Peter Strzok Was Asked 'What Does Trump Support Smell Like?' and If They're 'Hillbillies' During Wild House Hearing

FBI agent Peter Strzok was grilled Thursday about his text messages and personal views on President Donald Trump's supporters before a joint House committee hearing, at one being asked whether he believed the president's base were "hillbillies" and to describe what "Trump support" smelled like.

Representative Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, led the combined session with House Oversight. He repeatedly prodded Strzok over his messages with former FBI lawyer Lisa Page while trying to determine if Strzok held any bias toward Trump while he investigated alleged collusion with Russia during the 2016 election as well as Hillary Clinton's private email server.

"So let's discuss a text that hits home for me," Goodlatte said. "On August 26, 2016, you texted Ms. Page 'Just went to a Southern Virginia Walmart. I could smell the Trump support.' And smell is in capital letters, all capital letters. What does Trump support smell like Mr. Strzok?"

Strzok said he was noting to Page the difference in "expression of political opinion" between different parts of the state.

"What I meant by that was, living in northern Virginia, having traveled the 100, 150 miles south within the same state, I was struck by the extraordinary difference in the expression of political opinion and belief amongst the community there and from where I lived," Strzok stated.

Goodlatte responded: "And you described that as 'smell' in capital letters?"

Strzok said it was a "quick choice of words."

Goodlatte then turned to another message Strzok sent to Page describing Virginia's Loudoun County.

"So earlier you had texted Ms. Page, that another part of Virginia, Loudoun County, which I think is northern Virginia, was 'still ignorant hillbillies.' Is that what you meant? Do you consider Trump supporters to be ignorant hillbillies?"

Strzok said he did not believe Loudoun residents to be hillbillies but said that there is "a healthy sort of competition between Loudoun and Fairfax County," where he resides.

.@RepGoodlatte is very offended that Peter Strzok isn't a big fan of Trump and his supporters. ❄️❄️❄️

(AGAIN: IG found that his personal views didn't impact his work, and people are allowed to have personal views!) pic.twitter.com/3wulOn2NW3

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 12, 2018

The hearing initially began with a wild scene in which Goodlatte and other Republicans, including Representative Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, attempted to compel Strzok to answer questions about the ongoing Russia probe. Strzok stated he could not answer questions pertaining to the investigation per the advice of FBI counsel.

But Goodlatte, while House Democrats repeatedly challenged his claims, threatened to file a criminal charge against Strzok for refusing to answer Russia investigation questions.

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