Posted on Tuesday, December 3, 2024
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by Outside Contributor
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Former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard shares a problem with President-elect Trump. Democrats and their allies see Gabbard and Trump as enemies of the state.
In her 2020 presidential campaign, Gabbard dared to criticize two of her Democratic primary challengers, Joe Biden and then-Sen. Kamala Harris. This criticism made Gabbard a smear target.
When Gabbard criticized former first lady and failed 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, this further angered the Democrats. Clinton began the smear campaign, calling Gabbard, a veteran of the Iraq war, a “favorite of the Russians.”
Clinton began the “Russian” smear while also smearing her 2016 GOP challenger, Donald Trump. Clinton’s campaign helped finance the infamous Steele Dossier that included lewd accusations about Trump.
One of the many implications of the exposed “Russia hoax” was that Russian President Vladimir Putin would blackmail Trump into doing his bidding. Clinton called Trump “Putin’s puppet.”
Though the “Russia hoax” failed, Democrats learned a valuable lesson. They knew there was money and publicity in political hoaxes. California Rep. Adam Schiff promoted the “Russia hoax”; he is now a U.S. senator-elect. Some in Washington think payback could be coming.
When Trump nominated Gabbard to be his director of national intelligence, Democrats were quick to smear Gabbard, a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve. Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Clinton ally, called Gabbard a “likely Russian asset.”
In her 2024 book “For Love of Country,” Gabbard wrote about the “Russia hoax.” While she was a Democrat in Congress, she writes, she saw her fellow Democrats and some Republicans accept “the fake story concocted and spread by Hillary Clinton about (Trump) ‘colluding’ with Russia ‘to steal the election’ and support it with “no questions asked.”
In the 2024 election, voters gave Trump a Republican-controlled Congress.
One of the lessons of the Republican sweep is that voters are tired of hoaxes and lies about Trump and his supporters.
When Harris repeatedly failed to explain her plans for the economy, foreign policy, national security, or defense, she called Trump a “Nazi,” “felon,” “racist,” etc. Voters were tired of these dangerous and false campaign smears. Voters told her so by re-electing Trump.
Wasserman Schultz’s argument against Gabbard is that she met with Syria’s Bashar al-Assad in 2017. France issued an arrest warrant for al-Assad for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In 1998, then-president Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton met Yasser Arafat in Gaza City. Arafat was the leader of the Palestinian Black September assassins at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Did Wasserman Schultz forget? Does she have double standards? Would she have voted to impeach Clinton?
After Wasserman Schultz’s smear of Gabbard, Trump expressed his support for his nominee.
In a statement issued by his transition team, Trump said, “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength. Tulsi will make us all proud!”
Political dirty tricks may be one reason Trump is rumored to be seeking Congress’s help in getting his nominees’ recess appointments. This would depart from Congress’s advice-and-consent role for Cabinet officials. Is such a departure needed?
Trump may be convinced that the country needs to depart from the political divisiveness. He could use Wasserman Schultz’s irresponsible smear of Gabbard as support for her recess appointment.
James Patterson is a writer in Washington. (He is NOT the well-known author of best-selling popular fiction.)
Reprinted with Permission from DC Journal – By James Patterson
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.
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