CNN conservative drowned in laughter after defending probe into 'anti-American activities'

A conservative commentator drew laughter from other panelists after twice attempting to defend President Donald Trump's latest attacks on his political adversaries.

A senior official in the Department of Justice has directed federal prosecutors around the country to investigate a group funded by billionaire Democratic donor George Soros, a longtime bogeyman to conservatives who Trump has said belongs in prison, and Rob Bluey, executive editor of The Heritage Foundation's Daily Signal website, justified the move on "CNN This Morning."

"I think when you see the writing on the bullets in the Charlie Kirkassassination and the attack onon the ICE facility this week, there are legitimate questions thatare being raised or why arethese shooters putting thesemessages, these cryptic messagessometimes, and what do they meanexactly?" Bluey said. "So not only do you havethe president making this movefrom the White House, but youalso have Congressman Chip Royin the U.S. Congress who wantsto form a select committee to do an investigation. So I'm allfor investigating and trying toget to the bottom of this."

Host Audie Cornish asked what the Texas Republican congressman was trying to investigate, and Bluey was happy to explain.

"Chip Roy, he wants to form aselect committee to look intowhat he calls anti-Americanactivities that are happening onour own soil," Bluey said, and was immediately interrupted by laughter from his fellow panelists.

New York Times podcaster Lulu Garcia-Navarro stepped up to point out that Roy's request for a select committee to investigate what he calls anti-American ideology sounded similar to the infamous House Un-American Activities Committee that former senator Joseph McCarthy exploited to persecute alleged communists in the 1950s.

"Anti-American, actually – interesting, anti-American," Garcia-Navarro said. "Does that not bringback a happy memories of thepast?"

Bluey stammered as he tried to regain his footing.

"You brought up George Soros earlier, andI think the reason that Trump islooking at Soros is hehas funded a lot ofprosecutorial races in thiscountry for individuals who havewhat the right would say goneeasy on criminals," Bluey argued.

Vox podcaster Noel King argued that the conservative U.S. Supreme Court paved the way for Soros to fund any candidate he wanted in its landmark 2010 decision in the Citizens United case, which ruled the government cannot restrict political spending.

"He's an he's an Americanbillionaire," King said. "That is his right, we made this decision in Citizens United. We said money belongs inpolitics. George Soros isplaying the same game as everyother billionaire in America."

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