Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) claimed that Trump was friendly with the FBI and that the search was unnecessary because all the FBI had to do was ask for the documents back.
Video:
Transcript via CNN State Of The Union:
CRENSHAW: Yes, again, people signing off on it doesn’t mean it’s — it doesn’t — that it has precedent. It doesn’t. This is a very unprecedented measure.
And you know that when you’re going after an ex-president who may run again, that this is — this is automatically political. You can’t — you cannot separate the legal aspects of this from the political aspects of it. You can’t. And it doesn’t seem to me like they have acted responsibly as a result of that.
And look, again, why not just ask him? Why not just ask him?
(CROSSTALK)
TAPPER: But didn’t they? I thought they’d been negotiating and trying to get the information from him. And…
CRENSHAW: And he cooperated.
TAPPER: But he didn’t turn over boxes and boxes of materials, as far as the Justice Department says.
CRENSHAW: But he’s been cooperating.
And he — and I think he’s on the record saying, whatever you need from us, just ask. It’s great to see you guys. I mean, it was a very friendly environment. There’s no reason… TAPPER: But his lawyers said they didn’t have any more classified information, and the Justice Department said, yes, you do. And they went and got it.
And the only reason we know about the raid was because Donald Trump announced it.
CRENSHAW: Right. Well, I think we would have figured it out, even if he hadn’t.
But, look, the lawyers did sign the document that they have nothing left. Now that’s either a huge mistake on the part of the lawyers. But even if — even if it was nefarious again, why not say, hey, we don’t believe you, now, let us come back, and let’s go through these boxes again? There’s tons of boxes here.
I mean, do we do — do any of us really believe that Donald Trump is, like, reading his nuclear secrets on his bedside at night? I — there’s an intense question here. And if you’re going — and if you’re going to use the Espionage Act, and if you’re going to — and if you’re going to pursue this criminal investigation, you have to prove intent.
And that doesn’t seem likely in this case, right, especially when this person has been cooperating extensively in a very friendly manner. And so that’s why a lot of us jumped to the conclusion that this was highly politicized, because it was so unnecessary to do an armed raid to resolve this particular issue that could have been resolved very easily otherwise.
Trump Lied To The FBI And Hid Classified Documents
The DOJ and the National Archives spent more than a year trying to get the documents back from Trump. The DOJ spent months nicely trying to get the documents back from Trump.
The DOJ had to get a subpoena because Trump was not cooperating and he was lying.
Rep. Crenshaw is engaging in a cover-up of Trump’s theft of classified information.
Republicans don’t know what Trump did, but it hasn’t stopped them from risking their party on a gibberish cover-up for Trump.
Crenshaw’s comments were a complete denial of the facts and a total lie that sets the stage for how Republicans will handle a potential Trump indictment.
Mr. Easley is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
