Calls on Republicans in Congress to put Country First
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WASHINGTON – Following reports that President Donald Trump revealed classified information in a meeting with Russian officials, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today raised serious questions about President Trump’s judgement and Senate Republicans’ commitment to putting country first. Senator Durbin also renewed his call for a special prosecutor and independent commission to investigate possible ties between the President’s inner circle and the hostile foreign government.
“This kind of disclosure is what former Director Comey and just about every other Congressional Republican described last year as ‘extremely reckless’ in the handling of classified information. It jeopardizes critical intelligence sources in the fight against ISIL and the broader fight by America against terrorism. This morning, European officials reacted and told the Associated Press that at least one European country might stop sharing intelligence with the United States if this is how it’s treated,” said Senator Durbin. “This is truly incredible and historic. It is a national security breach by the President of incredible proportions. How in the world can we ever trust this President to put the national security needs of the American people ahead of his own?”
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor are available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Durbin’s remarks as prepared for delivery are available below:
REMARKS BY SENATOR RICHARD DURBIN
TRUMP, COMEY AND RUSSIA: TIME FOR PATRIOTIC REPUBLICANS TO SPEAK UP | May 15, 2017
Mr. President, last week the American people were stunned by what we learned about President Donald Trump. We saw an alarming set of developments about how this President is handling the investigation into Russia’s interference with our democracy.
Last Monday, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony from Sally Yates, who President Trump had asked to serve as Acting Attorney General when he took office.
Ms. Yates testified that soon after the inauguration, she twice visited White House Counsel Don McGahn to warn him about National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.
She warned that General Flynn had been compromised by his secret communications with Russian Ambassador Kislyak, and that he could be blackmailed.
Ms. Yates first visited White House Counsel McGahn on January 26th. McGahn invited her back to ask her follow up questions on January 27th. Those follow-ups included questions about Flynn’s potential criminal exposure.
What else happened on January 27th? The President brought in FBI Director James Comey for a one-on-one dinner, where he reportedly asked Director Comey for a pledge of loyalty.
Is the timing of this Comey dinner curious? You bet it is.
According to Press Secretary Sean Spicer, President Trump was briefed “immediately” by White House Counsel McGahn after Ms. Yates’ warning. That means the President knew about the Justice Department’s concerns with Flynn when he met with Comey.
Was the President’s request for loyalty from Director Comey an attempt to impede the Justice Department’s investigation into Michael Flynn? Was it an effort by the President to inoculate himself from Russia-related investigations? We don’t yet know.
But, when Director Comey reportedly refused to swear his loyalty to President Trump, it apparently sealed his fate as FBI Director.
Last Tuesday evening, President Trump fired Director Comey while he was giving a speech to FBI agents in Los Angeles.
Why? Well, on Thursday the President made clear that the Russia investigation was on his mind when he fired Director Comey. He said to Lester Holt, quote, “when I decided to do it, I said to myself, you know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made up story.” President Trump later said that the Russia investigation, quote, “should be over with, in my opinion, should have been over with a long time ago.”
Then, on Friday, the President found time to threaten Mr. Comey on Twitter, implying that he had taped their conversations and that he would release the tapes if Comey disclosed what he knew.
Let’s be clear- the President is in dangerous territory here. What the President is doing when it comes to potential obstruction of justice is very similar to a chapter in history we’ve seen before.
President Nixon on October 20, 1973 fired special prosecutor Archibald Cox when his Watergate investigation got too close to the White House. That sparked a constitutional crisis.
And if that wasn’t enough, we just learned on Monday that President Trump disclosed highly classified information to the Russian foreign minister and ambassador.
The Washington Post reported that he specifically revealed extremely sensitive intelligence considered so sensitive that details were withheld from allies and tightly restricted even within the US government.
Last night, the White House denied that this had happened. This morning, President Trump confirmed in two tweets that the story was true.
This kind of disclosure is what former Director Comey and just about every Congressional Republican described last year as “extremely reckless” handling of classified information. It jeopardizes critical intelligence sources in the fight against ISIL and the broader fight against terrorism.
This morning, European officials told the Associated Press that at least one European country might stop sharing intelligence with the United States if this is how it’s treated.
That is not, as the Majority Leader described it this morning, “drama.” This is a real consequence of a dangerous President putting American lives at risk.
This is truly incredible and historic. It is national security breach by the President of incredible proportions.
How in the world can we ever trust this President to put the national security needs of the American people ahead of his own.
There are a lot of parallels between the Watergate era and what we are seeing today. But one major difference from the Nixon era to the Trump era is the willingness of Republicans in Congress to speak out against abuses of power and serve as an actual check on an out-of-control President.
