Past Time to End This Dem Witch Hunt

I don't deny that President Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey was handled poorly, but it pales in comparison with the Democrats' ongoing partisan witch hunt against President Trump concerning Russia. That should be the story.

Shortly after Trump's dismissal of Comey, Trump defenders had plenty of ammunition. Widely respected and nonpartisan Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had reportedly recommended that Trump fire Comey.

But then the communications from Team Trump on the matter seemed to muddy the waters. Though maintaining that Rosenstein's recommendation was pivotal, Trump spokespeople added other reasons. They claimed that Trump had fired Comey based on his handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation and because numerous FBI agents and employees were dispirited by Comey's actions.

Then acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe testified, "The vast majority of FBI employees enjoyed a deep, positive connection to Director Comey." A number of retired FBI officials also apparently showed solidarity with Comey by using his face for their Facebook profile photos. And though Rosenstein has contradicted mainstream media reports that he was contemplating resigning over the narrative that he had recommended Comey's dismissal, he reportedly claims that he did not expressly recommend the firing. Oh, boy.

Trump added more to the mix when he told Lester Holt in an interview that he had decided to fire Comey irrespective of the reported Rosenstein recommendation. Media outlets are having a field day with this alleged contradiction. Trump has thrown his communications team under the bus, they say, because his spokespeople clearly said that Trump's firing was a response to the recommendation. Trump's tweets concerning possible recorded conversations between him and Comey didn't help, either.

What a mess.

Though it doesn't look good that Trump's version arguably varies from that of his spokespeople, I don't see any major inconsistency here. I suspect that Trump was increasingly frustrated with Comey and wanted to fire him and that the recommendation helped justify it. Either way, Trump had the constitutional authority to fire Comey, and it would be scandalous only if he did so to impede a legitimate investigation into his alleged collusion with Russia, which is not the case.

Trump is obviously exasperated that the Democrats are impeding his policy agenda with their obsessive hammering of the bogus charge that he and his team conspired with Russia to interfere with the presidential election.

Despite the incessant media reports and congressional investigations, not a shred of evidence has emerged to substantiate the charge of collusion. We keep saying this, but the media and Democrats keep pretending otherwise. It's unconscionable. Even James Clapper, former President Barack Obama's director of national intelligence, has admitted that there is no evidence of collusion and that he has no reason to suspect it.

The real scandal is not Trump's firing Comey — even if Trump's supporters are unhappy with the timing and the way it was handled and communicated. The scandal is the liberal establishment's coordinated conspiracy to falsely allege that Trump stole the presidency by colluding with Russia. Liberals absolutely know that it's not true, but they will not quit bearing false witness. How dare they posture indignantly about Trump's supposed dishonesty?

The Democrats know they are fabricating this whole thing, but they figure this is the best way they can thwart Trump's efforts to move the country forward and out of the multiple quagmires Obama landed this country in. Their constant laments about the democratic process are laughably belied by their refusal to accept the results of the presidential election.

It is the Democrats' prerogative to act as the opposition party and to try to impede Trump's agenda. But it is reprehensible that they are doing so through fraudulent means and further dividing the country with their lies about Team Trump and Russia.

Their counterfeit hysteria knows no bounds. Not long ago, Democrats were demanding Comey's head, alleging that his public announcements had sabotaged Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. Now they are claiming the firing is a "constitutional crisis" and a "coup." Not only did Trump have the authority to fire Comey but also the termination does not end the investigation.

Author Jon Meacham claimed on "Morning Joe" that Trump had removed someone "in charge of an investigation that could lead to treason." Sen. Richard Blumenthal said the firing may well lead to impeachment hearings. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called on the Justice Department to appoint a special prosecutor to oversee the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign.

Hillary Clinton's 2016 running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine, said: "We have a deeply insecure president who understands that the noose is tightening because of this Russia investigation. And that's why I believe he has let Jim Comey go."

Kaine knows better. There is no evidence that there is any noose, much less that it's tightening, and the media's claim that Trump fired Comey because he was seeking more funds to investigate him has been expressly denied by acting Director McCabe. CNN's Van Jones said that the only people who are happy about the firing "are sitting in the Kremlin." MSNBC's Chris Matthews claimed that the firing was "a little whiff of fascism." Countless liberal media and political figures are comparing the Comey firing to the Saturday Night Massacre, in which Richard Nixon fired Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox.

The way this firing transpired is unfortunate, but we wouldn't be talking about this if Democrats and the media weren't lying every hour of every day about a nonexistent scandal. This bogus investigation should end forthwith, no matter who is heading it, because it is based on nothing but innuendo and partisanship. You conduct an investigation not because you want something to be true but because you have some evidence suggesting it may be. There is no such evidence here, and they've admitted it. Let's move on.

Comment by clicking here.

David Limbaugh is a columnist, author and attorney practicing in Cape Girardeau, Mo.