Republicans Drop Any Pretense Of Standing For Anything Except Power

By Susie Madrak — July 13, 2018

The reviews are in, and the Republicans didn't accomplish anything during their nine-hour House Judiciary circus yesterday.

They didn't change any minds, and they didn't lay a glove on Peter Strzok, the FBI's counterintelligence lead. Their attempt to undermine the Russian investigation and our democracy didn't work.

They only made themselves look foolish, compromised, and weak.

Here are some of the reactions:

Peter Strzok is a highly imperfect standard-bearer for the FBI, but this was a super-impressive performance, and I don't doubt for a second that there were a lot of people cheering for it yesterday at the Bureau. https://t.co/weTYHsatEH

— Benjamin Wittes (@benjaminwittes) July 13, 2018

Sure this is a coincidence but Strzok talked yesterday about Rudy’s likely role in forcing the disclosure of the re-opening of the Clinton email case.

Rudy bragged he was in touch with agents, promised a big surprise https://t.co/VgA558Zwnh

— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) July 13, 2018

Many complaining about Strzok's texts are noticeably silent about concerns expressed by various high-ranking DOJ & FBI officials in the run-up to the election that anti-Clinton animus in the NY field office may have impacted the course of the email probe. https://t.co/2foNOomun2 https://t.co/cMwlpBwjaw

— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) July 13, 2018

To protect Mueller’s inquiry, resist the distracting focus on how well #PeterStrzok acquitted himself. Focus laser-like on the key point: what Mueller presented to the grand jury wasn’t affected in any way by Strzok’s views of Trump @RepSwalwell @RepJerryNadler @RepCummings

— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) July 13, 2018

Fox News host blasts GOP treatment of Peter Strzok: "It felt like a public lynching" https://t.co/uTBKj4BySs pic.twitter.com/iry6uLReCy

— The Hill (@thehill) July 13, 2018

Disgraced lover/agent #Strzok won’t be the first arrogant city boy to underestimate us “ignorant hillbillies.” The storm is on the horizon.

— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) July 12, 2018

It was the most embarrassing episode in representative democracy in 400 years https://t.co/wRoURfomlA

— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) July 13, 2018

"Those who forget the lessons of televised congressional hearings are doomed to repeat them," writes @TheRickWilson, "which is why the morning segment of the Capitol Hill show trial of... Peter Strzok turned into a disaster for Republicans" https://t.co/pcuBFDvMGp

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) July 13, 2018

A Congressman and former dentist said this to Strzok, a highly trained @fbi agent in counter intelligence. Think about that. A fu*king dentist. https://t.co/b8AkcgmWIO

— 🖕🏻Aunt Crabby calls Bullshit 🖕🏻 (@DearAuntCrabby) July 13, 2018

Peter Strzok could've used his position in the FBI to undermine Trump in 2016. He didn't. I'm not even sure what more there is to talk about. https://t.co/7v4d1RUjF7

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen) July 13, 2018

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