With news that Attorney General Jeff Sessions lied under oath about meeting Russian officials during last year’s presidential campaign, the unraveling story of the Trump administration’s contacts with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government are once again dominating headlines. Earlier this morning, New York Senator Chuck Schumer tweeted:
The bottom line is we have an obligation to get to the truth. We must evaluate the scope of Russia’s interference in our election.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 2, 2017
Trump’s director of social media, Dan Scavino, Jr., responded thus:
.@SenSchumer- do it over a donut and coffee. pic.twitter.com/BvnYukwtXs
— Dan Scavino Jr. (@DanScavino) March 3, 2017
Trump must have liked Scavino’s response because he tweeted the same point:
We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite! pic.twitter.com/Ik3yqjHzsA
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017
The parallel that Trump and Scavino are implying makes no sense. No one is claiming that Schumer met with Russian officials and lied about it under oath. But it’s not surprising that Trump has taken this tack. One of his favorite rhetorical moves is the classic first-grade response to an insult, “I know you are, but what am I?”
Update: He’s still at it.
I hereby demand a second investigation, after Schumer, of Pelosi for her close ties to Russia, and lying about it. https://t.co/qCDljfF3wN
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017