Thursday, July 7, 2016
To: Friends & Supporters
From: Gary L. Bauer
Hearing Highlights
As I write, FBI Director James Comey is still testifying before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. At least five congressional committees are expected to hold hearings or launch investigations into the FBI’s decision to clear Hillary Clinton. Here are a few highlights from Comey’s testimony this morning:
- Former Secretary of State Clinton may be facing perjury charges. Chairman Jason Chaffetz asked Comey if Clinton lied to Congress. Comey answered, “Not to my knowledge. I don’t think there’s been a referral from Congress.” Chaffetz replied, “You’ll have one in the next few hours.”
- Comey said that the lack of criminal intent was the deciding factor in his decision to not recommend charges. Rep. Trey Gowdy, a former prosecutor, challenged Comey’s reasoning.
Gowdy repeated a number of Clinton’s public statements that Comey has since said were false. Then Gowdy asked Comey, “In interest of time. . . I’m not going to go through any more of the false statements. But I am going to ask you put on your old hat (as a prosecutor). False exculpatory statements, they are used for what?”
“Either for the substantive prosecution or for evidence of intent in a criminal prosecution,” Comey answered. “Exactly. Consciousness of guilt and intent,” Gowdy said.
- Yesterday, Senator Mitch McConnell called on the FBI to release transcripts of Hillary’s three and a half hour interview on Saturday. But Comey told members of Congress that the FBI did not put Clintonunder oath nor did they record the interview.
2016 Update
Presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump came to Washington, D.C., today to meet with House Republicans. At least 200 members of the GOP caucus attended, including many members who have not had a chance to meet Trump before. Afterwards, he met with Senate Republicans, and also met privately with Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
Sources say Trump offered Cruz a speaking slot at the convention, which Cruz accepted, and that Cruz also agreed to help Trump in selecting judicial nominees.
Two weeks ago, Hillary Clinton held a similar meeting with congressional Democrats, many of whom had previously endorsed her. Bernie Sanders met with House Democrats yesterday. Apparently, he was booed when he declined to formally endorse Clinton. One House Democrat blasted the meeting as a “total display of self-obsession” on Sanders’ part.
Today’s GOP unity gathering comes on the heels of reports that a joint Trump/RNC fundraising effort raised $55 million last month. That may seem like a lot of money, but it is considerably less than the $68.5 million that Hillary and Democrats raised last month, and well short of the $106 million that Mitt Romney raised in June of 2012.
In other campaign news, both presidential contenders are continuing to hold very public auditions for potential running mates. Yesterday, Newt Gingrich campaigned with Trump in Ohio. Last week, Clinton was in Ohio campaigning with Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren.
Senators Bob Corker (TN) and Joni Ernst (IA) took themselves out of contention yesterday as possible Trump running mates. Some believe the leading contenders are down to Gingrich and Indiana Governor Mike Pence. Other say there could be a surprise choice, like retired Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn.
Meanwhile, the polls are tightening and the race appears to be a tossup. The latest Rasmussen poll has Trump leading by two points.
Convention Chaos?
A new Wall Street Journal report suggests that efforts to oppose Donald Trump’s nomination at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland may be gaining momentum. Anti-Trump members of the Rules Committee are reportedly close to forcing a vote that could unbind the delegates on the first ballot. If that happens, there could be trouble for Trump.
The Journal reports that fewer than 900 delegates are personally loyal to Trump. That’s well-short of the 1,237 he needs to win. Meanwhile, 680 delegates are believed to be opposed to his nomination, leaving about 900 delegates “in play.”
The delegates will have to consider the pros and cons, and make up their own minds. But I don’t understand how party elites can think it is a good idea to cancel the votes of millions of Republicans in order to deprive the winner of the nomination.
I just don’t see how that ends well or how any political party could thrive if it showed such disrespect after a record number of voters had participated in the process.
Not to mention the terrible precedent it sets. Why would anyone bother to vote in another presidential primary if the results don’t matter?
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Five takeaways from FBI hearing FBI Director James Comey on Thursday endured a grueling four-and-a-half hours of questioning at the hands of GOP lawmakers determined to get him to say thatHillary Clinton either lied or broke the law.
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