Yesterday, One-Term Wonder Barbara Comstock announced she’s spearheading a so-called women empowerment project, because she wants “to see more women leading in industries such as politics,” she wants to “support women who make different choices than the ones we make,” and believes that “no woman should be paid less simply for being a woman.”
Well we’re not buying it. Let’s take a look at what Congresswoman Comstock really thinks:
“To see more women leading in industries such as politics…”
Comstock isn’t too keen on seeing Hillary Clinton, one of the most accomplished and admired women in American politics, in the White House. Comstock is a professional Clinton hater, who “made her name digging up dirt on the Clintons” during investigations that wasted nearly $80 million in taxpayer dollars.
“Support women who make different choices than the ones we make”
Barbara Comstock is not just anti-choice, she’s a self-proclaimed activist. She has taken position after position limiting a woman’s right to choose, going as far as saying she’d like to repeal Roe v. Wade.
“No woman should be paid less simply for being a woman.”
Just this week Comstock voted to block consideration of the Paycheck Fairness Act … on Equal Pay Day. [H. Res. 189, Vote #148, 4/14/15]
“If One-Term Wonder Barbara Comstock thinks she’s going to pull the wool over the eyes of Northern Virginian voters, she’s got another thing coming,” said Meredith Kelly of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Comstock can talk all she wants about empowering women, but the proof is in the pudding: she is not on their side.”
BACKGROUND
BARBARA COMSTOCK IS A PROFESSIONAL CLINTON HATER:
Salon: Comstock a “Professional Clinton Hater” who Investigated them “Zealously.” In March 2008, Salon described Comstock as a “professional Clinton-hater” who had “investigated both Clintons zealously in the 1990s while working for Dan Burton’s House committee.” [Salon, 3/26/08]
Comstock “Made Her Name Digging Up Dirt on the Clintons.” In 2014, Politico wrote that Comstock “made her name digging up dirt on the Clintons … Clinton allies worry that if Comstock wins and Hillary Clinton returns to the White House as president, she’ll reprise her role as Clinton investigator-in-chief.” “She was the primary architect and energy behind Dan Burton’s investigations of the Clintons,” said [Clinton deputy Attorney General Jamie] Gorelick. “When you meet Barbara Comstock, she’s very personable and lovely. But the work of that committee was highly divisive, and it was not a constructive way of running a congressional committee.” [Politico, 7/24/14]
Washington Post: “One-Woman Wrecking Crew Targets Democratic Leaders.” In August 2001, the Washington Post wrote, “Since joining the GOP, Comstock has become a kind of one-woman wrecking crew targeting Democratic leaders … Comstock has perhaps done more than any other GOP operative to skewer Bill Clinton, Al Gore and their congressional allies.” [Washington Post, 8/22/01]
Politico: Comstock was “Clinton Investigator-In-Chief.” In July 2014 Politico reported “Fifteen years later, the Clinton Wars are back. The backdrop this time isn’t the White House or Hillary Clinton’s likely presidential run. It’s the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., where a onetime congressional staffer who made her name digging up dirt on the Clintons, Barbara Comstock, is trying to win a seat in Congress herself […]Clinton allies worry that if Comstock wins and Hillary Clinton returns to the White House as president, she’ll reprise her role as Clinton investigator-in-chief.” [Politico, 7/24/14]
Comstock Investigated Whitewater, Travelgate, Impeachment. While working at the House Oversight Committee, Comstock investigated Whitewater, Travelgate and President Bill Clinton’s impeachment. [USNews, 10/5/09; National Review, 11/8/01]
Washington Post: “Whitewater Hearings Utterly Obliterated Any Notion of Congressional Objectivity.” In June 1996, the Washington Post reported “the Whitewater hearings utterly obliterated any notion of congressional objectivity.” The Post reported that the 60 sessions of hearings, consuming 300 hours and producing 10,729 pages of testimony and 35,000 pages of depositions from 245 people “ended much as they began.” [Washington Post, 6/19/96]
Independent Probes of the Clinton Administration Cost Taxpayers Nearly $80 Million. In April 1999, figures released from the General Accounting Office showed that independent investigations into the Hillary and President Clinton over the course of the last 4 ½ years had cost $79.3 million. [CNN, 4/01/99]
