Rep. Ted Lieu (Democrat of California) dismissed Republican claims that the Justice Department was targeting Donald Trump, recalling why the former president and those closest to him were in legal trouble.
The moment came during a Judiciary Committee hearing where Republican lawmakers repeatedly attacked FBI Director Christopher Wray for bias against conservatives.
Wray called that “crazy,” considering he was a Republican appointed to office by Trump and had previously served in the administration of President George W. Bush.
Lieu backed him up with a series of pointed questions, in which he named figures close to Trump who have been charged – including longtime friend and adviser Roger Stone, donor Elliott Broidy, personal attorney Michael Cohen and campaign manager Paul Manafort, who all were convicted under the Trump-appointed attorney general.
“It’s not the FBI’s fault that Donald Trump surrounded himself with criminals,” Lieu concluded. “Donald Trump caused this himself. Thank you to the FBI for exposing the corruption pit of these Trump associates.”
The full exchange is below: