As part of his opening remarks during the highly anticipated House Intelligence Committee hearing with acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire Thursday, chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) read from a transcript of President Trump’s call with the president of Ukraine. The only problem was; he was making it up with the goal of dramatizing it into a mafia-style shakedown. And, while the broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) were busy pushing the narrative of a White House cover-up, they ignored Schiff’s wild tale.
Luckily, Fox News Channel and The Story with Martha MacCallum gave Schiff’s stunt the air time and criticism it deserved.
MacCallum began the segment by noting Schiff had taken “creative liberty” with the transcript. “Rather than reading from the transcript as it exists, and we all now have in the open of the President's phone call with the Ukrainian President Zelensky, he parried it in a sort of free-verse improv,” she added before playing his soundbite of Schiff’s fraudulent transcript:
I have a favor I want from you though. And I'm going to say this only seven times, so you better listen good. I want you to make up dirt on my political opponent, understand, lots of it, on this and on that. I'm going to put you in touch with people, not just any people, I'm going to put you in touch the attorney general of the United States, my attorney general, Bill Barr. [Transition] And I'm going to put you in touch with Rudy, you’re going to love him, trust me.
Following the soundbite, MacCallum introduced former House Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-SC) and quipped that Schiff’s delivery was “Dr. Seuss-icle.” She also said she couldn’t “understand why he didn't use the actual words that exist since they’re very much out in the open.”
“Well, if you don't have good facts, you got to make them up,” Gowdy jabbed before mocking Schiff for having “one of the worst senses of humor of anyone I've ever met, so he doesn't need to try parody.” He then reminded his host that they were dealing with “the same Schiff that said he had evidence of collusion.”
Adding: “He's not making that mistake this time, he's not claiming he's got something he doesn't have, he's just going to make it up and he made it up on national television.” He also said he would commend any Democrat who would criticize Schiff because he would criticize a Republican for doing the same in that serious situation.
MacCallum expanded on that by saying Schiff’s stunt was done with “no reason” and was “not necessary.” “[T]hose are not the President's words. Those are his words, and it's so important in the midst of this investigation that we actually deal in the facts,” she pressed.
Beyond discussing Schiff, Gowdy also defended President Trump’s conversation with the president of Ukraine, arguing that it was proper for him to offer Attorney General William Barr to help weed out corruption (click “expand”):
So, I think it can be separated in this way. I want us asking countries, particularly ones that would give money to, whether or not you have a problem with corruption. I mean, think back to 2016, our country not only took, but we solicited help from other countries trying to figure out whether or not the Russians were interfering with our election.
To be sure, President Obama was not on the ballot, but he was criticized for not asking for more help from foreign countries to stop it, so whatever was good for President Obama, let's at least apply the same standard to President Trump, be fair about it.
“Jim Comey also wanted that server. The FBI wanted the server, so why is it okay for Jim Comey to want the server,” he exclaimed. “But he is the AG and the President has the right to ask the attorney general to go get evidence of a potential crime. Comey did it, the DNC just didn't give it to him.”
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
Fox News Channel’s The Story
September 26, 2019
7:19:51 p.m. EasternMARTHA MACCALLUM: Intel Committee chairman Adam Schiff taking some creative liberty at today's hearing with acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire. Rather than reading from the transcript as it exists, and we all now have in the open of the President's phone call with the Ukrainian President Zelensky, he parried it in a sort of free-verse improv. Watch this.
REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): I have a favor I want from you though. And I'm going to say this only seven times, so you better listen good. I want you to make up dirt on my political opponent, understand, lots of it, on this and on that. I'm going to put you in touch with people, not just any people, I'm going to put you in touch the attorney general of the United States, my attorney general, Bill Barr. [Transition] And I'm going to put you in touch with Rudy, you’re going to love him, trust me.
MACCALLUM: Joining me now is Trey Gowdy, former chairman of the House Oversight Committee and a Fox News contributor. That was most like Dr. Seuss-icle in his delivery. I can’t understand why he didn't use the actual words that exist since they’re very much out in the open.
TREY GOWDY: Well, if you don't have good facts, you got to make them up. Adam Schiff has one of the worst senses of humor of anyone I've ever met, so he doesn't need to try parody. But you've got to keep in mind, Martha, this is the same Schiff that said he had evidence of collusion.
He's not making that mistake this time, he's not claiming he's got something he doesn't have, he's just going to make it up and he made it up on national television. And I applaud any Democrats who criticize -- I would criticize a Republican for making stuff up in something is serious is this hearing, he should be criticized also.
