Despite the fact that GOP Rep. Devin Nunes recused himself from the House Intelligence Committee’s investigation into Donald Trump’s ties to Russia, top Democrat on the committee Adam Schiff told The Huffington Post that Nunes is still trying to involve himself.
According to the report, Nunes has required that all subpoenas related to the investigation still receive “his sign-off.”
More from the report:
Nearly two months after recusing himself from leading the House Intelligence Committee’s Russia investigation, Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) is “still requiring his sign-off†on all subpoenas pertaining to the probe, the top Democrat on the panel says.
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The House intelligence panel can issue subpoenas two ways, according to committee rules. The Chairman can authorize a subpoena, “upon consultation with†the ranking minority member, or the full committee can approve a subpoena with a majority vote. (There are currently 13 Republicans and nine Democrats on the committee.)
The committee issued a series of subpoenas related to the Russia investigation on Wednesday. Four came from Conaway and Schiff, requesting information from Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen and Michael Flynn, his former national security adviser. Before issuing those subpoenas, Conaway and Schiff first had to submit a letter to Nunes, requesting his sign off.
As HuffPo noted, earlier reporting had suggested that Nunes was still inserting himself into the probe, despite his recusal, but Schiff’s statement is the strongest sign yet that Nunes is still trying to have a major role in determining the direction of this investigation.
Meanwhile, Nunes continues to prove that he’s in the pocket of Trump, tweeting earlier in the week that the “fake news” should be focusing on the Obama administration’s “unmaskings,” not the Trump administrations contacts with Russia.
Seeing a lot of fake news from media elites and others who have no interest in violations of Americans’ civil liberties via unmaskings.
— Devin Nunes (@DevinNunes) June 1, 2017
All of this should be troubling for Americans of both political parties who demand a thorough and independent investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia during the 2016 election – and whether Trump himself has tried to obstruct an active investigation.
Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.
