Rep. Dave Brat Offers Latest GOP Trump-Russia Defense: ‘Everybody Colludes in This City!’
Rep. Dave Brat offered the latest GOP defense against allegations President Donald Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia to upend the 2016 election: everyone colludes.
Speaking with MSNBC’s Craig Melvin, the Republican Freedom Caucus congressman kicked things off by stating that “the Russians were obviously involved in our election process,” and former President Obama knew about the interference, but “didn’t do anything about it.”
He then blamed Democrats for politicizing the investigation into Russian meddling, claiming “we need to calm down, follow the law.”
“So just let the process play out, whatever the rules are,” Brat continued. “If a statute has been violated, that’s the key. Name the statute.”
“And this word ‘collusion’ is all over the place. I mean everybody colludes this city! Right?” the congressman said.
Melvin noted that collusion happening in D.C. is likely different from what is alleged to have happened between Trump’s campaign and Russia — but Brat disagreed.
“This whole city is a web of collusion and big money,” Brat quipped.
The congressman went on to bash the media for holding a bias towards Hillary Clinton, noting the majority of presidential campaign donations from journalists went to Clinton.
“The Washington Post was great on Watergate, but they missed Clintongate,” he said.
Melvin then asked if Brat was bothered by Donald Trump Jr.’s meeting with a Russian lawyer to exchange damaging information on Clinton, the details of which the president’s son has repeatedly lied about.
Brat confessed that it did bother him, after some pressing from Melvin, before complaining about having to wake up every morning to fresh questions on the latest Russia scandal:
“But we always get hyped up every morning on our Starbucks, and you guys come at us with a new wave. And then six months later, you’re not clinging to any of the stories. This has been going on for a year. Every morning, I wake up, and there is another, ooh, there’s a key detail Dave! What do you think about it?”
“It’s huge!” Brat exclaimed.
The two went back and forth over media coverage of the Trump administration, with Brat claiming the media has “a systematic bias toward liberal outcomes and growing the federal government,” reassuring Melvin “it’s okay, it’s America.”
“Move me on to some budget conversation,” Brat said finally, and Melvin brought up the latest Senate health care bill.
Watch above, via MSNBC.
[image via screengrab]
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