Now that it looks like the Trump/Russia collusion investigation is drying up, those absolutely certain Trump has done something — anything — wrong (or, if nothing else, is unfit for office), are going all in on making an obstruction of justice charge stick by alleging Trump had conversations with Jeff Sessions demanding his Attorney General not recuse himself from the Mueller investigation. There was a long New York Times piece about it yesterday that basically runs around fanning smoke trying to make a fire.

It ultimately does little more than prove Trump was unsure of himself regarding the investigation (I’d chalk that up to being out of his depth in the land of special counsel investigations rather than guilt, but there’s obviously debate about that) and was hopeful Sessions would put on the public face of loyal employee rather than what he actually did, which was to (quite correctly) recuse himself due to an ethical conflict of interest.

Welcome to politics, Mr. Trump. It’s different than business.

Because this is the newest salvo in the war to bring down the Trump administration, and because CNN is on the front lines of that war, the network did something kind of appalling (but that also kind of happens every day in the news industry): they flat out lied to California GOP Rep. Dana Rohrabacher and told him to come on air to discuss a segment on Jeff Sessions and what some saw as his right turn on marijuana legalization (Rohrabacher isn’t too keen on Sessions these days). And then trapped him into discussing the Trump drama over alleged obstruction (because Rohrabacher isn’t too keen on Sessions these days). And then others in the left-leaning media called him out for “scolding” poor Ana (because #hertoo, I guess).

It’s a cheap trick. And CNN’s Ana Cabrera knows it because she is out-of-the gate aggressive and haughty; and even at one point weakly tries to make the case that this obstruction hunt is the news of the day to justify lying to the man about why he was there.

“This…was supposed to be about cannabis,” Rohrabacher says at one point.

Disgraceful. Watch the whole thing here:

This CNN segment is going viral — lots of tweeters saying @RepRohrabacher acted like a bully when @AnaCabrera tried to ask Q's and fact-check him — it starts around 2 min mark https://t.co/q4DAM545wv

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) January 5, 2018

And here are just a few of the responses saying Rohrabacher was bullying Ana, not that Ana misrepresented her intention to a sitting Congressman.

This type of behavior is going to trend. The GOP is about to make a full on attack against the media. The bullying technique of talking over the interviewer no longer works. Can't wait to see them try this on @JoyAnnReid

— Chief Master Sergeant 82-11 (@HarleyMtnChief) January 5, 2018

https://twitter.com/MikeSalerno7/status/949338533394726912

I watched this segment and I must say he was a very rude man. Ana was very composed and respectful to him.

— David Harding ™ ©️ (@rocky1951) January 5, 2018

There are over 600 comments on Stelter’s tweet, and many of them, after a quick scan, are a version of “Rohrabacher = Goliath, Ana = David”.

So, as the progressives work themselves into a frenzy trying to undo the Trump administration, expect the traditional media outlets to aide and abet, even if it means lying to lawmakers and gleefully trying to make politicians look foolish as they appear in good faith to discuss policies they honestly believe in.

Not your finest moment, CNN.