Republican National Committee (RNC) spokeswoman Liz Harrington criticized House Democrats over their decision to have former Nixon White House counsel John Dean testify about his views on the parallels between Watergate and the special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe.
“He has no credibility, not the most highly esteemed character I would add,” Harrington told Hill.TV co-hosts Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti in response to Dean’s testimony.
“What does this have to do with anything,” she added.
Harrington went on to claim Democrats are attempting to conflate the findings from the Mueller probe, which found no collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign but did not clear Trump of committing obstruction of justice.
“They’re trying to draw this out to make it seem like something was done wrong and the fact of the matter is this president was falsely accused for more than two years of treasonous behavior with Russia, it was a complete lie,” she said. “And the fact that he acted innocent and defended himself, that’s the second fake crime.”
Dean, a key player in bringing down Richard Nixon’s presidency, appeared before the House Judiciary Committee on Monday. He was asked to appear to disclose his views about the Mueller report in the context of the Watergate scandal decades ago.
“I’m clearly not a fact witness, but hope I can give them some context and show them how strikingly like Watergate what we’re seeing now and as reported in the Mueller report is,” he said prior to the hearing.
Trump lashed out at Dean following the news, calling him a “sleazebag attorney,” and hours before his testimony the president doubled down on his attacks.
“Can’t believe they are bringing in John Dean, the disgraced Nixon White House Counsel who is a paid CNN contributor. No Collusion – No Obstruction! Democrats just want a do-over which they’ll never get!” Trump tweeted.
—Tess Bonn
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