On Thursday morning, Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ) shot down a CNN reporter asking for comment on the upcoming impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.
McSally sparked a firestorm from offended journalists online by refusing to answer CNN’s Manu Raju, instead calling him a “liberal hack.”
“Senator McSally, should the Senate consider new evidence as part of the impeachment trail?” Raju asked, according to The Federalist.
“Manu, you’re a liberal hack, I’m not talking to you,” the Republican senator responded .
Raju pressed, “You’re not going to comment about this?”
“You’re a liberal hack, buddy,” McSally told the reporter.
Raju quickly took to Twitter to complain that McSally “lashed out” at him.
“Sen. Martha McSally, a Republican facing a difficult election race, lashed out when I asked if she would consider new evidence as part of the Senate trial,” he posted. “‘You’re a liberal hack — I’m not talking to you. You’re a liberal hack.’ She then walked into a hearing room.”
Sen. Martha McSally, a Republican facing a difficult election race, lashed out when I asked if she would consider new evidence as part of the Senate trial. “You’re a liberal hack – I’m not talking to you. You’re a liberal hack.” She then walked into a hearing room.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 16, 2020
McSally was unapologetic over the encounter. The senator posted the video of the interaction to Twitter in response to Raju and doubled down on her assertion that he is a “liberal hack.”
A) you are.
B) here’s the video. https://t.co/zVgk9pBhdf pic.twitter.com/cfFdotLjFK— Martha McSally (@MarthaMcSally) January 16, 2020
The interaction dominated social media Thursday morning.
According to CNN’s Jake Tapper, the family of the late Senator John McCain (R-AZ) was asked about McSally’s actions.
“Given that McSally was appointed to serve our the remainder of Sen John McCain’s term, I asked a member of the family for thoughts on McSally’s comments today. The response was ‘There’s no love lost between our family and her,'” Tapper reported.
Given that McSally was appointed to serve our the remainder of Sen John McCain’s term, I asked a member of the family for thoughts on McSally’s comments today.
The response was “There’s no love lost between our family and her.” https://t.co/PvbWFdATCM
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 16, 2020
“I love McSally now,” popular right-wing Twitter account Comfortably Smug posted.
Wtf I love McSally now https://t.co/1LHMSmGHmB
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) January 16, 2020
“Thoughts and prayers,” the Washington Examiner’s Seth Mandel mockingly tweeted.
Mandel, however, also offered some support for Raju: “I will say this about Manu: He’s deserving of far more credit than McSally gives him here,” he wrote. “I think ppl are overreacting about ‘being attacked’ or whatever, but Manu is one of the very rare journos who confronts Ilhan Omar, on camera, on the record — far more spine than most.”
I will say this about Manu: He's deserving of far more credit than McSally gives him here. I think ppl are overreacting about 'being attacked' or whatever, but Manu is one of the very rare journos who confronts Ilhan Omar, on camera, on the record–far more spine than most.
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) January 16, 2020
“I agree it’s inappropriate to talk to a reporter this way. But in 2017 Raju ran an unverified and untrue report, likely coming from Schiff’s aides, smearing [Donald Trump Jr.],” Senior writer at RealClear Investigations Mark Hemingway noted. “CNN did nothing to discipline anyone involved in the story.”
“Why should GOP trust Raju and CNN?” he asked.
I agree it's inappropriate to talk to a reporter this way.
But in 2017 Raju ran an unverified and untrue report, likely coming from Schiff's aides, smearing @realdonaldtrumpjr. CNN did nothing to discipline anyone involved in the story.
Why should GOP trust Raju and CNN? https://t.co/ttrSIjUZoD
— Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) January 16, 2020
As reported by The Daily Wire on Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) smiled as she signed the Democrats’ partisan articles of impeachment against Trump.
The smile was noteworthy, since Pelosi has repeatedly called impeachment a “sad” and “somber” affair.
“So sad, so tragic for our country that the actions taken by the president undermined our national security, to violate his oath of office, and to jeopardize the security of our elections, the integrity of our elections, has taken us to this place,” Pelosi had previously said. “So, today we will make history when the managers walk down the hallway, we will cross a threshold in history, delivering articles of impeachment against the President of the United States for abuse of power and obstruction of the House.”
“Yes, it is a fact: When someone is impeached, they are always impeached. It cannot be erased,” the leading Democrat boasted. “So I stand by that comment, although I know you don’t like hearing it.”
Related: ‘Sad’ Pelosi Grins While Signing Impeachment Articles. Internet Explodes Over Her Golden Pens.
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