeated an entrenched House Democrat voicing a political platform of socialism. The former president also endorsed Democratic socialist candidate Andrew Gillum, who is running for Governor of Florida.
Obama also endorsed current Sen. Bill Nelson in Florida for re-election, as well as Sen. Tammy Baldwin in Wisconsin and Sen. Tina Smith in Minnesota. He also endorsed Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, who is running for Sen. Jeff Flake’s seat after the Arizona Republican announced his retirement.
[PJ] Smiling from ear to duplicitous ear, Sen. Jeff Flake (fake Republican-Ariz.) took the stage in front of a roaring crowd of #GlobalCitizens at a rock festival on Saturday. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), the chap who seems to have talked Flake into betraying his constituents and party leaders, was alongside him in a bipartisan show of support for the big fat wrench in the form of a "one-week" delay in the confirmation process for Judge Kavanaugh. I put "one-week" in quotes because the chances of it ending before the midterms are about as minuscule as Lindsay Lohan making good life choices. It's possible, but it sure doesn't look like it's happening any time soon.
You would think that in this very serious time, where Flake himself worried that America is tearing itself apart over the "intergalactic freakshow" the Senate process has become, he would be more reserved and serious about the decision he made to drag it out even longer and put half of the country he is supposed to be representing on high blood pressure meds. You would think he would have the good sense to be photographed with Mitch McConnell, looking deeply concerned. But no. Instead, we get this: He thinks he's a flippin' rock star!
"You can join me in an elevator anytime!" a beaming Flake shouts to a crowd of screaming twenty-year-olds whose brains haven't fully developed yet and who probably think he's one of the dads on Full House. The audience he's trying to impress is full of the socialist-cheering young people hanging on every word of the likes of Janet Jackson, John Legend, Robert De Niro, and Disney stars I can't name. Every single one of them is a far-left kook.
Michelle Obama addressed Global Citizens and urged them to use their voices to lift up their communities via a video message:
“And no matter what issues you are passionate about, no matter what causes you’re fighting for, there’s one thing all of you can do that I guarantee will make a difference. And that is electing leaders sharing your values, and will stand up for you in the halls of power.” - Michelle Obama
Vlad Putin and the communists haven't a worry in the world.
#6
That elevator moment was less an ambush than it seems. Is that really all it took to sway his "principles" or was it just orchestrated cover for his planned betrayel? We do know that the whole charade was bought n paid for
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
10/02/2018 11:01 Comments ||
Top||
#7
I listened to the odious Chuck Schumer's congressional statement on Fox this morning. Appears the dems are moving away from the Ford issue. Now attacking Kav as... 'not the best choice available.'
#8
“And no matter what issues you are passionate about, no matter what causes you’re fighting for, there’s one thing all of you can do that I guarantee will make a difference. And that is electing leaders sharing your values, and will stand up for you in the halls of power.” - Michelle Obama
We did that and the left went bonkers. They tried to frame Trump and overturn an election.
#9
For the three people left in the US who think Flake was actually sincere, his latest comment about Kavanaugh being "partisan, and we can't have that" give the clue how this POS is going to vote. Look for the book deal and job after January to find exactly what he cost....
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
