Toomey Blasts Obama Over Iran Payment: 'They Take Us For Idiots, I Guess'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey blasted the Obama Administration after reports that a $400 million payment was flown to Iran that coincided with the release of four hostages imprisoned by the regime.
Toomey, while speaking with Dom Giordano on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT, said that this will only encourage more rogue states and terrorists to take hostages.
"The American prisoners should've been released as a pre-condition to even beginning to have negotiations over a nuclear deal at all. This is a very big deal, a very big change in longstanding US policy. When you pay ransom to people who kidnap Americans, you put a price on all Americans. This administration has created an incentive for people to kidnap Americans and, by the way, the Iranians continue to take prisoners. Why should we be surprised?"
He thinks the White House is being disingenuous in explaining the payment was just part of a nuclear deal negotiated last year.
"It's just unbelievable. They take us for idiots, I guess. The idea that this is all a big coincidence that all of this money being handed over to Ayatollah's and their release of four American hostages, that just a coincidence. Why should you believe anything to the contrary? It's unbelievable."
Toomey also addressed Donald Trump's arguing with the family of a Muslim soldier who was killed while serving in Iraq, preferring that GOP presidential candidate focus all the attention on his opponent in the election.
"Rather than getting into an argument with Mr Khan, I would rather observe the incredible the incredible failings of Hillary Clinton. What sacrifice has Hillary Clinton ever made? The fact is, what she's done is enriched herself through the positions that she has held. She has done an incredibly bad job as the Secretary of State and diminished American security around the world. That's what I would focus on."