UPDATE #6: Watch Sen. Cory Gardner say absolutely nothing about Michael Flynn in an interview aired moments ago by Denver7:
That really clears things up. Thanks, Cory!
——
UPDATE #5: Via TPM, Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado officially punts:
Sen. David Perdue (R-GA) indicated to reporters on Capitol Hill that he was not concerned Flynn had remained in his role for more than two weeks after the Justice Department reportedly warned the White House about the content of his calls with the Russian ambassador.
“That has nothing to do with his judgement,” Perdue said when asked if that time gap made him concerned about Trump’s judgement. “It’s an unfortunate circumstance. It’s been resolved. And we’re going to move forward.”
Asked if there should be an investigation in the wake of Flynn’s resignation, Perdue said he had “no idea.”
Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) similarly demurred when asked about the potential for an investigation. He told reporters that Congress needs “to see what the White House says” before determining next steps. Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) told reporters that they would need more information before determining whether a probe is necessary, too. [Pols emphasis]
—–
UPDATE #4: Via Blair Miller, Sen. Cory Gardner releases a statement praising the Trump administration’s policy on Russia with no mention of Michael Flynn:
.@SenCoryGardner on Spicer’s comments on Russia/Ukraine/Crimea #copolitics pic.twitter.com/cI5lWhN5Ib
— Blair Miller (@blairmiller) February 14, 2017
In Cory’s world, the biggest story of the day didn’t happen. We’ll update if that changes.
—–
UPDATE #3: Still nothing from Sen. Cory Gardner, but Rep. Ed Perlmutter joins the chorus demanding answers:
I’m cosponsoring @RepJerryNadler‘s Resolution of Inquiry directing the @DOJgov to provide w/ all info about POTUS’ Russian ties & more. pic.twitter.com/7C9DzcKy1g
— Rep. Ed Perlmutter (@RepPerlmutter) February 14, 2017
UPDATE #2: Colorado’s senior Sen. Michael Bennet weighs in strongly:
The #FlynnResignation is not enough. Congress must start a full, in-depth, bipartisan investigation immediately. pic.twitter.com/kBISalW6ER
— Michael F. Bennet (@SenBennetCO) February 14, 2017
—–
UPDATE: Local liberals turn up the heat on Cory Gardner:
“So far, the response from Colorado Republicans in Congress has been totally unacceptable,” said ProgressNow Executive Director Ian Silverii. “Sen. Cory Gardner, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has said nothing at all about Flynn’s resignation. What does Sen. Gardner know about the Trump administration’s contacts with the Russian government, and when did he know it? Every day that Gardner remains silent makes him complicit in what has happened.”
—–
Denver7’s Blair Miller reports on the local reactions to the Michael Flynn controversy now dominating national headlines–and in some cases, lack thereof:
[A]mid the controversy and rumors swirling about Washington, Colorado Congressmen from each side of the aisle are pressuring Flynn and the administration for more details regarding the call and say Flynn should resign if he misled the administration.
“As national security advisor, Michael Flynn is responsible to the President, Vice President, and the American people,” Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., said in a statement to Denver7 Monday evening. “It is his duty to be fully transparent and forthright in his actions—anything less is unacceptable. If in fact he purposely misled the President, he should step down immediately.”
Sen. Michael Bennet, a Democrat, also called for Flynn’s resignation if Flynn indeed discussed the sanctions…
Given the swiftly-spreading news yesterday that Flynn’s head was on the chopping block, we can’t give Rep. Mike Coffman credit for anything more than beating the deadline by a few token hours. Despite some opportunistic victory lapping by Coffman boosters after Flynn’s resignation became public, it’s just plain silly to give him credit for causing it. He got word a few hours in advance that it was happening, and put out a statement. It was just-in-time politics, not a profile in courage.
