Gone in 60 seconds: At FBI director hearing, Republican conspiracies about Biden go 'POOF!'

[aubiefifty 18,259]

 

yahoo.com

 

Gone in 60 seconds: At FBI director hearing, Republican conspiracies about Biden go 'POOF!'

Rex Huppke, USA TODAY

5–6 minutes

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House Republicans are convinced the FBI and the Department of Justice and basically any law enforcement agency that hasn’t found President Joe Biden guilty of being a global criminal mastermind is corrupt – CORRUPT, I TELL YOU! – and in cahoots with Democrats.

But the steaming hot conspiracy bubbles belching up from the right-wing fever swamps are occasionally pierced by facts, and a rather thunderous bubble-popping took place Wednesday during a House Judiciary Committee hearing featuring FBI Director Christopher Wray.

The overall tenor of questioning from Republican lawmakers during the hearing was: “YOU GUYS TOTALLY FOMENTED THE JAN. 6 ATTACK ON THE U.S. CAPITOL, DIDNYA? AND YOU ALL HATE DONALD TRUMP TOO, DONTCHA?? AND YOU ALL LOVE JOE BIDEN TOO, RIGHT?!?”

'Are you protecting the Bidens?' and other really dumb questions

Rep. Matt Gaetz railed at Wray and the FBI for not finding greater criminality in the actions of the president’s son, Hunter Biden, and for not linking Joe Biden in with the hysterical, evidence-free allegations Republicans have cooked up.

“You seem deeply uncurious about it don’t you? Almost suspiciously uncurious?” asked Gaetz, R-Fla., sounding like a cartoon villain, only dumber. “Are you protecting the Bidens?”

 

FBI Director Christopher Wray listens to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, during a hearing on July 12, 2023.

 

It was all just a giant load of nonsense, which makes sense, as the House Republicans' current motto is: “A giant load of nonsense.”

OK, who let a Republican ask a smart and relevant question? THAT'S NOT HOW THIS WORKS!!

But then, in less than a minute, one line of questioning made the GOP’s entire line of hooey about the FBI having it in for Republicans and being in the bag for Biden go poof.

Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo. – yes, a Republican – began asking Wray about his career.

Buck said: “You were nominated by Republican President (George. W.) Bush for the position of assistant attorney general in the criminal division at the Department of Justice and you were confirmed by a Republican Senate?”

Wray replied: “Yes, by unanimous voice vote.”

Buck continued: “And you were then nominated by Republican President Donald Trump to be the FBI director and again confirmed by a Republican Senate for that position?”

“Yes,” Wray said. “I think there were only five votes against me and they were all from Democrats.”

Buck concluded: “According to Wikipedia, you’re still a registered Republican, and I hope you don’t change your party affiliation after this hearing is over.”

Republican Rep. Ken Buck to Wray: "According to Wikipedia, you are still a registered Republican, and I hope you don't change your party affiliation after this hearing is over." pic.twitter.com/IuSPMg0ioG

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 12, 2023

So the Republicans who want to defund and discredit the FBI, the ones who eagerly dragged the FBI director through the mud Wednesday with absurd allegations grounded in zero facts, want you, the American people, to believe this: The nation’s premier law enforcement agency has been weaponized against Republicans under a director who is a lifelong Republican and who reached his current post by being selected and confirmed to positions by two Republican presidents and two Republican-led Senate bodies.

DeSantis losing to Trump in Florida? Time to label the former president 'woke'!

Even as a conspiracy theory the GOP's anti-FBI theory doesn't make sense

Forget that all this is in defense of former President Donald Trump, a one-term, twice-impeached lifelong con artist who now faces more than 70 felony charges in two cases, with more indictments on the horizon.

Forget that Hunter Biden was actually charged with two misdemeanor tax offenses and a felony firearm offense.

Just a quick heads up: AI-powered robots will kill us. K, bye.

Forget that, despite relentless investigation, Republicans have produced nothing linking President Biden to his son’s activity, or the fact that the person they touted as a key whistleblower was just charged with arms trafficking and acting as an unregistered agent for China.

Before you even get into details of the conspiracies, you have to believe the FBI director at the center of it all is corrupt. And he was appointed first by President Bush and then again by President Trump! This conspiracy is now an unusually large footprint shy of Bigfoot.

Poof!

 

USA TODAY Opinion columnist Rex Huppke.

 

Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Twitter @RexHuppke and Facebook facebook.com/RexIsAJerk

You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: FBI Director Wray's House hearing exposes folly of GOP conspiracies

[AU9377 6,037]

The fringe right of House Republicans defines justice as charging whatever crime they allege.  The same people would be praising Weiss and Wray had they followed their suggestion and not the actual evidence.

