Trump-Hating Rep. Ted Lieu MELTS DOWN After Reporter Debunks Russia Hoax In Real-Time

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) had a fiery meltdown after independent journalist Michael Tracey challenged him on his continued belief in the long-discredited Trump-Russia collusion narrative. The moment was captured during a debate over Kamala Harris touting the endorsement of former Vice President Dick Cheney, a figure once reviled by the Democratic Party.

In the interview, Tracey pressed Lieu on why he still insists Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign colluded with Russia, a theory debunked by the Mueller investigation and widely discredited since. The questioning took a sharp turn when Tracey asked Lieu directly, “Do you still think Donald Trump colluded with Russia?” Lieu responded, “His campaign actually did,” attempting to justify the claim with an anecdote about Trump’s former campaign manager sharing polling data with a Russian national.

However, Tracey quickly pointed out that the polling data in question wasn’t “private or sensitive,” arguing that it was publicly available information that could have been easily accessed online. “It was polling data which was nonsensical,” Tracey stated.

The back-and-forth continued, with Lieu sticking to his narrative, while Tracey rebutted by pointing out that Mueller did not bring any collusion-related criminal charges against Trump associates. “Why didn’t Mueller charge him?” Tracey pressed, to which Lieu struggled to give a clear answer, instead reverting to accusations that “the Russians systematically interfered in the elections in a sweeping manner.”

The Department of Justice recently seized websites involved in an alleged Russian disinformation campaign. Federal officials charged two employees of the Kremlin-backed RT media organization with participating in a multimillion-dollar effort to disseminate Russian propaganda.

WATCH:

Here’s my exchange with Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) about Kamala Harris touting the endorsement of Dick Cheney. We also revisit whether he still believes that Trump colluded with Russia pic.twitter.com/lqmKGPsxSR

— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) September 12, 2024

Tracey kept pushing for accountability and clarity, forcing Lieu to eventually retreat from the interview, ending the conversation with a dismissive, “I think I’ve given you a lot of time, so thank you.”

The tense moment came after Tracey had initially asked Lieu for his thoughts on Kamala Harris embracing Dick Cheney’s endorsement. Lieu’s defense of Cheney sparked outrage among many, especially given the former vice president’s role in the Iraq War and his past status as a villain in Democratic circles.

“Congressman, Kamala Harris tonight touted the endorsement of Dick Cheney. Did you find that at all bizarre? Is Dick Cheney someone who’s fit to judge the competence or character of a president?” Tracey asked. He reminded Lieu that Democrats once vilified Cheney for launching the Iraq War on false pretenses.

Lieu countered by claiming that Cheney’s endorsement of Harris was based on one thing: “the preservation of our democracy.” He insisted that Cheney, despite his past controversies, was qualified to make this judgment because, unlike Donald Trump, Harris supports democracy.

“Donald Trump incited insurrection to try to stop the certification of the electoral college,” Lieu claimed, bringing up the January 6th Capitol breach. He added that Trump’s refusal to accept the election results disqualified him from the presidency, emphasizing that Cheney’s support of Harris was a vote for democracy itself. However, many found Lieu’s remarks hypocritical, given the Democrats’ long-standing animosity toward Cheney. They noted how Democrats had spent years attacking him, only to now embrace his endorsement when it suits their political interests.

(POLL: Who Do YOU Think Won The Debate? VOTE NOW)