Issa Adds Caveat To His Call For Special Prosecutor In Trump-Russia Probe

FILE - In this Dec. 9, 2014 file photo, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif. speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. Republicans seemed on track to secure two more years of House control in Tuesday’s elections but with erosio... FILE - In this Dec. 9, 2014 file photo, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif. speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. Republicans seemed on track to secure two more years of House control in Tuesday’s elections but with erosion of their historic majority, leaving hard-line conservatives with added clout to vex party leaders. (AP Photo/Molly Riley, File) MORE LESS
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Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) qualified on Monday his call for a special prosecutor to investigate allegations that aides to President Donald Trump were in contact with Russian officials before the election.

“One of the challenges we have is a special prosecutor exists when you have an individual under suspicion. Currently we don’t have that,” Issa said in an interview with CBS News.

“I certainly could see where if there is an allegation of a crime at some point, the call for a special prosecutor makes sense,” he said. “I think it’s very important to realize there’s been no allegation by any part of this administration or by anyone who’s been to the hearings about any crimes.”

A spokesman for Issa told CBS News that the congressman was “adding detail” to his previous comments and “still supports an independent review of Russia – not one led by political appointees or others who could create a conflict of interest.”

Issa’s office did not immediately respond to TPM’s request for comment.

In an interview on Friday on HBO’s “Real Time,” Issa said that Attorney General Jeff Sessions will “need to use the special prosecutor’s statute and office” to investigate the allegations.

“You cannot have somebody, a friend of mine, Jeff Sessions, who was on the campaign and who is an appointee,” he said. “You’re going to need to use the special prosecutor’s statute and office to take — not just to recuse. You can’t just give it to your deputy. That’s another political appointee.”

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