Connecticut Democrat Sen. Richard Blumenthal asked former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein during the hours long Senate Judiciary hearing about former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report and if he was satisfied with the report and its conclusions and findings.

Rosenstein responded: “It was important to establish that an independent investigation has found that Russians sought to interfere in the election and that no Americans conspired with them.

—————————-11:50 a.m.

Former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein admitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee that he did not read the full Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Application warrants that he signed off on to spy on Carter Page.

Page, was a short term foreign policy advisor for the Trump campaign, and the FBI’s warrant, which was based on lies and Russian disinformation from former British spy Christopher Steele’s dossier, was used to spy on him.

As former Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz said on Twitter it was Sen. Mike Lee’s questioning that broke Rosenstein.

“Did you read the FISA,” Lee asked.

Rosenstein originally said yes, then he admitted that he didn’t fully read it. Well, guess what he signed off on the FISA under penalty of perjury. He’s a lawyer and knows what that means.

.@SenMikeLee questioning was exceptionally helpful. Amazing change by Rosenstein. Q.Did you read the FISA? A. Yes. Later he sheepishly said he had not fully read it, etc.

— Jason Chaffetz (@jasoninthehouse) June 3, 2020

————————–11:35 a.m.

Chairman Lindsey Graham isn’t holding back any punches. It appears that he’s finally completely fed up with the constant coverups and lies coming from these former officials.

Watch below:

“It wasn’t the Russians who withheld information from the court about general Flynn that they were setting him up and out to get him. It was the department of justice, it was the F.B.I., it was people who hated Trump.”

https://twitter.com/alexbruesewitz/status/1268205482432499713

——————————–11:22 a.m.

Back to prosecutor Andrew McCarthy’s question again – remember earlier he tweeted the same to Sen. Graham and Sen. Grassley.

“Excuse me, @tedcruz & @SenMikeLee, any chance one of you fellas might ask Mr. Rosenstein if he read what he signed?”

Rosenstein keeps shifting the blame on the FBI and everyone else but remember folks it is his signature on the two last FISA renewals to authorizing spying on Carter Page. And further, it wasn’t just spying on Page  – it was spying on anyone who spoke to Page and anyone who spoke to them. Think about it?

The buck stops with Rosenstein – he’s a lawyer. Do you think Rosenstein would let you off the hook if you signed a contract without reading it or for that matter, even if you read it?

Excuse me @tedcruz & @SenMikeLee, any chance one of you fellas might ask Mr. Rosenstein if he read what he signed – I know this is a crazy idea, but I thought point of a hearing was to make a record of what happened … or didn't happen … https://t.co/QgGIZHcR3P

— Andy McCarthy (@AndrewCMcCarthy) June 3, 2020

—————————-11:15 a.m.

Former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein admits that former MI6 British spy Christopher Steele’s dodgy dossier was used to disseminate Russian disinformation against President Donald Trump.

Rosenstein told Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, under questioning that it was wrong (by the way, it’s a crime) when information in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant was leaked on Carter Page, the short term volunteer for the Trump campaign.

The information in the FISA was false and during the time the lies that Page was a Russian asset were being spread in major news outlets, Page’s life was being threatened. It was a horrible injustice and Page is now suing, which he should.

———————————11 a.m.

Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Graham asks Rosenstein,
“the whole concept – that the Trump campaign was colluding with the Russians – there was no ‘there’ there in August 2017. Do you agree with that statement?”

“I agree with that general statement,” said Rosenstein.
Finally!!! The truth comes out. Hopefully, MSNBC and CNN will report the facts on this but don’t hold your breath America.

————————————10:57 

I had to put this Tweet in from former Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney in New York Andrew McCarthy, because essentially its the most important question.

“Why hasn’t anyone, particularly Sens Graham or Grassley, asked Rosenstein whether he actually read the FISA application he signed?”

So important… ask, ask, ask!

Why hasn't anyone, particularly Sens Graham or Grassley, asked Rosenstein whether he actually read the FISA application he signed? He keeps talking about 'what I understood' was in it. Did he read request for a warrant to investigate POTUS's associates before signing it?

