dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:01:57 GMT -6
Menendez: Did Trump ask you and DNI Coats to block Comey's investigation into him?
Pompeo: he didn't ask me to do "anything that was improper."
Menendez: Did he ask you to do anything related to that investigation?
Pompeo: IDK, I don't remember. But I've never felt like I was being asked to do anything improper.
Menendez: So are you exerting executive privilege?
Pompeo: No but I only want to talk about foreign policy
Menendez: .............
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:02:45 GMT -6
he's refusing to discuss conversations with POTUS. Off to a great start, Mike.
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:03:10 GMT -6
he's been interviewed by SSCI, HPSCI, and Mueller's team. Huh.
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:05:51 GMT -6
Menendez: Trump says he wants to get along with Russia. Tell me one single thing Russia has done that indicates that they'd like to be friendly with the US?
Pompeo: Uhhh...Trump is tough on Russia.
Oh heh Pompeo just used the word "reset" talking about US/Russia relations. he's going to regret that.
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:06:50 GMT -6
Now Menendez is reading off a bunch of sanctions that Trump has failed to implement.
"That's not a robust response to Russia." And he yields his time.
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:07:38 GMT -6
Senator King is there again. He often sits in on important hearings that aren't part of his committee assignments and he rarely, RARELY sends his staff in his place to any of his own assignments. Darned if that man doesn't take his job incredibly seriously.
Angus King, that is.
Steve King is probably off somewhere eating children.
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jkjacq
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Post by jkjacq on Apr 12, 2018 9:08:24 GMT -6
As per, Risch rolls over because R behind a name.
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:11:53 GMT -6
Senator Risch just babbled for 15 minutes and then asked Pompeo how he's going to support the bureaucrats.
Pompeo: There are too many vacancies at State. The subject matter expertise that is needed to complete the mission is missing. We need to attract and retain the best people by respecting the positions and those filling them. "I'm a talent hawk" whatever that means.
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:13:11 GMT -6
Risch: "You have a very deep bench at the State Department."
Um, where has he been for the past 17 months?
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:14:02 GMT -6
Senator Cardin with an audible eyeroll talking about the America First doctrine.
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:16:50 GMT -6
Cardin: should the US withdraw from the JCPA?
Pompeo: "I know what my mission is going to be."
Cardin: Wut? I didn't ask for POTUS' views, I asked for YOUR views.
Pompeo: "I want to fix this deal."
Cardin: You can't...change the agreement. Should we pull out, if Iran is in compliance, or should we stay in the agreement?
Pompeo: We have a month!
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:18:02 GMT -6
So yes, he would pull us out of JCPOA "and work with our allies to create a better deal."
Cardin asks point blank if he supports regime change in North Korea. Pompeo: "I'm not advocating for regime change."
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:19:13 GMT -6
Cardin: pulling out of the Paris Climate Accord is idiotic. Do you support withdrawal?
Pompeo: I do. I agree with Trump. Polluting is fun!
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:20:45 GMT -6
Pompeo, basically: Allies are nice but Imma do what I want
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:23:55 GMT -6
Rubio: Gawd you guys, global leaders need to know that the SoS is a lap dog for the president so they know it's worth their time to discuss diplomacy with him.
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:29:33 GMT -6
Rubio: The biggest threats the US faces around the world boil down to one thing--autocracy vs democracy.
Pompeo: Promoting democracy is critical. Regimes that aren't democratic are not our friends.
Rubio: The way the US promotes democracy is not at all akin to what Putin did, right?
Pompeo: There is neither an operational nor a moral equivalency.
Rubio: It is critical that the US defend human rights the world over, do you agree?
Pompeo: Yes.
Rubio: We should probably engage in a trade war with China tho.
Pompeo: What?
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:30:13 GMT -6
Pompeo: China "presents a strategic challenge to the united states."
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:32:07 GMT -6
Senator Shaheen: do you think the bad blood between the US and Russia is because of the Russia investigation?
Pompeo: No. It's "the result of Russian bad behavior."
Shaheen: You swore to protect and defend the US Constitution six separate times. Do you think Mueller's investigation is a witch hunt?
Pompeo: Can't talk won't talk
Shaheen: Does POTUS have the authority to fire Mueller?
Pompeo: Can't talk won't talk. I'm not giving CNN a sound byte.
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:35:28 GMT -6
When confronted with yet another list of sanctions that Trump has failed to impose, Pompeo points to the expulsion of diplomats. Shaheen counters that those actions are undermined by a failure to impose the sanctions which put pressure DIRECTLY on Putin and his oligarchs.
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jkjacq
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Post by jkjacq on Apr 12, 2018 9:49:42 GMT -6
I am following here and listening as much as I can.
I get why he doesnt want to talk Mueller. I dont like it but I get it.
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:51:42 GMT -6
Pompeo says he wouldn't resign if Trump fired Mueller or Rosenstein
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 9:53:17 GMT -6
Coons: Don't you think it's problematic when the US appears to be cozying up to dictators?
Pompeo: Yep. Let me tell you a nice story about strolling the halls in the CIA.
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athn64
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Post by athn64 on Apr 12, 2018 10:01:59 GMT -6
When confronted with yet another list of sanctions that Trump has failed to impose, Pompeo points to the expulsion of diplomats. Shaheen counters that those actions are undermined by a failure to impose the sanctions which put pressure DIRECTLY on Putin and his oligarchs. But he's allowing Putin to REPLACE those diplomats. With more spies. So you know, not effective measure. More gaslighting.
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 10:02:48 GMT -6
Flake seems chiefly concerned about the lack of ambassadors and diplomats in sensitive areas. Pompeo expresses commitment to staffing State back up and getting into the work of saving the world.
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 10:16:09 GMT -6
Gardner: Explain to me the objective of the meeting between Trump and KJU.
Pompeo: Denuclearization and "strategic deference"
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 10:18:26 GMT -6
Kaine: You ran around opposing the JCPOA talking about a specific number of air sorties that it would take to wipe out Iran's nuclear ability. You were oddly specific. And you were on HPSCI. Were you leaking classified intel?
Pompeo: When I said 2,000 I didn't mean LITERALLY 2,000. I like diplomats. But I wanted to blow up Tehran for reasons.
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 10:20:05 GMT -6
Kaine: Did it ever occur to you that Iran might strike back against attacks on its own soil?
Pompeo: oh, sure, absolutely.
Kaine: and you assumed our coalition partners would abandon diplomacy and join us at war?
Pompeo: I don't remember. Shruggy guy.
Kaine: Sounds to me like you were trying to create Iraq War v 2.0
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jkjacq
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Post by jkjacq on Apr 12, 2018 10:22:49 GMT -6
Potus be potusing with strikes against Syria without Congressional approval. Did we go to war with Syria? You be ok with this?
uhhh I think we're on the same page? but yeah potus can potus w/o approval
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 10:23:24 GMT -6
Kaine: You twice opposed Obama's request for AUMF (and I agreed with you). But Trump went ahead and bombed Syria without congressional approval and is threatening to do it again. What do you have to say for yourself regarding your president waging war without authority?
Pompeo: my views have not changed. We best serve our men and women in uniform when the entire US government work together on military action.
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Post by dc2london on Apr 12, 2018 10:24:57 GMT -6
Corker pauses the hearing to take a swipe at Obama. enchanted
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