Comstock Kept “Around the Clock” Watch on Clinton Investigation Evidence. In October 1999, an unauthorized biography of Hilary Clinton written by congressional investigator Barbara Olsen claimed that congressional aides investigating White House scandals used secretive methods and around the clock surveillance after key papers that were thrown away ended up in the hands of reporters. Olsen wrote that Comstock would stay in the office from 8 PM to 4 AM to keep watch. [White House Bulletin, 10/18/99]
1996: Investigated FBI File Breech by White House Personnel Security Director Craig Livingstone. In July 1996, Comstock was investigating the improper requisition of FBI reports by White House Personnel Security Director Craig Livingstone. Livingstone had received hundreds of FBI reports on employees of former Republican administrations. [Washington Post, 7/03/96]
Comstock’s Investigations Into Clintons “Ultimately Yielded Little.” According to Politico, “Comstock’s investigations into the Clintons ultimately yielded little, but her career in politics was just taking off.” [Politico, 7/24/14]
BARBARA COMSTOCK WANTS TO LIMIT A WOAN’S RIGHT TO CHOOSE:
VIDEO: “Yes, I think Roe v. Wade Should be Overturned.” In October 2006 on CNN’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews,” Comstock said, “…yes, I think Roe vs. Wade should be overturned and the states should decide it.” [MSNBC, 10/16/08]
VIDEO: “I Have Been an Activist in the Pro-Life and Pro-Family Community for 25 Years.” In February 2008 on CNN, Comstock said, “I have been an activist in the pro-life and pro-family community for 25 years.” [CNN Newsroom, 2/04/08]
Voted to Mandate Medically Unnecessary and Invasive Transvaginal Ultrasounds Before Abortion. In 2012, Comstock voted in favor of House Bill 462 and Senate Bill 484 that would amend informed consent law to mandate transvaginal ultrasounds before an abortion. HB 462 was adopted 61 to 35 and SB 484 passed 65 to 32 with one abstention. [Washington Post, 2/28/12; HB 462, 2012 Session, 3/01/12; SB 484, 2012 Session, 2/22/12]
Voted for Personhood Bill. In February 2012, Comstock voted in favor of House Bill 1 which provided that “unborn children at every stage of development enjoy all the rights, privileges, and immunities available to other persons, citizens, and residents of the commonwealth, subject only to the laws and constitutions of Virginia and the United States, precedents of the United States Supreme Court, and provisions to the contrary in the statutes of the commonwealth.” The bill passed 66 to 32. [Washington Post, 2/13/12; HB 1, 2012 Session, 2/14/12]
- ACOG: Personhood Measures “Would Limit Or Eliminate Contraceptive Options.” According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, personhood measures “would limit or eliminate contraceptive options.” They elaborated: “Some of the most effective and reliable forms of contraception—oral contraceptives, intrauterine devices, and other forms of FDA-approved contraceptives—could be banned in states that adopt ‘personhood’ measures.” [American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2/20/13]
- Roanoke Times: HB 1 was “The Foundation for Outlawing Abortions.” In February 2012, a Roanoke Times editorial called HB 1 “the foundation for outlawing abortions should the U.S. Supreme Court reverse Roe v. Wade.” The editorial board wrote that the bill could make criminals of doctors who perform abortions to save the life of the mother and could restrict contraceptive options. “Critics rightly fear the impact of Del. Bob Marshall’s ‘personhood’ bill on women’s health care. Obstetricians are worried that it could make criminals of doctors who perform abortions in cases of ectopic pregnancies […] a leading cause of first-trimester maternal deaths,” the Times wrote. The editorial board also said supporters of the bill “dismiss concerns that giving fertilized eggs legal status as persons would open the door to outlawing some forms of contraception. Yet some commonly used methods work by preventing embryos from implanting in the uterus.” [Roanoke Times, Editorial, 2/19/12]
FUN FACT:
Formed Crisis Management Firm to Defend Corrupt Politicians. In December 2006, Comstock formed the crisis management firm Corallo Comstock with former colleague Mark Corallo. They were scheduled to open January 1, 2007, just before new Democratic chairmen would take over in the House. “Just in time for subpoena season,” Corallo told Roll Call’s Heard on the Hill. Together, the team would be doing crisis management, communications strategy, strategic consulting, government relations and helping Republicans who may find themselves in the middle of an investigation. Comstock said, Comstock said, “it helps to know the history of the [House Government Reform] committee, its subpoena power.” [Roll Call, 12/04/06; Washington Post, 12/11/06]