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A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 14 July 2018

Acrimony, insults and a Congress endlessly split over Trump

By LISA MASCARO el.
AP Congressional Corre- Those spats paled in com-
spondent pared to what came next.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., a
long-awaited question- bulldog investigator during
ing of the FBI agent at the Barack Obama’s admin-
heart of the 2016 election istration, asked Strzok to
probe was always expect- read aloud his disparaging
ed to be one for the history text messages about Trump
books. But Congress outdid to FBI attorney Lisa Page,
itself. with whom he was having
After 10 hours of finger- an affair.
pointing, F-bomb reading “OMG, he’s an idiot,” Strzok
and in-your-face testimony read one. Then another,
between special agent Pe- “What the F happened to
ter Strzok and a joint panel our country, Lis?”
of 70 lawmakers, the parti- Issa: “OK, read it again that
san divide over the inves- way.”
tigation of Russian inter- Strzok: “Was it not intelligi-
ference in the election of ble?
President Donald Trump re- Issa: “I just want to hear it
mains precipitously deep, one more time.”
with no political bridge in FBI Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok prepares to testify before the the House Committees on Strzok: “OK, sir, happy to
sight. the Judiciary and Oversight and Government Reform during a hearing on “Oversight of FBI and indulge you. ... ‘What the F
On the one side are Demo- DOJ Actions Surrounding the 2016 Election,” on Capitol Hill, Thursday, July 12, 2018, in Washington. happened to our country,
crats who heard in Strzok’s Associated Press Lis?’”
testimony an unflinching, for the ability of Congress “I understand we’re living aimed at rooting out com- In another exchange, Rep.
if flawed, G-man trying to to function. in a political era in which munists, the probe of Hillary Louie Gohmert, R-Texas,
stop Russian interference in “Politicians love to grand- insults and insinuation often Clinton’s role after the at- asked the FBI agent if he
American democracy. On stand and that was a per- drown out honesty and in- tack on Benghazi, Libya. used the same “smirk” and
the other are Republicans fect venue for all of them tegrity,” he began. “But the From the start, Rep. Bob lied to his wife about the
who see anti-Trump text to do so,” said Rep. Tom honest truth is that Russian Goodlatte, R-Va., the Judi- affair. Democrats howled
messages Strzok sent to his Rooney, F-Fla., who said interference in our elec- ciary chairman, struggled in protest, one questioning
lover as evidence of alarm- the proceedings reminded tions constitutes a grave to maintain control. if Gohmert needed to take
ing bias at the highest lev- him of the Bill Clinton im- attack on our democ- After the top Democrat on his medication.
els of government. peachment sessions he racy. Most disturbingly, it the Oversight panel, Rep. During a break, Rep. Doug
The aftermath produced watched as a young man has been wildly successful, Elijah Cummings of Mary- Collins, R-Ga., who grilled
one certainty: Congress is two decades ago. In fact, sowing discord in our na- land, erected large posters Strzok on his security clear-
hopelessly split in conduct- some of the same veteran tion and shaking faith in our of the individuals indicted ance, acknowledged
ing executive branch over- lawmakers were still there intuitions.” so far in the government’s there were “probably
sight of the Trump adminis- playing starring roles, he But that was a topic for an- Russia probe, Goodlatte some comments that were
tration. Lawmakers reflect said. “And I would contend other day. The joint hear- ordered them taken down, over the top, sure, on both
their constituents, and after that Mr. Strzok was doing it ing of the Judiciary and calling them “inappropri- sides.”
running on partisan over- a little, too.” Oversight panels quickly ate.” But Collins said Americans
drive for years, they staked In his opening remarks, morphed into a spectacle “Is there a rule for that, Mr. can see through the theat-
out defiantly opposing Strzok, a career FBI agent, that lawmakers compared Chairman?” Cummings rics. “They do understand
sides. The level of acrimony set the stage for what was to earlier showdowns — the retorted. “Cite the rule!” this investigation needs to
poses a real-life stress test about to unfold. Joe McCarthy hearings came voices from the pan- happen.”q

Intel official: Cyber threat warnings ‘blinking red’

By DEB RIECHMANN tional Intelligence Director attack was imminent.
Associated Press Dan Coats. “Here we are nearly two
WASHINGTON (AP) — “The Department of Home- decades later and I’m
Warning lights about cy- land Security and the FBI, here to say the warn-
ber threats to U.S. national in coordination with inter- ing lights are blinking red
security are “blinking red” national partners, have again,” Coats said.
and the digital attempts detected Russian govern- Coats spoke at Hudson In-
to undermine America are ment actors targeting gov- stitute, a Washington think
occurring daily, not just at ernment and businesses in tank, shortly after the Jus-
election time, the nation’s the energy, nuclear, wa- tice Department indicted
top intelligence official ter, aviation and critical 12 Russian intelligence of-
said Friday. manufacturing sectors,” ficers accused of hacking
Russia has been the most Coats said. into Democratic email ac-
aggressive foreign actor, He compared the cyber counts during the 2016 U.S.
but cyber threats also are threat today with how U.S. presidential election and
coming from China, Iran officials said before 9/11 releasing stolen informa-
In this March 6, 2018, file photo, Director of National Intelligence and North Korea as well as that intelligence channels tion in the months before
Dan Coats testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee
on Capitol Hill in Washington. criminal networks and in- were “blinking red” with Americans headed to the
Associated Press dividual hackers, said Na- warning signs that a terror polls.q