In a moment that was simultaneously stunning and predictable, American Conservative Union chairman Matt Schlapp blamed former secretary of state Hillary Clinton for Donald Trump’s IG firings.
Schlapp told MSNBC’s Ari Melber, “When Hillary Clinton was the secretary of state, I don’t recall you doing very many shows over the years in which she had no appointed IG. I think that was a big mistake.”
He added, “In the Obama administration, because they didn’t have the proper IG oversight, which was a mistake, it took seven congressional investigations to find out about the email and the server problem.”
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In response to Trump’s IG firings, conservative leader Matt Schlapp brings up Hillary Clinton’s emails. #ctl #p2 pic.twitter.com/RZKZ86ALuV
— PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) May 19, 2020
Schlapp said:
I like the idea of an IG in these executive agencies if both sides, right, both administrations get the scrutiny. When Hillary Clinton was the secretary of state, I don’t recall you doing very many shows over the years in which she had no appointed IG. I think that was a big mistake. It led to having to have seven congressional investigations … What I am saying is is that in the Obama administration it took, because they didn’t have the proper IG oversight, which was a mistake, it took seven congressional investigations to find out about the email and the server problem which was in violation of the law. So I agree with you. We need good IGs that are not political and that will call balls and strikes to both parties. … I think they should only be fired for cause but legally they can be fired for any reason.
But her emails!
It’s hard to find something on which Trump supporters aren’t willing to blame Hillary Clinton and her emails, but this is particularly laughable.
After all, what’s happening right now is pretty clear: In the middle of a pandemic, Donald Trump is seeking to fire anybody that will provide even basic oversight of his administration. The latest firing of the State Department’s inspector general is the fourth such termination that has taken place during this health crisis.
As PoliticusUSA’s Jason Easley noted over the weekend, “Trump and his cronies want to be free to break the law with no one investigating them from within the Executive Branch.”
This has nothing to do Hillary Clinton and her emails and everything to do with Donald Trump’s dream of having unchecked power.
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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.
