Trump Lashes Out in Total Lie Tweetstorm
Absolutely False Claims
As America turns its focus to the Senate Health Care bill that is expected to kick tens of millions off their coverage, literally minutes before it was released to the U.S. Senate and about 90 minutes before its nationwide publication online, President Donald Trump lashed out in a tweetstorm that was a total lie – and it wasn’t even about healthcare.
Trump began by falsely claiming that Obama-era Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said in his testimony on Tuesday that there was no collusion between Russia and Trump. That is absolutely false.
“Former Homeland Security Advisor Jeh Johnson is latest top intelligence official to state there was no grand scheme between Trump & Russia,” Trump tweeted, wrongly identifying Johnson as an “Advisor.” He was a cabinet secretary.
But more importantly, Trump’s statement is absolutely a lie. Johnson did not say that, and no investigation has been completed, so there’s no reason he would have.Â
Literally, the first line of Johnson’s remarks to the House Intelligence Committee states: “In 2016 the Russian government, at the direction of Vladimir Putin himself, orchestrated cyberattacks on our Nation for the purpose of influencing our election – plain and simple.”Â
“Vladimir Putin ordered the attack on the U.S. election. Plain and simple.” Jeh Johnson#TrumpRussia #Resistpic.twitter.com/7C0CMZKQ4X
— Scott Dworkin (@funder) June 21, 2017
While that’s not a statement saying there was or was not collusion, there are several investigations taking place now that will hopefully determine if there was or not.
But this Q & A between former Secretary Johnson and Rep. Adam Schiff on Wednesday says a lot:
SCHIFF: Are you aware of the information that formed the basis for Director Comey opening a counterintelligence investigation, as you testified in July of last year?
JOHNSON: No, not as I sit here. And if I did, I’m not sure I could talk about it in open session. But I do not.
SCHIFF: And I’m not going to ask you to. But do you believe that Director Comey would have opened a counterintelligence investigation on a presidential campaign lightly or on mere hunch?
JOHNSON: No.
SCHIFF: You would need some evidentiary information or basis to do so?
JOHNSON: Based on everything I know about Jim Comey and the FBI, yes.
In other words, Comey would not have started the investigation just because he felt like it.
The President, via Twitter Thursday morning, also appeared to flat-out deny Russia interfered in the 2016 election that placed him in the White House thanks to his Electoral College win, despite the unanimous agreement between all 17 U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia, in fact, did attack America’s electoral process.
Thursday morning Trump also took the opportunity to attack his predecessor, something he and his administration do almost daily. Trump asked why President Barack Obama didn’t stop Russia – something Obama tried to do, including in a face-to-face meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
Perhaps this clip answers Trump’s “questions”:
Fmr. DHS Sec. Jeh Johnson: “It was unprecedented, the scale and scope” of Russian interference in 2016 election. (via @MSNBC) pic.twitter.com/ar5yR1NL9e
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 21, 2017
40 minutes later, clearly having still been thinking about it, Trump posted another tweet, claiming – again, falsely – Russia’s interference in the election is “all a big Dem HOAX!”
Again, a lie. All 17 U.S. intelligence agencies agree.
And Trump was not finished yet. Keep in mind, his focus, like many others was, should have been on the Senate health care bill, something Trump has proven he cares little about.Â
Minutes later, Trump, tweeting about the DNC’s server that was hacked and its contents turned over to Wikileaks, called Russia’s intervention “all a big Dem scam and excuse for losing the election!”Â
But even then the President wasn’t satisfied.
He threw in a partisan hack attack, just for good measure:
I certainly hope the Democrats do not force Nancy P out. That would be very bad for the Republican Party – and please let Cryin’ Chuck stay!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017
Here are the rest of the tweets:
Former Homeland Security Advisor Jeh Johnson is latest top intelligence official to state there was no grand scheme between Trump & Russia.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017
By the way, if Russia was working so hard on the 2016 Election, it all took place during the Obama Admin. Why didn’t they stop them?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017
…Why did Democratic National Committee turn down the DHS offer to protect against hacks (long prior to election). It’s all a big Dem HOAX!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017
…Why did the DNC REFUSE to turn over its Server to the FBI, and still hasn’t? It’s all a big Dem scam and excuse for losing the election!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2017
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Image by Darron Birgenheier via Flickr and a CC licenseÂ
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