House Intel GOP Jams Out Its Russia Findings: No Collusion!

The leader of the House Intelligence Committee’s probe of Russian election meddling announced Monday that the first phase of the probe was over.

“We will now be moving into the next phase of this investigation, working with the minority on a report to give the American people answers to the questions they’ve been asking for over a year,” Rep. Mike Conaway (R-TX) said in a statement, adding that “with just 238 days until the mid-term elections in November, it’s important that we give the American people the information they need to arm themselves against Russian attempts to influence our elections.” (Read Conaway’s full statement below.)

An attached one-page summary of a draft report promises “40+ initial findings that describe,” among other things, that “We have found no evidence of collusion, coordination, or conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russians.” Republicans said they would share their draft with Democrats Tuesday.

The committee has faced a bitter partisan divide in its approach to the investigation. The USA Today noted Monday that Democrats on the committee will pen their own report with likely far different conclusions that Republicans’.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the committee’s ranking member, said in a statement Monday that “While the Majority members of our committee have indicated for some time that they have been under great pressure to end the investigation, it is nonetheless another tragic milestone for this Congress, and represents yet another capitulation to the executive branch.”

“By ending its oversight role in the only authorized investigation in the House, the Majority has placed the interests of protecting the President over protecting the country, and history will judge its actions harshly,” Schiff added.

Republicans’ report will also describe, according to the summary released Monday, “How anti-Trump research made its way from Russian sources to the Clinton campaign” and “Problematic contacts between senior Intelligence Community officials and the media.”

The summary said committee Republicans concurred with “the Intelligence Community Assessment’s judgments, except with respect to Putin’s supposed preference for candidate Trump.”

The last sentence of the summary document hinted at more partisan fights to come: “Additional follow-on efforts arising from the investigation include oversight of the unmasking of Americans’ names in intelligence reports, FISA abuse, and other matters.”

“I look forward to working with Ranking Member Schiff on this next phase of our investigation,” Conaway said in his statement. “The American people deserve our cooperation, and our transparency.”

Read Conaway’s full “HPSCI Russia Investigation Update” below:

Washington — On Monday, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) announced an update on the status of the Russia Investigation. Congressman Mike Conaway (TX-11), who has led the probe since last April, released the following statement:

“Near the start of the HPSCI investigation into Russian active measures during the 2016 election, the Committee majority and minority agreed to four parameters for this investigation, covering Russian active measures directed against the 2016 election and against our European allies, the U.S. Government’s response to those attacks, links between Russians and the Trump and Clinton campaigns, and leaks of classified information. After conducting 73 witness interviews, holding nine hearings and briefings, and reviewing over 300,000 documents, we are confident that we have thoroughly investigated the agreed-upon parameters, and developed reliable initial findings and recommendations.

“We will now be moving into the next phase of this investigation, working with the minority on a report to give the American people answers to the questions they’ve been asking for over a year. With the 2018 primary elections already underway and just 238 days until the mid-term elections in November, it’s important that we give the American people the information they need to arm themselves against Russian attempts to influence our elections.

“I look forward to working with Ranking Member Schiff on this next phase of our investigation. The American people deserve our cooperation, and our transparency.”

A one page overview of the status of the investigation can be found here. The bipartisan parameters of the investigation can be found here. The metrics of the investigation can be found here. More information about the need for urgent action on election security can be found here.

This post has been updated.