.@RepJerryNadler blasts House Republicans for holding an emergency hearing on Clinton's #emails while being completely disinterested about the family separation crisis Trump created, the president's conflicts of interest, or really conducting oversight of any sort
NADLER: "POTUS & some of his closest advisors are under investigation for having participated in a criminal conspiracy w/a foreign power against the US. That is an emergency. The president practically confessed to on television he obstructed justice. That is an emergency."
.@RepDeSantis (R-Derp State) is nearly shaking in anger as he grills Rosenstein about alleged anti-Trump bias in the FBI.
(REMINDER: The IG report found that if anything bias negatively affected Clinton.)
Rosenstein schools @RepMattGaetz (R-Derp State) on how the FISA process works, as Gaetz is clearly ignorant about it.
.@JacksonLeeTX18 (D): "I'm almost believing that I've just a attended or am the midst of a Monster Ball, and we're looking for monsters wherever we can find them... that's the absurdity of what we're dealing with."
.@TGowdySC (R-Benghazi) uses his 5 minutes to rant and rant and yell. Doesn't even ask a question. Your tax dollars hard at work!
.@RepCohen pokes holes in Republicans' conspiracy theory by asking series of questions revealing that Strzok-Page text messages had no impact on FBI actions
.@Jim_Jordan (R-Derp State) accuses a defiant Rosenstein of "withholding information from Congress."
Jordan precedes to berate Rosenstein. Chaos ensues.
I am 100 percent here for Rosenstein's subtle snark and his lecture to Jim Jordan on his rudeness and ignorance about how the DOJ works.
LOL! The room breaks out in laughter as @Jim_Jordan makes a fool of himself by suggesting he thinks it's possible to subpoena "phone calls." What a dolt.
Rosenstein concludes by advising Jordan, "If you're interested in the truth [subtext -- Jordan is not], we have a team of folks that are Trump appointees and career folks, and they're doing their best to produce these documents."
The hearing has resumed. As @RepRatcliffe quotes from Peter Strzok's classified testimony on Wednesday, Democrats object that they were told Strzok's testimony would not be quoted during today's hearing.
Rosenstein points out to Ratliffe that Strzok was fired by Mueller immediately after his anti-Trump text messages came to light
FBI Director Wray basically acknowledges he's been blowing over Devin Nunes' request to out all of the agents involved in the Russia investigation.
Wray characterizes Nunes' request as "dangerous."
Rosenstein on the pace of the Mueller investigation: "I don't think it's atypical at all. I believe that it's being done as expeditiously as possible. That was one of my goals in appointing someone I knew would be focused on the task, would not be distracted by other matters."
Asked by Goodlatte if he's recused himself from the FISA process, Rosenstein says it would be a "dereliction of duty" for him to not approve FISA warrants that are justified
After he spent a few minutes trashing the FBI, @DarrellIssa demands Wray open an investigation into Comey for purportedly violating a nondisclosure agreement about the IG report. Wray isn't thrilled about Issa's suggestion that he's protecting Comey.
Rosenstein lectures Republicans for their unhinged rhetoric: "It's important that when someone receives a subpoena they can't comply with because of redactions, there's a way to handle this without threatening people with contempt -- which is a crime."
.@davidcicilline: "We're having an emergency hearing on Clinton emails. We're not having a hearing on corruption, election security which is so essential, the family separation policy which is ripping children from their parents, or gun violence."
One video clip that encapsulates why @TGowdySC, who spent years pushing the Benghazi investigation, is a complete and utter fraud
WOW -- Rosenstein, smirking, can barely contain his contempt for @replouiegohmert, who is yelling at him about his role in approving FISA applications.
Rosenstein to Gohmert after he stammers through an embarrassing, incoherent rant: "I apologize. I thought you were asking me a question."
.@RepSwalwell's line of questioning highlights how Trump's skepticism about Russia's election meddling are basically in line with the Kremlin's denials, and out of step with the US intelligence community
Swalwell highlights how Republican boogeyman Strzok had nothing to do with setting up the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting or Trump's public encouragement of Russian hackers the next month 👏
.@RepDougCollins starts his questioning by mumbling unintelligibly about "making crap up."
Collins, who is struggling to make sense, seems to think that Rosenstein is considering .... [checks notes] .... indicting the president
Rosenstein has to explain to @RepAndyBiggsAZ why the FBI isn't in the habit of disclosing the names of subjects of investigations publicly 🙄
.@tedlieu points out that while Strzok may not have been a fan of Trump personally, he advocated "for more aggressive investigative measures against Hillary Clinton" -- a finding that contributed to IG's conclusion that bias didn't impact the Clinton investigation
TRUMP: "[Haley] has been at the UN right from the beginning, & worked w/us on the campaign...it has been a long time, very intense & she told me probably six months ago, 'you know maybe at the end of a 2-year period, but at the end of the year I want to take a little time off.'"
HALEY: "I'm such a lucky girl to have been able to lead the state that raised me and to serve a country I love so very much has really been a blessing, and I want to thank you for that... the US Is strong again. The US is strong in a way it should make all Americans proud."
Nikki Haley describes Jared Kushner as "a hidden genius that no one understands."
Trump is about to deliver a speech to a gathering of police chiefs. Follow me for a video thread.
Trump on Hurricane Michael: "It's looking like it could be a very big one... good luck."
Trump lies, claims "before I took office less than two years ago, our nation was experiencing a historic surge in violent crime." (Violent crime has been steadily declining for more than two decades.)
TRUMP on Rod Rosenstein: "I actually have a good relationship other than, there's been no collusion folks!"
TRUMP attacks Democrats over Kavanaugh process: "The way they tortured him and his family, I thought it was a disgrace. It was one of the most disgraceful performances I've ever seen."
He then lies and says "there was no corroboration of any kind" for Dr Ford's accusation.
TRUMP: "I think a lot of Democrats are going to vote Republican because I have many friends that are Democrats. The main base of the Democrats have shifted so far left that we'll end up being Venezuela...I think a lot of Democrats are going to be voting Republican on Nov. 6."
Trump is about to deliver a speech in Topeka. Follow me for a video thread.
TRUMP: "I want to thank our incredible Republican senators for refusing to back down in the face of the Democrats' shameless campaign of political & personal destruction... radical Democrats launched a disgraceful campaign to resist & demolish right from the beginning."
TRUMP: "If you allow wrong people to get into office, things could change. They could change fast. We will not let that happen. It can go very quickly. We cannot let that happen. You don't hand matches to an arsonist and you don't get power to an angry left-wing mob."
Ahead of @SenatorCollins' speech on the Senate floor, protesters chant "believe women!" from the gallery
COLLINS is using her speech to criticize opponents of Kavanaugh as "frenzied," "spreading outright falsehoods," and representing "special interest groups."
COLLINS: "The president has broad discretion to consider a nominee's philosophy, whereas my duty as a senator is to focus on the nominee's qualifications as long as that nominee's philosophy is within the mainstream."
It sure sounds like she is going to announce a yes vote.
.@ChuckGrassley, who is struggling to read a statement on the Senate floor, baselessly accuses @SenFeinstein of "shameful" handling of Dr Ford's accusation because she didn't violate Ford's wishes and make an issue of it immediately
Grassley flat out lies, claims Ford's accusations are "refuted."
Grassley, getting angry, says "resistance" in a very odd way, closes by urging senators to "say no to mob rule by voting to confirm Judge Kavanaugh." #wut