Republicans mishandled hearing today. Gohmert rhymes with Gomer.
Baylor grad?
Room erupts in anger and disbelief after Rep. Louie Gohmert asks FBI agent Peter Strzok about affair
WASHINGTON -- Tyler Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert caused an uproar at a congressional hearing Thursday when he accused an FBI agent of lying under oath and asked him "how many times" did he look "so innocently into [his] wife's eyes and lie to her" about an extramarital affair.
Peter Strzok, the FBI agent who led the investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server and previously worked on the investigation into links between the Russian government and President Donald Trump's campaign, was testifying before the House Judiciary and Oversight and Government Reform committees.
Strzok was removed from that role after anti-Trump text messages between Strzok and an FBI attorney -- Lisa Page, the woman with whom he was having an affair -- were published.
Committee members sought to question Strzok about the texts and to determine how, if at all, his anti-Trump bias impacted the investigations.
Gohmert first accused Strzok of lying in previous testimony. But Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., cut him off and asked him to withdraw the assertion that Strzok had lied.
"That's a disgrace," Cicilline said.
"The disgrace is what this man has done to our justice system," Gohmert shot back. "There is the disgrace. And it won't be recaptured any time soon because of the damage you've done to the justice system."
"I've talked to FBI agents around the country," Gohmert continued, visibly upset. "You've embarrassed them, you've embarrassed yourself, and I can't help but wonder when I see you looking there with a little smirk -- how many times did you look so innocently into your wife's eye and lie to her about Lisa Page?"
The room erupted into cries of anger and disbelief. "Aw, Mr. Chairman, this is outrageous," one Democrat complained.
"Credibility of a witness is always an issue," Gohmert retorted over the commotion.
Representatives appealed to the chairman, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va, to bring the room to order. "Mr. Chairman, Mr. Chairman, please," one said. "Mr. Chairman, this is intolerable harassment of a witness!"
Other Democrats shouted Gohmert down themselves, crying out "Shame on you, Mr. Gohmert!" and "Insane asylum!" New Jersey Democratic Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman said, "You need your medication!"
After the commotion died down, Gohmert used the remainder of his time to ask Strzok if he had spoken to Clinton more than once and to remark, incredulously, "So after throwing away what you have, with all the bias you have, you've never even gotten a thank you."
Strzok tried to respond, but Gohmert cut him off, insisting that he was not allowed to answer due to hearing rules that the witness could only respond if a representative asked a direct question.
Goodlatte told Strzok he could answer, though Gohmert was visibly displeased.
"Under oath, as I spoke also during my interview to you a week or two ago, I have always told the truth," Strzok began.
"The fact that you would accuse me otherwise -- the fact that you would question whether or not that was the sort of look I would engage with in a family member who I have acknowledged hurting -- goes more to a discussion about your character and what you stand for and what is going inside you."
Gohmert cut him off, shouting, "It is to your credibility, and you lost your credibility!"
"You lost your credibility, that's the problem," he repeated.
Strzok tried multiple times to finish another sentence -- which he began by telling Gohmert that he doubts his behavior "plays well to America" -- but Goodlatte ended the exchange, telling both men that their time was up.
The fiery exchange was widely shared on social media and used as an example of the contentious bickering that characterized much of the hearing.
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2018/07/12/room-erupts-anger-disbelief-after-rep-louis-gohmert-asks-fbi-agent-peter-strzok-affair
Baylor grad?
Room erupts in anger and disbelief after Rep. Louie Gohmert asks FBI agent Peter Strzok about affair
WASHINGTON -- Tyler Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert caused an uproar at a congressional hearing Thursday when he accused an FBI agent of lying under oath and asked him "how many times" did he look "so innocently into [his] wife's eyes and lie to her" about an extramarital affair.
Peter Strzok, the FBI agent who led the investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server and previously worked on the investigation into links between the Russian government and President Donald Trump's campaign, was testifying before the House Judiciary and Oversight and Government Reform committees.
Strzok was removed from that role after anti-Trump text messages between Strzok and an FBI attorney -- Lisa Page, the woman with whom he was having an affair -- were published.
Committee members sought to question Strzok about the texts and to determine how, if at all, his anti-Trump bias impacted the investigations.
Gohmert first accused Strzok of lying in previous testimony. But Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., cut him off and asked him to withdraw the assertion that Strzok had lied.
"That's a disgrace," Cicilline said.
"The disgrace is what this man has done to our justice system," Gohmert shot back. "There is the disgrace. And it won't be recaptured any time soon because of the damage you've done to the justice system."
"I've talked to FBI agents around the country," Gohmert continued, visibly upset. "You've embarrassed them, you've embarrassed yourself, and I can't help but wonder when I see you looking there with a little smirk -- how many times did you look so innocently into your wife's eye and lie to her about Lisa Page?"
The room erupted into cries of anger and disbelief. "Aw, Mr. Chairman, this is outrageous," one Democrat complained.
"Credibility of a witness is always an issue," Gohmert retorted over the commotion.
Representatives appealed to the chairman, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va, to bring the room to order. "Mr. Chairman, Mr. Chairman, please," one said. "Mr. Chairman, this is intolerable harassment of a witness!"
Other Democrats shouted Gohmert down themselves, crying out "Shame on you, Mr. Gohmert!" and "Insane asylum!" New Jersey Democratic Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman said, "You need your medication!"
After the commotion died down, Gohmert used the remainder of his time to ask Strzok if he had spoken to Clinton more than once and to remark, incredulously, "So after throwing away what you have, with all the bias you have, you've never even gotten a thank you."
Strzok tried to respond, but Gohmert cut him off, insisting that he was not allowed to answer due to hearing rules that the witness could only respond if a representative asked a direct question.
Goodlatte told Strzok he could answer, though Gohmert was visibly displeased.
"Under oath, as I spoke also during my interview to you a week or two ago, I have always told the truth," Strzok began.
"The fact that you would accuse me otherwise -- the fact that you would question whether or not that was the sort of look I would engage with in a family member who I have acknowledged hurting -- goes more to a discussion about your character and what you stand for and what is going inside you."
Gohmert cut him off, shouting, "It is to your credibility, and you lost your credibility!"
"You lost your credibility, that's the problem," he repeated.
Strzok tried multiple times to finish another sentence -- which he began by telling Gohmert that he doubts his behavior "plays well to America" -- but Goodlatte ended the exchange, telling both men that their time was up.
The fiery exchange was widely shared on social media and used as an example of the contentious bickering that characterized much of the hearing.
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2018/07/12/room-erupts-anger-disbelief-after-rep-louis-gohmert-asks-fbi-agent-peter-strzok-affair
