Mississippi Democrat Mike Espy, making his second attempt at a run for the U.S. Senate in as many years, sent a campaign email late Friday seeking signatures on an Action Network petition powered by Daily Kos to investigate California Congressman Devin Nunes.
Action Network is a self described “open platform that empowers individuals and groups to organize for progressive causes.”
This follows Espy’s critique of Republican U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith’s comments on the House Impeachment of President Donald Trump.
In a tweet Thursday, Espy called Hyde-Smith’s statements “inconsistent at best and hypocritical at worst.”
Cindy Hyde-Smith’s statements on impeachment are inconsistent at best and hypocritical at worst.
She has said impeachment is “a very serious matter” but it “will come to a swift end” and she will “stand up” for Trump.
CHS is paying lip service and hoping you won’t notice.
— Mike Espy (@MikeEspyMS) December 19, 2019
The campaign’s decision for Espy to take the hard left position supporting the partisan impeachment process in the House, and further to go on the attack against an outspoken Republican who challenged the manner in which the process was handled, is a calculation that simply doesn’t add up in bright red conservative Mississippi.
Espy’s willingness to promote such blatantly progressive ideas shows he is not running from the Democrat moniker while running in 2020. He has already taken stances supporting a minimum wage increase, advocating for Medicaid expansion, and calling attention to climate change effects on farmers, among other liberal talking points, on his campaign Twitter feed @mikeespyms.
Espy’s email sent by his campaign organization regarding Nunes reads in its entirety:
“Now that the U.S. House has voted to move forward with impeaching President Trump, it is imperative that we address a major conflict of interest throughout the impeachment investigation involving Republican Representative Devin Nunes.
“Reports reveal that while Nunes was sitting as the ranking member of the committee investigating Trump’s efforts to pressure Ukraine into interfering in the 2020 U.S. election, he was also directly involved in all aspects of the scheme he was pretending to investigate.
“Phone records reveal Nunes had talks with Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, right when he was orchestrating the move to oust the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine. Additionally, Nunes spoke with indicted Giuliani associate Lev Parnas—who was tasked by Trump to investigate the Biden’s activities in Ukraine.
“Previously, in November 2018, Nunes traveled with three aides to the Ukraine—where he allegedly met with corrupt former prosecutor Viktor Shokin for the express purpose of supporting Trump’s conspiracy theory against Joe Biden.
“And when Nunes chaired the House Intelligence Committee in 2017, he got caught funneling classified information to and from the Trump White House to intentionally undermine the Russia investigation. He was subsequently forced to step aside.
“Nunes’ behavior is a troubling conflict of interest, a display of hyperpartisanship, and a potential threat to our democratic process as outlined in the Constitution.
“If you believe he should be investigated for his actions, add your name now.
“We cannot afford to have members of Congress throwing out our rules of law and putting party before country like this. If Nunes has done what he’s been accused of, he should be criminally charged and removed from office.”
The email is signed “Thank You, Mike.”