[AUFAN78 4,156]

Whistleblowers allege President Joe Biden and his family have taken up to $30 million in illicit bribes and payments from foreign sources tied to China, Russia and Ukraine. Biden denies it. Do Americans believe him? No. By more than 2-to-1, they say they believe the whistleblowers, the latest I&I/TIPP Poll shows.

The online poll of 1,341 adults, taken July 5-7, asked respondents how likely is it that the claims are true? The poll has a margin of error of +/-2.7 percentage points.

The results weren't close. Americans, by 56% to 27%, called Biden bribery charges "likely," rather than "unlikely."

https://tippinsights.com/56-of-voters-agree-biden-likely-took-bribes-in-office-i-i-tipp-poll/

[Mikey 16,781]

On 7/13/2023 at 11:12 AM, AUFAN78 said:

The results weren't close. Americans, by 56% to 27%, called Biden bribery charges "likely," rather than "unlikely."

Well, when the Bidens set up over 20 dummie corporations in order to hide their illegal "Pay for Pay" schemes, people are going to believe their own eyes. https://saharareporters.com/2023/05/10/how-us-president-bidens-family-received-over-10million-foreign-nationals-tried-hide

[TexasTiger 14,310]

10 minutes ago, Mikey said:

Well, when the Bidens set up over 20 dummie corporations in order to hide their illegal "Pay for Pay" schemes, people are going to believe their own eyes. https://saharareporters.com/2023/05/10/how-us-president-bidens-family-received-over-10million-foreign-nationals-tried-hide

Biden’s family— who?

[I_M4_AU 8,943]

2 hours ago, TexasTiger said:

Biden’s family— who?

“Since you asked, I’ll tell you,” Comer (R-Ky.) told a rapt room of reporters at the Capitol after laying out new bank record evidence showing first son Hunter Biden received $1 million from a corrupt Romanian businessman while his dad was vice president.

“Joe Biden’s son [Hunter], Joe Biden’s brother [James], Joe Biden’s brother’s wife [Sara], Hunter Biden’s girlfriend or Beau Biden’s widow [Hallie], however, you want to write that, Hunter Biden’s ex-wife [Kathleen Buhle], Hunter Biden’s current wife [Melissa Cohen], and three children of the president’s son and the president’s brother,” Comer said.

The chairman seemed to indicate that only one of Biden’s grandchildren and two of his brother’s children got the foreign funds.

“We’re talking about grandchil — a grandchild,” Comer said at the press conference. “That’s odd, most people that work hard every day’s grandchild doesn’t get a wire from a foreign national.” 

https://nypost.com/2023/05/10/nine-biden-family-members-who-allegedly-got-foreign-money-identified-by-house-gop/

 

[TexasTiger 14,310]

1 hour ago, I_M4_AU said:

“Since you asked, I’ll tell you,” Comer (R-Ky.) told a rapt room of reporters at the Capitol after laying out new bank record evidence showing first son Hunter Biden received $1 million from a corrupt Romanian businessman while his dad was vice president.

“Joe Biden’s son [Hunter], Joe Biden’s brother [James], Joe Biden’s brother’s wife [Sara], Hunter Biden’s girlfriend or Beau Biden’s widow [Hallie], however, you want to write that, Hunter Biden’s ex-wife [Kathleen Buhle], Hunter Biden’s current wife [Melissa Cohen], and three children of the president’s son and the president’s brother,” Comer said.

The chairman seemed to indicate that only one of Biden’s grandchildren and two of his brother’s children got the foreign funds.

“We’re talking about grandchil — a grandchild,” Comer said at the press conference. “That’s odd, most people that work hard every day’s grandchild doesn’t get a wire from a foreign national.” 

https://nypost.com/2023/05/10/nine-biden-family-members-who-allegedly-got-foreign-money-identified-by-house-gop/

 

Any evidence or just Comer talking?

[I_M4_AU 8,943]

30 minutes ago, TexasTiger said:

Any evidence or just Comer talking?

Not yet, I just answered your question.  Why would a person set up 20 LLCs other than to hide something?  Some questions need answers, I hope we get them.

[TexasTiger 14,310]

10 hours ago, I_M4_AU said:

Not yet, I just answered your question.  Why would a person set up 20 LLCs other than to hide something?  Some questions need answers, I hope we get them.

What about 25 times that number?

“President Donald Trump's latest financial disclosure includes details on the 500 or so limited liability companies (LLCs) he owns, and their revenue. But what exactly is an LLC, and does disclosing these numbers provide more — or less — information about Trump's businesses?”
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna874391

[I_M4_AU 8,943]

7 hours ago, TexasTiger said:

What about 25 times that number?

