A “credible” investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russian officials cannot happen with Trump ally Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) at the helm, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said Monday.
“[House Intelligence Committee] Chairman Nunes is falling down on the job and seems to be more interested in protecting the President than in seeking the truth,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. “You cannot have the person in charge of an impartial investigation be partial to one side.”
He requested that House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) replace Nunes immediately over his unusual behavior in the past week.
Nunes confirmed Monday that he met and viewed confidential information with a source on White House grounds a day before he alleged that communications by Trump and his transition staffers may have been “incidentally” caught up in foreign surveillance.
Nunes briefed the President on those allegations and discussed them with the press without airing them to the rest of his committee, including ranking Democratic member Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA).
The White House has insisted the executive branch only learned about the meeting from “public reports,” but press secretary Sean Spicer did not categorically deny that the information provided to Nunes originated in the White House.
“Anything is possible,” Spicer said.
While Democrats are up in arms over Nunes’ behavior, Republicans, including Ryan, have stood by him.
“Speaker Ryan has full confidence that Chairman Nunes is conducting a thorough, fair, & credible investigation,” his spokesperson told CNN’s Manu Raju in a statement after reports of Nunes’ meeting surfaced.
Schumer sharply disagreed, alleging that the California Republican could be “briefing members of the administration about an investigation of which they are the subject.”
It is sure going to produce terrible optics for Ryan if he doesn’t. I don’t know how much more blatant someone would have to be about being untrustworthy than Nunes has been.
Exactly. Which makes it seem kinda OK if he dangles for a little longer.
I can see that. Who knows what Nunes might do while Ryan is dangling? hahahaha
O holy fuck!
The whole affair has been so incompetent, that I wonder if Nunes was deliberately trying to get relieved from his Chair. At this point, screw Schumer, Trump and President Bannon themselves probably want Nunes gone, they want someone who can stonewall an investigation, without given it all away.
Chuck, Chuck, Chuck,
You talk about these people like they care.
They have no shame
They cannot be embarrassed
They always remain until the indictment
Ryan and Nunes
Two of the most tone deaf people to ever grace Capitol Hill