Louie Gohmert, Steve King say whistleblower Philip Haney was ‘murdered’

OPINION:

Reps. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, and Steve King, R-Iowa, delivered under-the-radar but shockingly powerful statements from the House floor just a few days ago that went like this: Homeland Security whistleblower Philip Haney, found dead of what authorities deemed a suicide, was actually murdered.

Dub this the Next Story To Be Ignored By The Major Media.

Here’s how The Sacramento Bee reported Haney’s death, on Feb. 25: “A former longtime Department of Homeland Security official, described as a whistleblower who penned a book criticizing the Obama administration’s handling of terrorism, was found dead … adjacent to Highways 16 and 124 … on the ground with a single gunshot wound. … [T]he Sheriff’s Office reported that Haney ’was deceased and appeared to have suffered a single, self-inflicted gunshot wound,’ and that a firearm was located next to Haney and his vehicle.”

The Sheriff’s Office later clarified that the death had not been officially ruled a suicide and that claims to the contrary was “misinformation.” The investigation continues; the Sheriff’s Office and FBI, meanwhile, took Haney’s vehicle, the firearm found at the scene, his RV, a laptop and other documents and phone records related to Haney.

Neither Gohmert nor King, who say they were friends with Haney, believe the suicide line of thought.

“I’m standing on the floor here saying, Madame Speaker, I don’t believe that Phil Haney committed suicide,” King said, The Blaze reported. “I expect that we’re going to get a thorough investigation. The evidence that is coming to me indicates that he was murdered. Phil often said, ’I would never commit suicide.’ “

Gohmert said similarly.

Gohmert said he and Haney had a “mutual pact” that said: “[If] either one of us ended up committing suicide, then the other is going to make sure that the truth wins out.”

Gohmert also said, “I’d been concerned about his safety, with all the information he knew and people who could’ve gotten in trouble.”

People like high-ranking political insiders tied to the previous White House administration.

Haney always kept a thumb drive, also known as a USB drive, containing sensitive government information about Islamic extremists and national security, Gohmert and King said.

And guess what: that thumb drive is curiously missing. Curiously. Particularly curiously because Haney told Senate Judiciary Committee members in mid-2016 how he was forced to destroy documents about people tied to Islamic terrorism.

And the whereabouts of the thumb drive containing sensitive documents that Gohmert and King said he wore around his neck is not known. Interesting. Interesting, in a hush-hush kind of way, it seems.

But if Haney had been tied to President Donald Trump, the media would be all over this. Especially if Haney had ever traveled to Russia, or met a Russian, or crossed the path of a Russian official.

• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter by clicking HERE.