“President Donald Trump's latest financial disclosure includes details on the 500 or so limited liability companies (LLCs) he owns, and their revenue. But what exactly is an LLC, and does disclosing these numbers provide more — or less — information about Trump's businesses?”
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna874391

You mean a man that has been in business for decades has 500 LLCs as opposed to a man that just got out of a government job he spent 50 years in creating 20 LLCs in quick order?  Is this what you are comparing?  Whataboutism from the press.  Brilliant.

[TexasTiger 14,310]

4 minutes ago, I_M4_AU said:

You mean a man that has been in business for decades has 500 LLCs as opposed to a man that just got out of a government job he spent 50 years in creating 20 LLCs in quick order?  Is this what you are comparing?  Whataboutism from the press.  Brilliant.

BS! 20 means you’re hiding something, but 500 is great! Your EXTREME hypocrisy is showing! 

[I_M4_AU 8,943]

Just now, TexasTiger said:

BS! 20 means you’re hiding something, but 500 is great! Your EXTREME hypocrisy is showing! 

You should know how businesses are conducted and the LLCs are a part of that.  No hypocrisy.  Do you think Donald Trump has been investigated for his business dealings?  Do you think the first investigation into Biden is not worth looking in to? Not that is hypocrisy.  

[TexasTiger 14,310]

54 minutes ago, I_M4_AU said:

You should know how businesses are conducted and the LLCs are a part of that.  No hypocrisy.  Do you think Donald Trump has been investigated for his business dealings?  Do you think the first investigation into Biden is not worth looking in to? Not that is hypocrisy.  

Who has investigated all Trump’s businesses & investments?

You made a blanket statement that applies 25 times to Trump. I know business use LLCs. Can you provide actual facts about the time frame for those LLCs because he was in private business since at least 2006.

[Mikey 16,781]

43 minutes ago, TexasTiger said:

BS! 20 means you’re hiding something, but 500 is great! Your EXTREME hypocrisy is showing! 

You people are getting more ridiculous and/or desperate by the day. You remind me of a wild animal caught in a cage, lunging here and there, all to no avail.

To change the subject only slightly, why waste your time defending Biden? He's finished anyway. Five will get you ten he isn't the Dumbocrat nominee next year and that's unfortunate. He's so, beatable.

[TexasTiger 14,310]

8 minutes ago, Mikey said:

You people are getting more ridiculous and/or desperate by the day. You remind me of a wild animal caught in a cage, lunging here and there, all to no avail.

To change the subject only slightly, why waste your time defending Biden? He's finished anyway. Five will get you ten he isn't the Dumbocrat nominee next year and that's unfortunate. He's so, beatable.

You people project a lot.

[I_M4_AU 8,943]

38 minutes ago, TexasTiger said:

Who has investigated all Trump’s businesses & investments?

You made a blanket statement that applies 25 times to Trump. I know business use LLCs. Can you provide actual facts about the time frame for those LLCs because he was in private business since at least 2006.

ALL?  Nobody has investigated all of Trumps investments, why waste the time?  He has been investigated even before he held office.  When he became President, that’s all that’s been happening.

I have no timeline, but I bet the oversight committee does.  They haven’t made it public as far as I know.  I’m patient though.  How do you think Biden will hold up under the scrutiny? 

[TexasTiger 14,310]

11 minutes ago, I_M4_AU said:

ALL?  Nobody has investigated all of Trumps investments, why waste the time?  He has been investigated even before he held office.  When he became President, that’s all that’s been happening.

I have no timeline, but I bet the oversight committee does.  They haven’t made it public as far as I know.  I’m patient though.  How do you think Biden will hold up under the scrutiny? 

Get actual facts in the open. So far it’s all speculation & innuendo.

[I_M4_AU 8,943]

1 minute ago, TexasTiger said:

Get actual facts in the open. So far it’s all speculation & innuendo.

I think they’re going with the *Adam Schiff* playbook.  It worked for him.

[I_M4_AU 8,943]

Well, should be an interesting day for the GOP Oversight and Accountability Committee.

 

 

[I_M4_AU 8,943]

 

What a gem.

[I_M4_AU 8,943]

Goldman inserts foot in mouth:

 

 

[I_M4_AU 8,943]

Another big moment:

 

 

[Didba 5,510]

[aubiefifty 18,259]

2 hours ago, Didba said:

trump they want to deflect on someone but they cannot come up with the proof. i mean how many excuses have they come up with so far? amazing. poot butthurt little trumpers............

[TexasTiger 14,310]

On 7/16/2023 at 8:52 AM, I_M4_AU said:

ALL?  Nobody has investigated all of Trumps investments, why waste the time?  He has been investigated even before he held office.  When he became President, that’s all that’s been happening.

I have no timeline, but I bet the oversight committee does.  They haven’t made it public as far as I know.  I’m patient though.  How do you think Biden will hold up under the scrutiny? 

Who investigated all his businesses? Who? When exactly?