And much more telling is another Colorado lawmaker who hasn’t said a word:
Requests for comment from Sen. Cory Gardner’s office Monday on the matter amid a request for another story went unreturned. [Pols emphasis]
As of this writing Sen. Cory Gardner has not responded to the situation at all, and as the state’s ranking Republican elected official and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, his silence…well, as they say, it roars. Many other Republicans have called for in-depth investigations of the Trump administration’s ties to the Russian government, but not Gardner.
And at this point, whatever he says or does isn’t leadership at all. It’s CYA.
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He wasn't silent. He posted a video on facebook, where he was reading (cherry-picked) constituent letters on tele-care, risk pools, and over-the counter birth control.
From the intertubes (where 45 has mysteriously disappeared)
And Trump's tax returns could tell quite a tale about his foreign debts and obligations…
Taxghazi!
Donald Trump’s Russia Scandal Is Just Getting Started
I think I just heard Zap's head explode. It's Bennet. It's bipartisan. But it's Trump. And it's Russia. And…
By the time this dust settles with Trump and Pence both implicated Paul Ryan is going to need a VP. Can you ever keep your powder too dry?
I'm thinking what you're thinking, Michael. Pence is in this up to his neck., But let's remember a paraphrase from Junior's days: "Shoot Cheney first!" Even a few days with Pence as POTUS could be catastrophic. They'd be lining up with all of the far-Rights greatest hits for Pence to sign into law before he goes down for the third time.
Leftists who call for shooting people. Colorado Pols is a wonderful place.
If you don't like it. You can leave here. I doubt you are paid to do this. You aren't any good at it.
Dumbass – it's the Senator's gunpowder that's being kept dry. I don't own a gun – although I don't give one shit whether you own one or a hundred as long as you aren't a wife-beater, a felon or mentally ill. I'll let you decide if that precludes you from ownership under those conditions.
Michael, you can borrow my 03 Springfield, pride of the U.S. Army in WW1 and a prized sniper rifle in WW2.
And Moddy can pry it from my cold dead hands!
"Leftists" – you sound like a clown.
You half-wit. I meant they need to investigate and IMPEACH Pence before they go after The Screaming Yam, lest he and the rabid fascists in Congress have time to enact their (and your) dream agenda.
Half-wit. You're being generous on this evening of love, skinny
Had a lovely date with a beautiful woman
Roy Blunt is calling for a exhaustive investigation – Roy Blunt!
And Gardner doesn't agree? He's going to go down with the U.S.S. Trumptanic?
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/319425-blunt-calls-for-exhaustive-investigation-into-trump-russia-connections
Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) on Tuesday said there should be an exhaustive investigation into the ties between Russia and the Trump administration.
"I think everybody needs that investigation to happen," Blunt told KTRS radio, CNN reported.
"And the Senate Intelligence Committee, again that I serve on, has been given the principal responsibility to look into this, and I think we should look into it exhaustively so that at the end of this process, nobody wonders whether there was a stone left unturned, and shouldn't reach conclusions before you have the information that you need to have to make those conclusions."
That's terrible. Did anyone die like in Benghazi?
Or like in Katrina, or 9/11?
…or Bowling Green?
Pffft! I'm with Comrade Moddy on this one. What's a little blackmail in the White House when it's just harmless fun at the NSC?
It’s not like national security or anything is at risk!
And if anybody dies, it's always somebody else's fault.
You mean this Benghazi?
They did in Yemen. Shouldn't the GOP want to investigate the Yemen raid and all that went wrong?
They should have prosecuted all the Republicans who voted to defund security at our embassies around the world. What a cowardly bunch of incompetents.
So you don't take protecting our elections and making sure that they are free and fair seriously. Seriously?
I'm thinking not Guy from Gilpin.
Talk about "The Constitution" as a buzz-word and throw out other buzz words like Freedom and Liberty and profess your undying love for America and then turn around and Govern like an Authoritarian Autocrat and checks & balances be damned. It's the Republican way. Moldy has learned it quite well. It's the only thing he's ever learned. Don't think anything else could fit into that small brain of his.