MACCALLUM: It's not necessary and there's no reason -- those are not the President's words. Those are his words, and it's so important in the midst of this investigation that we actually deal in the facts.
There’s an assessment the New York Post today by Fred Fleitz, he was in the CIA and who now speaks here and elsewhere about intelligence issues. He says that the language of this complaint to him seemed very sort of calculated, very legal, that maybe he had outside help, that the language in it was very legal, what did you think when you read it? Did that occur to you or no?
GOWDY: It was well written. You don't have to be a lawyer to write something well, and it certainly tracked the appropriate statutes and it – But it also wasn't leaked, so I will give the whistleblower credit for not leaking it.
I mean, there are three allegations, the President misused his office, number two that they mishandled the phone call in the aftermath, and then this kind of unusual -- their perception that it's unusual that a president would ask the attorney general and Mayor Giuliani to investigate potential corruption. So, those of the three allegations, but the transcript actually addresses two of those three pretty well.
MACCALLUM: So what do you think about the suggestion at the end of the phone transcript with regards to Joe Biden and looking into him? Do you see that it’s—is it separable from the election given the circumstances of where we are right now with four months to Iowa and Joe Biden out on the campaign trail, or not?
GOWDY: Well, I mean. Keep in mind, who brought up Rudy Giuliani? It wasn't Donald Trump, it was the president of the Ukraine. That was the first reference to Giuliani. Who brought up defense, that was the president of Ukraine, that wasn't President Trump.
So, I think it can be separated in this way. I want us asking countries, particularly ones that would give money to, whether or not you have a problem with corruption. I mean, think back to 2016, our country not only took, but we solicited help from other countries trying to figure out whether or not the Russians were interfering with our election.
To be sure, President Obama was not on the ballot, but he was criticized for not asking for more help from foreign countries to stop it, so whatever was good for President Obama, let's at least apply the same standard to President Trump, be fair about it.
MACCALLUM: So, you make some interesting comments on that in the notes that you sent earlier. You say, have others ask foreign governments to assist like this in investigations? Have others employed private citizens with reference to Rudy Giuliani. I guess I have two questions about that. Have they? I think you can probably point to examples where they have, and is it necessarily relevant? If they have?
GOWDY: Well, I mean. I think it's relevant that we treat people the same. I think it's relevant if our government asks for foreign assistance in the 2016 election and President Trump is asking for foreign assistance to keep corruption – There’s no statute of limitations on corruption.
I mean. Joe Biden, whether he's the nominee or not, he was the vice president. I'm not prejudging anything, but if any vice president tries to assert influence to try to stop an investigation, I think your viewers ought to know about it. In terms of hiring private citizens, Daniel Richmond leaps to mind. Comey's friend.
MACCALLUM: Understood. This is John Brennan today on Twitter and I've got two things I want to show you here, this is the first one: “Whistleblower deserves our praise and gratitude. Donald Trump getting very sloppy and careless in corrupt practices and cover-up attempts. Democrats and Republicans, those who have a conscience need to work together to prevent desperate moves by Trump that could wreak further havoc, John Brennan surfacing on this again.
GOWDY: No one I know gives a damn what John Brennan thinks. He’s got the President in the dustpan of history, he hates the President, he didn't want him to get elected, he did everything he could to keep him from getting elected. So, I'm a lot older than you, Martha, but I'm to the point I'm just not going to worry about the people I don't respect think, and John Brennan falls in that category.
MACCALLUM: All right, Kamala Harris says that she says, “I will say it again, Barr,” meaning bill Barr, “must come before Congress and testify under oath about whether or not he was asked to be involved in any of this corruption investigation.” What do you think about that before I let you go?
GOWDY: Very disappointed that a prosecutor does not understand -- Jim Comey also wanted that server. The FBI wanted the server, so why is it okay for Jim Comey to want the server, but the attorney general -- look, I know she doesn't want him to be the AG. I know she didn't vote him, but he is the AG and the President has the right to ask the attorney general to go get evidence of a potential crime. Comey did it, the DNC just didn't give it to him.
MACCALLUM: It seems like exactly the place you would go.
GOWDY: [Crosstalk] If the server was good enough for Comey.
MACCALLUM: If you want to do an investigation, you want to coordinate with another country, you would want to involve your department of justice, clearly, correct?
GOWDY: I would want my ag leading that one, yes ma’am.
MACCALLUM: Trey Gowdy, thank you, sir.
