Rachel Maddow Unloads On GOP Hypocrites For Blocking FBI Probe Into Kavanaugh Allegations

Rachel Maddow exposed Republicans on Wednesday for their blatant hypocrisy in blocking an FBI investigation into the sexual assault claims against Donald Trump‘s Supreme Court pick, Brett Kavanaugh.

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Not only are Republicans lying when they say the FBI doesn’t investigate matters like this, but as the MSNBC host said, some of these same GOP senators called for FBI investigations into similar issues during previous confirmation processes.

“Fighting to make sure the FBI doesn’t look into this as part of [Kavanaugh’s] background check – it’s a strange thing to fight for,” Maddow said. “This is not a normal kind of fight.”

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Maddow teed off on Republican lies, particularly hammering Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch:

Orrin Hatch was on the judiciary committee back at the time of the Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill controversy. He has now gone so far as to say, ‘The FBI does not do investigations like this.’ That is exactly wrong. That is 100 percent completely wrong. I mean here is Sen. Hatch himself in 1991 in the Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill hearings, expressing his delight, his satisfaction, that the FBI was investigating those claims as part of their background check on Clarence Thomas. They immediately ordered this FBI investigation which was a very right thing to do. It’s the appropriate thing to do.’ Not just right – very right! Which is why it was done then. So when Orrin Hatch today says the FBI doesn’t do investigations like this. Honestly, what was he praising back in 1991? What was he so excited about then if the FBI doesn’t actually do this. Being a hypocrite, having a partisan double standard, I understand that is like breathing in politics these days, I get it. But flat-out asserting this is not done, it would be crazy, it would be a departure from precedent to have the FBI investigate something like this when these guys themselves have been through this process before, it strikes me as odd. It’s just a weird place to have a sticking point. This is not a normal kind of fight.

Why are Republicans so afraid of an FBI investigation?

Typically, Republicans are first in line to call for congressional or FBI investigations into all sorts of crazy matters – from Hillary Clinton‘s email non-scandal to the Benghazi embassy attacks.

In the case of a very serious claim about Brett Kavanaugh allegedly raping a girl in high school, the GOP appears to have finally found an investigation they don’t want to open – besides any involving Trump-Russia collusion.

Of course, there are two key differences between the typical GOP investigation and the one for which Democrats and Kavanaugh accuser Christine Ford are fighting: 1. A possible probe into Kavanaugh doesn’t benefit them politically; and 2. This investigation would have actual merit.

But as Maddow laid out on Wednesday night, the bad news for the Republicans, especially some of these key senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee, is that they can’t escape their own words or outrun their blatant hypocrisy.

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Sean Colarossi

Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.