OP-ED: Collusion delusion is over

BY: REPS. JIM JORDAN (R-OHIO), MARK MEADOWS (R-N.C.), MICHAEL CLOUD (R-TEXAS), JODY HICE (R-GA.), JAMES COMER (R-KY.) AND CHIP ROY (R-TEXAS). — 03/29/19 11:00 AM EDT.

From: The Hill

The collusion delusion is over. 

Congressional Democrats spent the last two years fear-mongering on the pretense that President Trump conspired with the Russians to rig the 2016 presidential election. They promised evidence of collusion. They boasted that Republicans would look “really stupid” once Mueller’s investigation ended.

After 22 months and more than $25 million in taxpayer funds, we now know what many of us suspected all along: There was no collusion, coordination, or cooperation between President Trump’s campaign and Russia. More than 2,800 subpoenas prove it. Nearly 500 search warrants confirm it. Approximately 500 witnesses, 40 FBI agents and 19 lawyers corroborate it.  

Let’s not forget how all of this started. The Clinton campaign hired the Perkins Coie law firm, which hired Glenn Simpson and Fusion GPS, who hired a foreigner, Christopher Steele, who put together the fake dossier the FBI used to get a warrant to spy on the Trump campaign. Despite their massive, lengthy and costly effort, there was no evidence of collusion. President Trump has been vindicated.

Two things should happen.

First, the non-stop investigations of the president need to end. Unfortunately, it appears this will not happen. When news broke of the attorney general’s letter, House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) took to MSNBC and proclaimed that “this is not the end of anything.” House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) argued there was still “significant evidence of collusion.”  And Democratic presidential candidate and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (Texas) accused President Trump of “attempted collusion.” Give us a break.

Also, do not forget, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) already sent 81 document requests to individuals and groups associated with the president. 

Democrats plan to “reset” their strategy to take down the president. They will go after his tax returns, his family and his friends. And it appears they will continue attacking the administration all the way to the 2020 election.

Second, the top FBI officials who ran the Clinton investigation and the Trump-Russia investigation need to be held accountable — James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Jim Baker, Lisa Page, and Peter Strzok. All five have been fired, demoted or resigned and left the FBI. Let’s remember, the last time Strzok testified, he said he couldn’t answer questions because of “ongoing investigative matters.” Well, the Mueller investigation is over, so there shouldn’t be a problem answering any questions. 

While Nadler sent his 81 requests, he didn’t send letters to the two most important people: Christopher Steele, the guy who wrote the bogus dossier, and Glenn Simpson, the guy whose opposition research firm the Clinton campaign hired to put the dossier together. We should see all the conversations between former Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, Simpson and Steele. We should see all the conversations between Simpson and Ohr’s wife, Nellie, who worked for Fusion GPS. And we should know about the conversations between Simpson and Schiff when they secretly met last year in Aspen, Colo. 

If Democrats want transparency, then let’s be transparent. Release the Carter Page FISA application. Release the Bruce Ohr 302s. Release all the information that the investigators gave the “Gang of Eight.” If Democrats want the truth, let’s get the whole truth.

Under President Trump’s leadership, we’ve reduced taxes and cut regulations. The economy is growing at an unbelievable rate with the lowest unemployment in 50 years. Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh are on the Supreme Court. We’re out of the Iran Deal, the U.S. embassy has been moved to Jerusalem, hostages are home from North Korea, and there’s a new US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement coming.

Let’s not stop there. Let’s secure our border, fix our broken immigration system, and address the other challenges facing our great nation. Instead of choosing to harass the president in partisan investigations, we hope the Democrats will choose to work with us to continue to make America great.