President Donald Trump appears to be paying close attention to the news this week. On Wednesday morning, he launched an angry Twitter tirade against Sally Yates, who was serving as acting Attorney General for the first week and a half or so of Trump’s administration and was testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. Yates was a holdover from the Obama administration who was serving until Trump’s own nominees were confirmed, but Trump claims — falsely — that due to her part in leading the Russia investigation, Yates was “a part of the greatest political crime of the Century,” which is just complete and utter nonsense.
Lindsey Graham has begun the Sally Yates hearing by raising a bunch of conspiracy theories about Biden and Susan Rice, in case you wondered what the point of this hearing about four years old events 90 days before another election was.
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) August 5, 2020
Trump tweeted:
‘Sally Yates has zero credibility. She was a part of the greatest political crime of the Century, and ObamaBiden knew EVERYTHING! Sally Yates leaked the General Flynn conversation? Ask her under oath. Republicans should start playing the Democrats game!’
Sally Yates has zero credibility. She was a part of the greatest political crime of the Century, and ObamaBiden knew EVERYTHING! Sally Yates leaked the General Flynn conversation? Ask her under oath. Republicans should start playing the Democrats game!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 5, 2020
Yates, when she was serving in government, tried to bring the fact to the attention of the Trump administration that then-national security adviser Michael Flynn was lying about the content of his communications with a then-Russian Ambassador to the United States. Trump seems far more concerned with Yates, who brought the corruption out into the spotlight, than he is with the individual — Flynn — who was actually engaging in the easily manipulated connections with a hostile foreign power. Via threats to release the truth, Russia could have used their knowledge of the truth of Flynn’s communications as leverage to pressure him into doing their bidding. There is no evidence that Yates leaked any of this information, it’s worth noting — Trump is just spouting off nonsense.
Sally Yates: "In this election year, I hope we won't lose sight of the very real threat posed by the ongoing efforts of a foreign adversary to undermine our democratic processes, and that we will continue to proactively protect the integrity of our elections." #ProtectOurVotes
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) August 5, 2020
The fact that Yates is in the spotlight at all seems to be the result of a scheme from the president’s political allies to essentially meddle in the upcoming election. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has been trying to “link” presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden to supposed wrongdoing surrounding the launch of the Russia investigation, NPR notes. In reality, there’s no evidence of Biden involvement in any kind of investigative misconduct, and there’s similarly no evidence of any vestige of that misconduct tainting the actual course of the Russia investigation. The facts are clear — Russia meddled in the U.S. election to benefit Trump.
Sally Yates is a hero. This hearing on the Russia investigation, Flynn's guilt and treason and highlighting how disgracefull and corrupt @LindseyGrahamSC is, should be aired on a continuous loop between now and election day.https://t.co/Vai7UzlS1v
— Cheri Jacobus (@CheriJacobus) August 5, 2020
Check out Twitter’s response to the president below:
