Congress, Constitutional Law, Free Speech, Politics

“Putin Apologists”: Former Sen. Claire McCaskill Denounces Senators Calling for Investigation of FBI Abuses

Even after the collapse of the Russian collusion investigation, Democrats seem to be doubling down on labeling opponents as Russian lovers and Putinites. Yesterday, I testified at a hearing with members of Congress who want the House to investigate possible FBI abuses. One of the witnesses, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, testified how her anti-war positions led to her being labeled a Russian asset by Hillary Clinton. Not to be outdone, MSNBC contributor and former Senator Claire McCaskill appeared on MSNBC following the hearing to denounce Senator Chuck Grassley and Sen. Ron Johnson as “Putin apologists” and Putin lovers.

McCaskill went on MSNBC’s Deadline: White House to declare “I mean, look at this, I mean, all three of those politicians are Putin apologists. I mean, Tulsi Gabbard loves Putin.”

(For the record, she also attacked me as not being “a real lawyer.”)

McCaskill previously denounced the personal attacks used by Republicans as unacceptable in American politics.

It is an ironic follow up to a hearing where I warned Congress not to replicate the mistakes of the McCarthy period and label opponents as “fellow travelers” and Russian sympathizers. McCaskill immediately responded by denouncing these members as Putin apologists and lovers.

Democrats like McCaskill expressed disgust at the personal attacks of former President Donald Trump against opponents and witnesses. I joined in that criticism. However, they are now engaging in the same attacks to avoid addressing issues of agency bias, censorship, and investigatory abuse. On MSNBC, those seeking investigations into these allegations are now Russian lovers and traitors. Even with a supportive media, it will not work. The polls have shown that the public overwhelmingly support investigations into these matters. It will, however, succeed in adding to the hateful rhetoric that now permeates every aspect of our political discourse.

 

82 thoughts on ““Putin Apologists”: Former Sen. Claire McCaskill Denounces Senators Calling for Investigation of FBI Abuses”

  1. I’ve seen the clip where Biden rants Putin must not be allowed to stay in charge of Russia. That he must be removed.
    I also saw Gloria Nuland testify in Congress they spent 5 or 6 billion to overthrow Ukraine successfully and concurrently spent 20 Billion to overthrow Putin in Russia and failed.( ~ < 2014)
    By the time President Trump was elected the DC swamp had been attacking Putin for years, and frustrated by their failure, turned their fantasy into a convenient political weapon against Trump, and now a dangerous war.
    They have over half a decade of Russian and Putin hatred (TDS booster) instilled in the entire democrat voting block of the nation, and enough DC cold warrior holdovers to carry out their crimes, outrage, and war to the bitter end.
    When they squeal so and so loves Putin, what they really mean is we are losing our illegal, immoral, hate filled, destructive, delusional attack on the former USSR central body.
    I doubt they will admit at any point they are morally wrong, ethically wrong, and shouldn't have been doing any of it in the first place.
    Looks like we're all going to see how far they are willing to take it.
    I have no doubt a lot of federal budget money is washing upon them in the process.

  2. What’s wrong with this picture? What’s wrong with America?

    The invading conquerors like the “free stuff” but they don’t like the Constitution.

    “…to OURSELVES and OUR posterity,…”
    ________________________________

    posterity

    noun
    pos·​ter·​i·​ty pä-ˈster-ə-tē

    1: the offspring of one progenitor to the furthest generation

    2: all future generations
    ___________________

    “We the People of the United States,…secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,….”

    – Preamble to the Constitution of the United States
    ________________________________________

    Naturalization Acts of 1790, 1795, 1798 and 1802 (four iterations – they meant it)

    United States Congress, “An act to establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization,” March 26, 1790

    “Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That any Alien being a free white person, who shall have resided within the limits and under the jurisdiction of the United States for the term of two years, may be admitted to become a citizen thereof…”

    1. I like to say, and it works for FJB as well, she’s always been senile, she’s just now getting old.

    2. An idiot is elected because idiots are allowed to vote.

      The Founders intended for the vote to be severely restricted by criteria legislated by States.

      Turnout was 11.5% in 1788, State vote criteria were male, European, 21 with 50 lbs. Sterling/50 acres, and citizens must have been “…free white person(s)….”

      In any case, the vote is moot.

      People can’t vote for “free stuff” or regulation because the Constitution severely limits and restricts it all.

      The Constitution has been shredded and nullified and America and American freedom have been demolished and destroyed by leeches, dependents and parasites.

      If you have freedom, it is through self-reliance.

      If you have enslavement, it is through communist dictatorship.
      _________________________________________________

      “the people are nothing but a great beast…

      I have learned to hold popular opinion of no value.”

