Dem Rep Hoyer: ‘We Don’t Yet Have Hard Evidence’ of Trump-Russia Collusion

On Thursday’s broadcast of CNN’s “New Day,” House Democratic Whip Representative Steny Hoyer (D-MD) stated that while there’s a “pattern” of a cover-up, “we don’t yet have hard evidence” of collusion between the Trump camp and Russia. Hoyer further said that with the Watergate scandal, “there were a couple of years of smoke with no smoking gun, and then ultimately, a smoking gun was made available through testimony…and I think that the same thing may well happen here.”

Hoyer said that the “continuing pattern of cover-up” “leads one to believe that there’s fire where there’s so much smoke.”

He further stated that in addition to a special counsel, there should be a 9/11-style commission to look at Russian involvement in the election.

Anchor Chris Cuomo then asked, “[W]hat does it mean that you haven’t had any hard proof of actual collusion to this point?”

Hoyer answered, “Well, what it means is, obviously, that we don’t yet have hard evidence. But you recall in Watergate, frankly, there were a couple of years of smoke with no smoking gun, and then ultimately, a smoking gun was made available through testimony…and I think that the same thing may well happen here. It may not. And if it doesn’t, frankly, the American people will have greater confidence in the president’s relationship with Russia, and others. But if it does, then I think you’re going to see substantial adverse action with respect to the Trump administration.”

(h/t GOP War Room)

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett