CNN conservative commentator: Trump's “spy-gate” is a “repeat of birtherism. It's a repeat of the whole idea of the rigged election and voter fraud.”

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

From the May 23 edition of CNN's The Lead with Jake Tapper:

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JAKE TAPPER (HOST): Amanda Carpenter, one of the things I wonder about, if the erosion of norms is continuing as we keep saying. The president has long called for the Justice Department to investigate his political opponents and such. Now he's calling for an investigation into the investigators. He's sharing information about this FBI confidential source with allies of his from Capitol Hill. No Democrats, just Republicans. Don't Republicans on Capitol Hill understand that these norms are being eroded and that means that a Democratic president will then do them too. 

AMANDA CARPENTER (CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR): You would think. Listen, “Spy-gate” is a movie we've all seen before. It is a repeat of birtherism. It's a repeat of the whole idea of the rigged election and voter fraud. It is a repeat of the unmasking scandal, which was kind of a dud, because they have all of the same elements. He's making things up and getting people to go along with it. But this one is different because Capitol Hill is going along with it, Republicans, and there is a cost. There has been an asset used that has been outed. There may be more. They're having a meeting tomorrow where there is going to be more information given to Trump's allies on Capitol Hill. And if that information leaks and more assets are damaged, they are now responsible for it. And I think now there's a push from some to include Democrats because they realized if it's only Republicans there, they can't blame it on Democrats for leaking because they want the information to get out. I think Trump is damaging the FBI, but now other people are helping him do it and using the levers of government. And that's what's different. 

Previously:

A short history of phony anti-Trump conspiracy theories

Here's what you need to know about the right's theory that the FBI planted a spy in the Trump campaign

Fox & Friends is scandalizing the counterintelligence investigations of people Trump chose to hire

Fox & Friends guest claims the FBI started Trump campaign probe without “evidence that anyone had actually committed a crime”