Conspiracy Theory

Republicans Announce Another Investigation of Hillary Clinton

Written by SK Ashby

Congressional Republicans announced not one but two investigations of Hillary Clinton today, because time is a flat circle.

Inspired by Trump's stupid tweets and a raft of fake news from right wing outlets, Republicans have launched an investigation of the sale of a Uranium mining operation while Hillary Clinton was secretary of state all the way back in 2010.

The Obama-era uranium deal was a source of Republican criticism during the 2016 campaign. Republicans latched onto reports showing that one of the parties to the uranium sale was a Clinton Foundation donor. The State Department had a role in approving the deal while Hillary Clinton was secretary of state, though there’s no evidence she was personally involved.

[House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes] said Rep. Pete King (R-NY), an intelligence committee member who raised questions about the deal at the time, would be that committee’s point person on the new probe.

Given how old this story is, you've probably already seen it debunked a dozen times.

Snopes already examined the issue in 2016 when Republicans first tried to smear Clinton over the deal.

Among the ways these accusations stray from the facts is in attributing a power of veto or approval to Secretary Clinton that she simply did not have. Clinton was one of nine cabinet members and department heads that sit on the CFIUS, and the secretary of the treasury is its chairperson. CFIUS members are collectively charged with evaluating the transaction for potential national security issues, then turning their findings over to the president. By law, the committee can’t veto a transaction; only the president can. According to The New York Times, Clinton may not have even directly participated in the Uranium One decision. Then-Assistant Secretary of State Jose Fernandez, whose job it was to represent the State Dept. on CFIUS, said Clinton herself “never intervened” in committee matters.

Sometimes I get the distinct impression that Republicans wish Hillary Clinton were elected president.

Life would be so much easier for them if she won, wouldn't it?

If she won, they could spend all of their time investigating her and never be held accountable for breaking the government. If she became president, they could have continued to vote to repeal Obamacare on a monthly basis with no actual policy consequences. They could have played side-seat driver to virtually everything. Wouldn't that be easier?

The Republican party is an opposition party, not a governing party.