Back in Nixon’s day, there were Republicans in Congress who were willing to speak truth to power…to say enough of the lies and damage to our democratic institutions…to put country ahead of party.
In November 1973, Senator Edward Brooke of Massachusetts was one of the first Republicans to stand up, saying that he did not feel the country could “stand the trauma that it has been through for the past months.”
In July 1974, Republican Congressman Lawrence Hogan of Maryland said, “The evidence convinces me that my president has lied repeatedly, deceiving public officials and the American people…Do we want to be the party loyalists who in ringing rhetoric condemn the wrongdoings and scandals of the Democratic Party and excuse them when they are done by Republicans?”
On the same day Republican Congressman William Cohen of Maine said, “I have been faced with the terrible responsibility of assessing the conduct of a President that I voted for, believed to be the best man to lead this country, who has made significant and lasting contributions toward securing peace in this country, throughout the world, but a President who in the process by act or acquiescence allowed the rule of law and the Constitution to slip under the boots of indifference and arrogance and abuse.”
Republican Congressman from Virginia M. Caldwell Butler said, “For years we Republicans have campaigned against corruption and misconduct…But Watergate is our shame.”
And Republican Congressman Paul Findley from Illinois, whom I ran against when I first had the privilege to serve in the House and who today I call a friend, said a month later, “Hearings of the Judiciary Committee and developments in the courts have, I believe, clearly established gross negligence, maladministration and moral insensitivity on the part of the President.”
The same month, Republican Senator Barry Goldwater from Arizona said, “There are only so many lies you can take, and now there has been one too many.”
In fact, at the same time Senate Republicans nominated Goldwater to deliver a message to Nixon. Goldwater, along with House Republican Leader John Jacob Rhodes and Senate Republican Leader Hugh Scott went to the White House, sat directly in front of Nixon’s desk and explained that enough was enough.
Mr. President, these courageous Republicans were of course talking about the lies, corruption, obstruction of justice, and danger to our democratic system of government emanating from the Nixon White House.
They took our oath of office to protect the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic…and certainly above party or short term policy gain…seriously.
And to their courage, we and history owe them a debt of gratitude.
So I ask today, amid a swirling and deeply troubling mix of lies…nearly 500 in just the first 100 days of this new presidency…obfuscation, withholding of information, attempts to interfere with Federal investigations regarding possible collusion with a foreign adversary, and thinly veiled threats against those involved in such investigations by our current president…where are the many Republican patriots ready to stand up to these troubling abuses of power and threats to our democracy?
Mr. President, it has now been more than seven months since 17 of our intelligence agencies provided overwhelming evidence of a Russian attack on our democracy and an attempt to help elect someone seen as more favorable to their … not our…strategic interests.
The evidence was damning and what has continued to emerge is even more so.
And yet, what has this Congress done during the same time to uphold the oath we all took to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic”?
Have Congressional Republicans launched an independent investigation into this historic cyber act of war, just as we did after the 9/11 attack? No.
Have Congressional Republicans retaliated against Russia for its actions by imposing sanctions or taking other actions, making sure its leadership knows it will pay a price for such attacks and think twice before doing so against our allies or our next election? No.
Have Republicans in Congress passed meaningful cyber security legislation to help protect our nation against such future attacks and help any states that request such additional help? No.
Have Republicans demanded the appointment of a special prosecutor and insisted that the White House turn over all documents regarding the Trump campaign and ties with Russia, including potentially Russian intelligence? No.
Have Republicans demanded that the President explain why he keeps denying Russia’s attack on our election in the face of overwhelming evidence? No.
In fact, has the majority party done anything to respond to, protect against, or even address these troubling attacks and refusals to cooperate from the White House? No.
But let me tell you what the majority party has found time to pursue during these seven months after an attack on our nation…some of which you simply couldn’t make up.
They passed legislation making it easier to kill baby bear cubs and their mothers in their dens…made it easier to work with corrupt regimes overseas…made it harder to save for retirement…and are trying to strip health care from millions of Americans in order to pay for tax cuts for a small few at the top.
Mr. President, this is quite simply an abdication of the majority party’s responsibility here in Congress to address an attack by a foreign power on our nation and investigate possible collusion by an erratic and deceptive White House.
So Mr. President, let me close again by asking my Republican colleagues, whom I know care deeply about this institution and our nation: When will you speak up about the travesty unfolding before us? When will you take even a fraction of the action that would most certainly occur if these outrages had occurred under a Democratic president?
We need Republicans in Congress to stand up and protect our democratic institutions...and to support a special prosecutor and an independent investigation into Russian election interference now.
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