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Since being cleared by the House Ethics Committee in early December, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) has reportedly amp'd up his efforts to investigate those who are investigating President Trump over possible collusion with Russian officials during the 2016 presidential election.
The committee initially began their investigation against Devin Nunes over allegations that he had revealed classified information to the public. This was determined when the California Republican arranged a spontaneous press conference in front of the White House one morning, after he had disappeared the night before to meet with then-unknown members of the President's National Security Council.
It was later learned that those two unknown figures were Ezra Cohen-Watnick and Michael Ellis. Cohen-Watnick was one of the few White House staffers fired in August.
It was during that press conference when Nunes claimed he acquired information that validated President Trump's claim. That claim being that former President Obama had wiretapped the phones at Trump tower.
While the accusation against Obama was largely seen as absurd, Rep. Nunes' effort to obtain proof was also seen as a way for him the politician to show his devotion to Trump, even more so since the President's claim could not be verified.
It wouldn't be until September when the Department of Justice would finally admit that there was not proof of the President's claim.
Nunes was forced to temporarily step aside rather than to recuse himself, which Republicans such as House Speaker Paul Ryan, had expressed disappointment over. But despite stepping aside, Nunes continued to play a role in running his own investigation against justice officials.
In September, Devin threatened to hold the Department of Justice and the FBI in contempt for not producing documents about the Steele Dossier. The dossier is a 30+ page account from a private investigator that claims to reveal incriminating evidence against Donald Trump.
At the time, even Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) admitted that Nunes created the 'unmasking' allegations against Susan Rice. Rice was a national security adviser under the Obama administration, who the California representative has targeted with accusations of leaking.
Since September, Nunes has relied on a small group of House Intelligence Committee Republicans to compile a report against the Mueller investigation, to paint his investigators as corrupt. These calls against the former FBI Director were stoked when Muller removed two FBI officials from his team, for sharing anti-Trump messages to each other. This only further confirmed to Trump supporters of possible bias in the investigation.
In the weeks that followed Mueller's indictments of Paul Manafort and Robert Gates, Republicans created an already debunked view that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had colluded with Russians over a Uranium One deal and had tied it into their reasons for firing Mueller, as the Special Prosecutor was then the head of the FBI.
Here is an assessment of Fox News' own Shepard Smith debunking the GOP's claims via The Washington Post.
As of this writing, the full video is still available on Fox News.
During an interview with Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WIS.) on Fox Business, he too sided with Nunes and accused justice officials of having something to hide.
Since being cleared by the House Ethics Committee in early December, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) has reportedly amp'd up his efforts to investigate those who are investigating President Trump over possible collusion with Russian officials during the 2016 presidential election.
The committee initially began their investigation against Devin Nunes over allegations that he had revealed classified information to the public. This was determined when the California Republican arranged a spontaneous press conference in front of the White House one morning, after he had disappeared the night before to meet with then-unknown members of the President's National Security Council.
It was later learned that those two unknown figures were Ezra Cohen-Watnick and Michael Ellis. Cohen-Watnick was one of the few White House staffers fired in August.
It was during that press conference when Nunes claimed he acquired information that validated President Trump's claim. That claim being that former President Obama had wiretapped the phones at Trump tower.
While the accusation against Obama was largely seen as absurd, Rep. Nunes' effort to obtain proof was also seen as a way for him the politician to show his devotion to Trump, even more so since the President's claim could not be verified.
It wouldn't be until September when the Department of Justice would finally admit that there was not proof of the President's claim.
Devin Nunes and classified information
The accusation against Devin Nunes is that by suggesting that the Obama administration had himself, revealed the names of Trump team associates under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), he had spoken on matters deemed classified.Nunes was forced to temporarily step aside rather than to recuse himself, which Republicans such as House Speaker Paul Ryan, had expressed disappointment over. But despite stepping aside, Nunes continued to play a role in running his own investigation against justice officials.
In September, Devin threatened to hold the Department of Justice and the FBI in contempt for not producing documents about the Steele Dossier. The dossier is a 30+ page account from a private investigator that claims to reveal incriminating evidence against Donald Trump.
At the time, even Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) admitted that Nunes created the 'unmasking' allegations against Susan Rice. Rice was a national security adviser under the Obama administration, who the California representative has targeted with accusations of leaking.
GOP opposition against Mueller investigation grows
Devin Nunes was the only Republican at the time who was actively threatening the DOJ and the FBI. But as reports were circulating that Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller would bring charges, conservative media and Republicans were building up their case against Mueller. Now, Nunes is accompanied by a combination of extremist, combative Republicans and others who have receded into the background, being dismissive of the drama and still aiding Devin Nunes in his crusade.Since September, Nunes has relied on a small group of House Intelligence Committee Republicans to compile a report against the Mueller investigation, to paint his investigators as corrupt. These calls against the former FBI Director were stoked when Muller removed two FBI officials from his team, for sharing anti-Trump messages to each other. This only further confirmed to Trump supporters of possible bias in the investigation.
In the weeks that followed Mueller's indictments of Paul Manafort and Robert Gates, Republicans created an already debunked view that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had colluded with Russians over a Uranium One deal and had tied it into their reasons for firing Mueller, as the Special Prosecutor was then the head of the FBI.
Here is an assessment of Fox News' own Shepard Smith debunking the GOP's claims via The Washington Post.
As of this writing, the full video is still available on Fox News.
'Rational' Republicans still supporting Devin Nunes' investigation
As mentioned, Richard Burr admitted that his House Republican counterpart had created the 'unmasking' claims, but still showed his support for Nunes' efforts, saying:The unmasking thing was all created by Devin Nunes, and I'll wait to go through our full evaluation to see if there was anything improper that happened. But clearly there were individuals unmasked. Some of that became public which it's not supposed to, and our business is to understand that, and explain it.Among the Intel Committee Republicans, Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) also showed his support for Nunes at the time of the subpoena, saying:
I’m interested in getting access to the information and not the drama.Other Republicans who have been asked repeatedly about the many controversies coming from Trump and his loyalists, have also refused to answer within the context of the controversies, many deciding to ignore them in exchange for facts, giving leeway to irrational Republicans.
During an interview with Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WIS.) on Fox Business, he too sided with Nunes and accused justice officials of having something to hide.
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