Nunes defies recusal to try and turn investigation on FBI and Mueller
Developments on Day 346 of the Trump Administration:
Congressman Pursuing FBI-Mueller “Corruption”
GOP Representative Devin Nunes (pictured), who was supposed to have recused himself from the Trump-Russia inquiry, is blocking hearings by the House Intelligence Committee.
Nunes, who chairs the committee, stepped aside in March after he was passed information by Trump’s staff at the White House. He was cleared in December of allegations that he improperly disclosed classified information, as he accsued the Obama Administration of “unmasking” the identities of Trump advisors in surveillance reports.
In recent weeks, Nunes has stepped up attacks on the team of Special Counsel Robert Mueller and the FBI, convening Republicans on the Intelligence Committee to draft a report on “corruption”.
Committee Democrats say Nunes is also refusing to take further testimony from central figures in the Trump-Russia affair, including Trump’s son Donald Jr. and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, after they were deemed not to have been forthcoming in initial meetings.
Even fellow Republicans on the committee have expressed concern about Nunes’ tactics. Representative Trey Gowdy said his “heart would be broken” if Nunes follows through on plans for his corruption report. He suggested Nunes has taken steps without the support of House Speaker Paul Ryan.
But other GOP members have backed Nunes, even with his supposed recusal, hoping to close off the investigation soon. Thomas Rooney insisted:
You can interview anybody that’s ever met a Russian in the government and it’s not going to get you any closer. Ten months, how many witnesses? I want to know, ask them how much longer they want to go. How many more witnesses do they need to hear, and specifically which witnesses, and why?
