Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R, VA-06), or as I call him BADlatte, has always been a horrendously bad member of Congress, not to mention a disgrace to his district, to Virginia and to the nation.
Why do I say such a seemingly mean thing? Let us count the ways: Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R) Says It’s Not “Necessary” to Address SCOTUS Gutting of Voting Rights Act, Audio: Woman Asks Rep. Goodlatte How Rape Can Be Considered Pre-Existing Condition Under AHCA; Bizarre, Lying Response, God, Guns, Gays, Gummint: the Career of Rep. Bad Bob Goodlatte, Meet the Virginia congressman who tried to gut the House ethics office, ‘The place bills go to die’ (“Bob Goodlatte’s slow-moving stewardship of the House Judiciary Committee has infuriated Republicans and left Dreamers hanging.”), etc.
And now this, as BADlatte – and the odious Trey “Draco Malfoy Doppelganger?” Gowdy – threatens “Peter Strzok, the former lead agent on FBI investigations into both Hillary Clinton and the Trump campaign… with a contempt citation if he did not answer the question” [about “how many individuals he interviewed in the first week of the Russia probe in the summer of 2016”]. Even more absurdly, BADlatte actually tried to claim (to mocking and/or uncomfortable laughter) that Strzok wasn’t allowed to consult with the FBI Counsel, even though – as Democrats pointed out – “there’s no basis for that, he can consult with the FBI Counsel, he’s an FBI employee.”
Obviously, this is outrageous, thuggish behavior. The reaction on Twitter has been…well, see for yourself.
- @matthewamiller “This is beyond outrageous from Goodlatte & Gowdy. Strzok is an FBI employee and has been ordered by the FBI not to answer certain q’s because they would compromise Mueller’s probe, & they are threatening him with criminal contempt if he doesn’t. Shameful behavior.”
- @benjaminwittes “ALERT: Rep. Goodlatte just forbid an FBI agent from consulting with FBI consult.”
- @DavidCornDC “
@RepGoodlatte refuses to let Strzok consult with his FBI attorney. The hearing is blowing up, as Dems overwhelm Goodlatte with points of order that he can barely handle.” - @NormOrnstein “Trey Gowdy and Bob Goodlatte clearly in contention for medals of honor from Vladimir Putin.”
- @EricHolder “House Republicans are irresponsibly more concerned with Strzok, Rosenstein and Clinton than they are with Putin/Russian actions. Smoke screen. Trying to delegitimize expected results of Mueller inquiry and protect people in Trump campaign and a very likely complicit President”
- @tedlieu “This
#GOP controlled hearing into the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s emails is stupid. But having said that, Peter Strzok is a great witness who is obliterating conspiracy theory after conspiracy theory.”
P.S. I wonder what Ben Cline, the Republican nominee to replace BADlatte as (mis)Representative from the 6th CD, thinks about all this? I can only imagine, though, as that guy’s as bad as BADlatte. So let’s hope that VA-06 voters “decline” Cline, and instead vote for Democrat Jennifer Lewis – an infinitely better choice, for so many reasons – in November.
P.P.S. Paul Waldman nails it – “The Peter Strzok fiasco wrecks the GOP’s bogus conspiracy theory.”
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