Clinton spokesman accuses Tulsi Gabbard of pushing ‘conspiracy theories’ with response to ‘Russian asset’ jab

A spokesman for Hillary Clinton accused Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of pushing “conspiracy theories” a day after Clinton referred to the lawmaker and active-duty service member as a “Russian asset.”

Clinton, 71, claimed in a podcast on Thursday that Gabbard is working for the Kremlin as a Democratic spoiler and to aid President Trump in the 2020 presidential election.

Gabbard responded on Friday afternoon in a Twitter thread attacking Clinton for leading a “concerted campaign to destroy my reputation.” The Hawaii Democrat, 38, also called Clinton “the queen of warmongers, embodiment of corruption, and personification of the rot that has sickened the Democratic Party.”

Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill responded to Gabbard’s thread in a statement to CNN, saying her response proves Clinton’s point.

“Divisive language filled with vitriol and conspiracy theories? Can’t imagine a better proof point than this,” Merrill said, referring to Gabbard’s statement.

Gabbard joined Congress as Hawaii’s representative in 2013. She served in a field medical unit in Iraq from 2004 to 2005 and was deployed to Kuwait from 2008 to 2009. She still serves as a major in the Hawaii Army National Guard. Gabbard took a break from the campaign trail over the summer to spend two weeks in Indonesia on a military training exercise.

Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Gabbard’s fellow Democratic presidential candidate, reacted on Twitter to the fight that has broken out between the Hawaii representative and the former secretary of state.

Kai Kahele, a Democrat running to primary Gabbard in her House seat race, also weighed in on her statement, asking, “Did Donald Trump steal Tulsiʻs phone?” with a link to his donation page.