      – Alexander Hamilton
      _________________

      “The true reason (says Blackstone) of requiring any qualification, with regard to property in voters, is to exclude such persons, as are in so mean a situation, that they are esteemed to have no will of their own.”

      “If it were probable that every man would give his vote freely, and without influence of any kind, then, upon the true theory and genuine principles of liberty, every member of the community, however poor, should have a vote… But since that can hardly be expected, in persons of indigent fortunes, or such as are under the immediate dominion of others, all popular states have been obliged to establish certain qualifications, whereby, some who are suspected to have no will of their own, are excluded from voting; in order to set other individuals, whose wills may be supposed independent, more thoroughly upon a level with each other.”

      – Alexander Hamilton, The Farmer Refuted, 1775
      _______________________________________

  4. Durham Probe Proved To Be The Ultimate ‘Weaponization Of Government’

    It became a regular litany of grievances from President Donald J. Trump and his supporters: The investigation into his 2016 campaign’s ties to Russia was a witch hunt, they maintained, that had been opened without any solid basis, went on too long and found no proof of collusion.

    Egged on by Mr. Trump, Attorney General William P. Barr set out in 2019 to dig into their shared theory that the Russia investigation likely stemmed from a conspiracy by intelligence or law enforcement agencies. To lead the inquiry, Mr. Barr turned to a hard-nosed prosecutor named John H. Durham, and later granted him special counsel status to carry on after Mr. Trump left office.

    But after almost four years — far longer than the Russia investigation itself — Mr. Durham’s work is coming to an end without uncovering anything like the deep state plot alleged by Mr. Trump and suspected by Mr. Barr.

    Moreover, a monthslong review by The New York Times found that the main thrust of the Durham inquiry was marked by some of the very same flaws — including a strained justification for opening it and its role in fueling partisan conspiracy theories that would never be charged in court — that Trump allies claim characterized the Russia investigation.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/26/us/politics/durham-trump-russia-barr.html

    1. Seriously, you are quoting the NY Times? I have noticed that NOBODY in authority wants to believe that there is such corruption in our gov’t. Same for election fraud, NOBODY wants to believe it possible,they just shut their eyes and won’t look at the evidence. (Remember all the judges that just tossed the lawsuits without even looking at the evidence? Ditto SCOTUS)

      1. Estovir, show us a ‘proper’ list of all the convictions Durham has scored.

        SPOILER ALERT: The above article might be the closest thing you’ll find to such a list.

    2. I find it Odd that those on the left seem to think that Durham found nothing.

      Durham lost two cases because the Jury concluded that the FBI Already KNEW that the Steele Dossier and the Alpha Bank garbage were HOAXES.

      While every sane person grasp that the Collusion Delusion was nonsense.
      Durham has very successfully exposed how Corrupt the FBI and DOJ were.

      What is infortunate is that nothing of consequence has been done about it,
      and many of the same people continue to weaponize law enforcement for political purposes.

      You should be thankful that Republicans are NOT dealing with Democrats int he way Democrats have done.

      So far Republican hearings have followed normal rules. Democrats have the members of their choice on special committees, they get to call their own witnesses, they get to cross examine republican witnesses, they get to spin their own version until they are dizzy and fall over.

  5. Let’s think about some common approaches to things. Putin wants censorship through control of the media and the social networks in Russia. The Democrats want censorship through control of the media and the social networks in The United States. Which one of these things is just like the other? Which party is calling for the Putin policies to be applied in this country? The Democrats should recognize that the Russia, Russia, Russia thing has lost it’s sting and the polling proves this to be true. They continue even when the people are not buying it anymore. What else can they do in their moment of desperation? Wait for it. The FBI whistleblowers will be Putin puppets too. The Russia hoax is thankfully over.

    1. Estovir, even if Trump was just a useful idiot, no president was ever more useful to our enemies. So all this mocking, “Russia, Russia, Russia” is strictly for other Trumpers.

  6. Enough. The Fat Lady sang a long time ago.

    Are there any Americans left in America?
    ________________________________

    “But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

    – Declaration of Independence, 1776

  7. Professor Turley, you are far too intelligent to call yourself a democrat, certainly by now you have learned name calling and personal attacks are the norm for the left who are devoid of critical thinking skills and class. Your testimony was spotless. Obviously you hit a nerve and the response was as expected.

    1. Just as it was beginning to look like we would have to repeal the women’s voter rights act, along comes Marjorie Taylor Greene, Tulsi Gabbard, Loren Boebert, Kari Lake, and a handful of other women who retain the ability to think reason and rationalize and if America is to be preserved it will be the result of these women, a handful of Black conservatives and the Handfull of genuine Republicans who stood they’re ground in the Speakership Election!
      May God Richly Bless each and everyone of you🙏🏻

    2. i don’t personally have information about
      Claire being corrupt for MO or not, but I am personally certain that God doesn’t send us human hatred. That is something we manifest ourselves.