— Andy McCarthy (@AndrewCMcCarthy) June 3, 2020

———————————–10: 50 a.m.

Senator Dianne Feinstein asks if former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report relied on the information from the Steele dossier and Rosenstein answered, it didn’t.

But this is where it gets interesting, Feinstein asks “Do you believe the Mueller investigation was a hoax or a witch-hunt or a deep state conspiracy?”

She also unintentionally, just gave my colleague Fox News contributor Gregg Jarrett a good plug for his book here.

Rosenstein answers: “I do not believe the investigation was a hoax Senator, but with regard to the nature of the allegations, mind those allegations are coming from other sources and I can’t vouch for the allegations.”

My take, is basically, Rosenstein can’t say the investigation wasn’t a set up because the allegations came from sources that appeared to have set up the FBI and in fact, everyone involved in the investigation into Trump.

—————————————–10:40 a.m.

Chairman Lindsey Graham asks former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein “What evidence existed that Gen. Flynn committed a crime in 2017? Would it have made a difference?”

Rosenstein: “Yes…”

It appears Rosenstein didn’t know anything at all, according to his testimony before Congress.

———————————————10:30 a.m.

Rosenstein Blames FBI For Hiding Information On The Two FISA’s Renewals He’s Signed Off On 

Under questioning from Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham, former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said, he would not have signed off on the last two FISAs.

Rosenstein refused to say whether or not former Deputy Director Andrew McCabe lied to him.

————————————- 10:15 a.m.

Former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is sworn in. In his opening statement Rosenstein said that Trump removed most of the Senate-confirmed U.S. attorneys saying that as “a result of events that followed the departure of the F.B.I. director, I was concerned that the public would not have confidence in the investigation and that the acting F.B.I. director was not the right person to lead it.”

“I decided that appointing a special counsel was the best way to complete the investigation appropriately and promote public confidence in its conclusions,” said Rosenstein.

He said that the FISA applications “every application that I approved appeared to be justified.” He said that he relied on the FBI to follow the protocol when he signed them. He said the DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s discovery that “agents and prosecutors” make serious mistakes or operate outside the rule of law the DOJ should hold them accountable.

Rosenstein said he looks forward to answering the questions.

————————————–

Former Justice Department Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is getting ready to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee. He is expected to answer all questions regarding the FBI’s ‘Crossfire Hurricane’ investigation into President Donald Trump and the now debunked theory that the campaign colluded with Russia.

Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Lindsey Graham said in his opening statement  that “people running the (Robert) Mueller investigation were the same people running Crossfire Hurricane.” The Crossfire Hurricane investigation is considered the most egregious  investigation into a presidential candidate and administration.

Graham said in  his opening statement to Rosenstein, who signed the last reauthorization Foreign Intelligence Surveillance warrant to spy on Carter Page, “we’re going to get to the bottom of it.”

The issue at question is the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court warrant taken out on Page to spy on the Trump campaign. The power of the court is so great that many civil libertarians and lawmakers have called for it to be either dismantled or completely reformed. Those calls to reform or end the FISA court have grown greater since Horowitz released his 435 page report this week, revealing 17 gross violations, which included withholding exculpatory information, altering documents and basically lying to the court happened in the case of Trump foreign policy campaign advisor Page.

Those violations against Page were initiated by former FBI Director James Comey’s Crossfire Hurricane Team and Horowitz’s scathing report on the team was reminiscent of the J. Edgar Hoover era, where the bureau’s spying on American citizens was rampant.

Page’s life was turned upside down when the Crossfire Hurricane team. Other FBI agents and sources associated with the FISA against Page, leaked erroneous stories about the Trump campaign volunteer to the media, in an effort to create a narrative that the Trump campaign conspired with Russia. It, of course, was all based on a foundation of lies.

“What will happen,” said Graham, during the hearing to Rosenstein. “There are millions of Americans that are upset about” the FBI’s investigation into Trump. Graham noted that many Americans view the investigation into President Trump as the “most corrupt, bias, criminal investigation in the history of the FBI.” said Graham.

Biggest questions at today’s hearing: What happened in former national security advisor Michael Flynn’s case, the unmasking requests made by Obama Admin officials and the FISA warrant against Page.