CNN claims Fox News and its fans are dwelling on unproven conspiracy theories, like, say, the Horowitz Report on FISA abuse. But CNN is perpetually, shamelessly trafficking in Russiagate conspiracy theories, enabling the unproven notion that Vladimir Putin has "something" on President Trump and that he's blackmailing him. On Right Now on December 20, anchor Brianna Keilar helpfully allowed Rep. Norma Torres (D-Calif.) to spread the fiction that Trump's Russia policy is apparently all surrender, "playing the handmaid" to Putin. [Hat tip: Beth Baumann, Townhall]
BRIANNA KEILAR: I wonder how concerned you are that Putin was able to influence not just through sort of Russian meddling and trying to persuade voters or Americans, but actually to influence the president in a way that has him picking what Putin is saying over his own intel community.
REP. NORMA TORRES: I think after the 2016 elections, the gloves were really off when it came to Vladimir Putin's influence with President Trump and the GOP. Because let's not forget, the GOP continues to parrot not only on the floor but also going onto FOX News, all of the things, the lies that Putin continues to spread, blaming and deflecting everyone else on his interference in our U.S. elections.
KEILAR: Why do you think the president was such an easy target for Putin here?
TORRES: I am afraid that Vladimir Putin may have something on the president. And it is the reason why the president has continued to play the handmaid to Vladimir Putin, inviting him to the White House and opening the doors and not having any advisers present, taking the notes from the interpreter and continuing to talk to him and continuing to parrot everything that he tells him.
Russia is no friend of the U.S. They've never been a friend to us. They continue to compromise us internationally. They continue to attack our friends and our allies overseas. So we have to be very careful and we have to keep a close eye on how this continues to evolve.
Keilar at least asked for proof of this lame conspiracy theory, and Torres could only suggest Trump "continues to capitulate" to Putin, as if Trump's Russia policy was somehow softer than Obama's, which is not at all factual.
KEILAR: You said you think that Putin may have something, meaning compromising information, kompromat, as it's said in Russia, on President Trump. Do you have proof of that? Is there something specific that you're thinking of when you say that?
TORRES: There's no other reason why President Trump continues to capitulate to what Putin is telling him. He doesn't do that with anyone else. He doesn't do that with his advisers. He doesn't do that with his American ambassadors who are providing him, time and time and time again, national security advisers that tell him that this is nothing but Russia propaganda that he continues to not believe our own intelligence over Putin.
Earlier: On MSNBC, Rep. Norma Torres claims Trump administation "murdered" illegal immigrant child
