By Steve Neavling
Ticklethewire.com
Donald Trump’s weekend tweetstorm in which he slammed the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election caught heavy criticism from prominent Democrats and Republicans and former nation who are concerned about the president’s unwillingness to hold Russia accountable.
The tweets, many of which were misleading and false, attacked the FBI, Hillary Clinton, former President Barack Obama, congressional Democrats, the media and his own national security adviser. The president also suggested the Russian investigation distracted the FBI from tips about the Florida shooter, a claim that incensed friends and family members of the victims.
Rep. Adam Schiff, whom Trump called “the leakin’ monster of no control,” took aim at Trump’s assertion that the indictments vindicated him because there was no mention of collusion.
“This is a president who claims vindication anytime someone sneezes,” the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “What this indictment sets out is information about only one element of the Russian active measures campaign — that involving their use of social media to influence attitudes, to motivate people to protest, to essentially infiltrate our political system through the cyber sphere.”
Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, also speaking to CNN, criticized Trump for failing to condemn Russia.
“What are we going to do about the threat posed by Russia? He never talks about that,” Clapper said.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, echoed those sentiments, saying Trump’s opposition to the Russian investigation is “one of the weirdest things in modern American history.”
“That we don’t have a president speaking out on this issue is a horror show,” Sanders said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. “We got to bring Democrats and Republicans together — despite the president — to go forward and protect the integrity of American democracy.”
Also on “Meet the Press,” Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., expressed concerns about Trump’s dismissive remarks about Russian interference.
“Russia has clearly tried to advance their agenda into the United States,” Lankford said. “The president has been very adamant to say that he didn’t collude. He’s very frustrated that people seem to accuse the fact that the only reason he’s president is because of some sort of Russian collusion. But I would say the clear message here is Russia did mean to interfere in our election.”
