Modern McCarthyism

Donald Trump Jr. went on Sean Hannity's TV show last night to defend his actions last year in meeting with a Russian lawyer. He said there was absolutely nothing learned from that meeting that was used during the campaign.

He noted that the meeting took place in June and that the "Russian collusion panic" did not start until weeks later. He also said that he never told his father anything about the meeting because there was nothing to tell.

Not surprisingly, the president is defending his son. This morning, President Trump tweeted, "My son Donald did a good job last night. He was open, transparent and innocent. This is the greatest Witch Hunt in political history. Sad!"

It is amazing to see how often and how easily commentators and some politicians distort the facts. Now simply meeting with a Russian is evidence of a crime or, as Sen. Tim Kaine suggested, evidence of treason. That absurd accusation would make Joseph McCarthy blush.

Someone should ask the senator if he thinks this meeting was more serious than Barack Obama commuting Bradley Manning's sentence, an individual who stole hundreds of thousands of American secrets.

By the way, two left-wing law professors -- Alan Dershowitz and Jonathan Turley -- are defending Donald Trump Jr. from the charges that he broke the law or committed treason.

Some Context

Let's put this controversy into context. Washington, D.C., much to my chagrin, is crawling with lobbyists who represent foreign countries. Some represent friends of the U.S. Others represent our enemies.

Washington is also crawling with people from other countries (businessmen, researchers, students, journalists) who are working for foreign governments, as well as legitimate businessmen, researchers, students and journalists.

Years ago when I was president of the Family Research Council, I decided FRC would oppose granting "most favored nation" trading status to China due to its rampant human rights abuses and gross violations of religious liberty. I am proud we did that.

Very quickly we started getting calls from Chinese businessmen and others who just happened to be in Washington and who wanted to discuss trade issues with me. I used to joke with them that I wanted to be sure that they got my quotes right for their reports back to their government handlers in Beijing. I wanted these agents of the Chinese government to know that their persecution of Christians could cost them.

Let me remind you of a few things that have happened in recent years.
 

• Barack Obama was caught on an open mic telling then-outgoing Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that he would have "more flexibility" after his reelection. Medvedev's response: "I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir." That would be incoming Russian President Vladimir Putin. Where was the left's concern about treason then?
   
• Since we're talking about foreign involvement in another countries' elections, it's worth remembering that Obama tried to topple a key American ally -- the Netanyahu government in Israel.
   
• While we're talking about foreign influence in America, Ted Kennedy invited the Soviets to help him defeat Ronald Reagan in 1984.
   
• Obama facilitated Russian and Chinese lobbying in support of the Iranian nuclear deal.
   
• The Ukrainian government attempted to help the Clinton campaign dig up dirt on Donald Trump.
   
• The Clinton campaign circulated Russian disinformation against Trump.
   
• There continues to be evidence that British intelligence agencies may have helped the Obama Administration spy on the Trump campaign.

  Amazingly, none of these issues rose to the level of "scandals," "crimes" or "treason" as far as the left and its media allies were concerned.

  The left's outrage over one meeting with a Russian lawyer who talked about international adoptions doesn't pass the straight face test.

  Back To Basics

  Pope Francis, President Trump and Vice President Pence have all spoken out in defense of Baby Charlie Gard. Charlie, as you may know, is an 11 month-old handicapped baby boy that British hospitals have condemned to death.

  How in the world did Britain get to the point where parents had to convince multiple courts that they should have a right to take their child to another country for treatment that Britain's socialized National Health Service refused to provide?

  This is a stark warning for us as we debate the future of Obamacare and the government's role in healthcare here in the United States.

  President Trump praised Western Civilization in Warsaw last week in part because, as he noted, we believe our liberty comes from God not government. What is happening to Baby Charlie is evidence of just how fragile civilization can be when government forgets the basics.

  Immigration & Islamists

  The conventional wisdom among America's elites is that open borders and mass immigration are noble objectives. For decades we have allowed millions of people into the country from parts of the world where the values of genuine tolerance and religious liberty are foreign concepts.

  Without hesitation we have assumed that those coming to America share American ideals and values, that they leave cultural biases behind in their native countries. But that is not always the case.

  Recently, progressive leader Linda Sarsour declared "jihad" against the Trump Administration and urged fellow Muslims "not to assimilate." What are Sarsour's values?

  What do the masses of migrants who have arrived in Europe and the U.S. believe?

  Should it matter to U.S. immigration policy?

  I believe it should and so do most Americans.

  Read more in my latest opinion piece at The Daily Caller.