  10. To all the Leftist, To what end?

    You fabricate science, childish explanations for inconvenient facts, votes and lies as needed to support your lunacy. Assume you are successful, what would be left? Certainly not a country where people want to live and business wants to invest. Your objective seems to be a country where food, energy, medicine, shelter and creature comforts are all in short supply and the leaders are all selected on anything other than capability and accomplishment. You the left always make the mistake of wanting to control something that is desirable and plentiful without realizing your control will destroy its existence.

    Is being in power all that matters? Would you really rather rule a dystopia than participate in making opportunity possible to all?

    1. A very wise man whose name escapes me once said ” An evil man will destroy a nation just to be able to rule over the ashes”

    3. Case in point: California. People and business are fleeing due to Leftist doctrines being passed in the Legislature. Who will be left to serve Starbucks and pick the avocadoes when the supposed riff-raff finally catch on and leave, too?

    4. “You the left always make the mistake of wanting to control something that is desirable and plentiful without realizing your control will destroy its existence.”

      Well said.

      “Certainly not a country where people want to live . . .”

      Exhibit A: California.

  14. Using a sports metaphor:
    Most parents understand the value of sports and sportsmanship. We teach our kids that success is primarily hard work and playing by a set of rules (same rules that apply to both teams). The rules of the games can be amended, but not in the middle of the game. There is also an appeals process to settle disputes.

    The integrity of the game also depends on honest impartial referees, without favor to either team, adhering to the rulebook.

    The U.S. Constitution is another rulebook that benefits Republicans, Democrats and Independents – everyone. Nobody wins every game but the system overall provides benefits to all Americans. The referees and officials also swear to uphold the “overt” advertised rules of the game.

    Without that integrity Americans lose faith in the institutions themselves and lose faith in the government officials (the ones that promised GOD to uphold the U.S. Constitution).

    Like sports, today we have very self-destructive “Tribalism” that harms everyone. Imagine teaching your kids to bride the referree or cheat when the ref’s not looking. That’s a pretty accurate portrait of 21st Century government.

  15. “Democrats like McCaskill expressed disgust at the personal attacks of former President Donald Trump against opponents and witnesses. I joined in that criticism.”
    And you were clearly wrong for doing so. It’s obvious by now to anyone with eyes that President Trump’s criticism of his opponents and enemies or, if anything, too restrained. These people are communist filth and anti-American traders and need to be in prison for the rest of their lives.

    1. Harry, Jesus, get a brain. Eww “communist filth” Pretty pathetic, Harry. Anti American “traders”… ummm right, traders. Not everyone can have an education, particularly the bottom 30% of the public on the IQ scale that are all MAGA. Best and easiest to go back to the propaganda media channels homelands where the garbage is spoon fed to idiots.

  16. Just chalk up former Senator McCaskill’s intelligence and fair mindedness to the same degree of Lawrence O’Donnell. They are both cut from the same cloth, an embarrassment, and work at MSNBC.
    Enough said!

  17. Our “two-party” political system and parallel major media outlets are clearly morally and ethically bankrupt. At this point, the only possible solution appears to be to scrap the democrat and republican parties as well as their respective echo-chamber media mouthpieces that are driving the US headlong toward a Civil War which looks to be scheduled to coincide with a Third World War that they are cooking up simultaneously — with possible intent to depopulate the planet.

    One of the great historical ironies is that democrats and republicans — and their mirror images in the garbage media — all conspired together to first demonize Trump — who managed to guide the US through 4 years of no new wars — to get him out of the way with a mountain of slander and defamation combined with an “election” that would never stand up under reasonable scrutiny, so that the “bipartisan” insurrectionists that took over after our government was de-Trumped could plunge the world headlong down this self-destructive rabbit hole.

    If only they can manage to add either a great depression or great plague to the looming civil war and world war, they just might manage to pull off an armageddon trifecta that would be the envy of Major Kong:

  18. Democrats have likely been disproportionately harmed more by the FBI’s unconstitutional practices, far more harm than Republicans.

    To the best of my knowledge, the FBI was created by Republican Teddy Roosevelt and in over 100 years has never been led by a Democratic FBI Director. All Republicans.

    No Democrat in over 100 years with a track record of 100 years primarily targeting Democrats.

    Everyone should be demanding that FBI Directors and top management create a “constitutional” culture, since their own Oath of Office swears supreme loyalty to the U.S. Constitution.

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