Thursday marked the first day of what President Trump suggested was “presidential harassment” by House Democrats via numerous investigations into seemingly all aspects of his life. The liberal media cheered on the investigations with both ABC and CBS evening news programs boasting about how the Democrats were “kicking” things into a “higher gear.”
“When Democrats took back the House in the midterm elections, they made it clear they intended to ramp up investigations of President Trump and his administration. Today, they kicked it into a higher gear,” announced anchor Jeff Glor during the CBS Evening News.
As CBS congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes began her report, you could just sense the anticipation. “Today's hearings were just the beginning....In one hearing room, Democrats kicked off their pursuit of the President's tax returns....In another hearing room, they probed the controversial move last year to separate families at the border.”
She didn’t stop there:
Just one month into their new majority, House Democrats are demanding sensitive documents that could shed light on how security clearances were granted at the White House, how companies got contracts to clean up after Hurricane Maria, and whether the President's decisions have been influenced by his foreign financial interests.
Cordes also did an on-the-spot fact-check of Trump’s claim that “Republicans never did this to President Obama.” “Fact check: False. They launched plenty of probes,” she chided. While Republicans did launch oversight investigations, it’s also true that the liberal media took President Obama’s side and decried those probes.
Meanwhile, on ABC’s World News Tonight, congressional and anti-GOP correspondent Mary Bruce touted how “Democrats in Congress are kicking their investigations of the Trump presidency into high gear.”
Isn’t it interesting how everyone in the liberal media coincidently uses the same language to describe things?
Bruce was excited because the Democrats were trying to get their hands on President Trump’s tax returns. “Unlike previous presidents, Trump has refused to release his returns....But now, Democrats have the power to go after them,” she hyped.
“The House Intelligence Committee is launching a sweeping investigation into the President, his family, his finances, and possible Russia ties,” she added.
Of course, these liberal networks didn’t like President Trump speaking out about it. “President Trump tonight is lashing out, as Democrats who now control the House have stepped up their oversight,” ABC anchor David Muir suggested.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
February 7, 2019
6:41:45 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: President Trump tonight is lashing out, as Democrats who now control the House have stepped up their oversight. The President calling it, quote, “presidential harassment”, saying the Dems are, quote, “going nuts”. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pushing back tonight, calling the scrutiny on the president their constitutional responsibility. And tonight, one target? The President's taxes. ABC's Mary Bruce up on the hill.
[Cuts to video]
MARY BRUCE: Democrats in Congress are kicking their investigations of the Trump presidency into high gear.
(…)
BRUCE: Unlike previous presidents, Trump has refused to release his returns.
(…)
BRUCE: But now, Democrats have the power to go after them.
(…)
BRUCE: With Democrats digging in, the President is lashing out, tweeting, "Unlimited presidential harassment”, “the Democrats and their committees are going nuts.”
(…)
BRUCE: The House Intelligence Committee is launching a sweeping investigation into the President, his family, his finances, and possible Russia ties. And tonight, a standoff between the House Judiciary Committee and the President's acting attorney general, Matthew Whitaker. Committee Chairman Gerald Nadler had threatened to subpoena Whitaker if he doesn't show up at a scheduled hearing tomorrow. Whitaker then refusing to appear unless the Congressman drops that threat.
CBS Evening News
February 7, 2019
6:35:00 p.m. EasternJEFF GLOR: When Democrats took back the House in the midterm elections, they made it clear they intended to ramp up investigations of President Trump and his administration. Today, they kicked it into a higher gear. And the President fired back. Nancy Cordes is at the capitol.
[Cuts to video]
(…)
NANCY CORDES: Today's hearings were just the beginning.
(…)
CORDES: In one hearing room, Democrats kicked off their pursuit of the President's tax returns.
(…)
CORDES: In another hearing room, they probed the controversial move last year to separate families at the border.
(…)
CORDES: Just one month into their new majority, House Democrats are demanding sensitive documents that could shed light on how security clearances were granted at the White House, how companies got contracts to clean up after Hurricane Maria, and whether the President's decisions have been influenced by his foreign financial interests.
(…)
CORDES: Mr. Trump complained today that Democrats are “going nuts”, tweeting, "The Republicans never did this to President Obama." Fact check: False. They launched plenty of probes.
(…)
CORDES: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi insisted today her party's investigations will be carefully chosen and carried out. How important do you think it is for the public to see the President's tax returns?
NANCY PELOSI: They want to know the truth. They want to know the facts. And he has nothing to hide.
[Cuts back to live]
CORDES: Tomorrow, Democrats are hauling the acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker before Congress for the first time, and they were threatening to issue a subpoena if he didn't answer all their questions. Today, he threatened not to show up. And so a short time ago, Jeff, Democrats relented on that subpoena.
