Oh, give me yet another steaming, heaping dose of 'both sides do it'. It's so easy to repeat the line that the House Intelligence Committee has 'been consumed by partisan sniping' without giving any context about how and why the House investigation has descended into farce. No point in mentioning that Rep. Nunes has acted as a lackey for the White House or that Speaker Ryan has given a green light to the outrageous behavior of the Republicans on the committee. Is it really easier to feign neutral objectivity? BARF BARF BARF
21
How long will we tolerate Nunes and the other Republicans making a mockery of our government and betraying our country with their antics?!
31
Mr. Nunes represents the district next to mine here in California. I will walk his district for any opponent who wishes to challenge him. He is a disgrace to his family, his constituents, and to the country at large.
50
The Democrats should leave Nunes to his own devices and not be tainted by this partisan effort to stall, obscure, dilute and destroy the work of Congress.
When will the Republicans say "enough"? Clearly, the House committee cannot perform a bipartisan role. Equally clearly, Democrats need to work hard to change that majority at the polls.
Until then, don't dignify the Trump - Nunes partnership in treason by perpetuating the pretense of bi-partisanship with your attendance.
Resign en masse. Let Nunes collude and collapse without you.
6
Senator Warner attempts to collude with Russian sources for political dirt and gets caught in his own trap. To complain about leaks now after a year almost weekly "deep state" leaks from agencies led by obvious Hillary partisans is hypocrisy born from corruption.
4
In the totality of events a new tolerance for leaks within our government has been well established and it is way to late to treat them otherwise. At most is this - pots calling the kettle black? I will seek other sources and perhaps learn additional facts before drawing up a criminal complaint. Meanwhile, I'm good with Nunes and Trump sharing dirt like democrats do.
"I will seek other sources and perhaps learn additional facts before drawing up a criminal complaint."
How lucky we are as Americans that this isn't up to you.
13
Please please please tell me Mueller is hauling that traitor Nunes in for questioning, as we know the bumbling idiot will lie and that will put him where he belongs---in jail.
27
I wonder if it is just loyalty to the President.
After all, unfortunately the WH still stays Republican if the President is no longer there - and perhaps (from a Republican's perspective) with a much more "friendly" and "compliant" replacement.
Or is it that Mr. Nunes is in very deep himself!
11
This is laughable. The Dems on these committees have been leaking classified info to this very newspaper since this whole farce of an investigation started. If anyone guilty of obstruction it would be Adam Schiff, your prime news source.
4
Nunes has to go.
14
Nunes is the rotten apple in that group. He welcomes the Russian influence as long as it keeps the GOP in power. Too many other Republicans are easily swayed by the criminal in the White House.
16
More dirty tricks by Nunes. He should be At least censured if not impeached and thrown out of Congress. Does his acts rise to Collidion
16
Nunes is certainly trying hard to obstruct justice...but one has to wonder why he is going to such obvious lengths to protect Trump. The question clearly is what does Nunes have to gain from these shenanigans? I hope someone on Mueller's team is checking this out.
23
I never liked Senator Burr, but I have to say, his performance as Senate Intelligence chair has been exemplary. Kudos, sir.
7
Nunes is being used and he loves the publicity. am ignoramus from a district full of them which is why he easily gets elected. but his day of reckoning will soon come to fruition as more and more of his constituents see the light of truth. The fall of his colleague Issa (and soon Duncan Hunter) are apt indicators of his fate.
9
It’s clear that the Republican Party of today has no interest in the rule of law, no interest in defending democracy, and no interest in defending the United States. It’s only interest is self-preservation by being sycophants to every insane whim of Donald Trump, who has absolutely nothing is common with Reagan’s Republican Party or actual Conservatism. Their only desire seems to be maintaining power for the sake of maintaining power, and it’s disgusting. I can’t believe these people actually claim to be Christians, it’s disgusting. Their politics have little to nothing to do with Christian values.
I will never vote for a Republican for the rest of my life. Goodbye, GOP.
26
Remember when Republicans had the reputation as strong defenders of America against foreign powers?
21
I wonder who can be trusted in Washington. The Supreme Court gave approval for special interest groups to purchase politicians. Politicians are afraid to say no to the special interests because they may have an opponent in the primaries. Nunes read so many "Jack Ryan" stories he believes he is a spy, and a poor one at that. The producers of opioids, their sales teams and the doctors prescribing it are running free. Cancer is not being cured. Capital Hill is trying to make us believe it's our constitutional right to own assault weapons, 20 round magazines and bump stocks. There has to be a better way. We can vote the whole bunch out of office and the newly elected with special interest dollars are sworn in to business as usual. Get special interest money out of politics. That money should be donated to cancer research and other good causes. Mr Trump if you want to drain the swamp start with the swamp owners.
20
Perhaps Trump will appoint Nunes to be his new communications director.
8
This is why Trump doesn't want the FBI Inspector General to investigate the FISA abuses alleged in the Nunez Memo.
The IG is more likely to find that the abuses are coming from Nunez.
6
Trump soils everyone in his path, most of all his enablers and the people who get close to him. I understand Mr. Nunes is a decent representative of his home district, but his treacherous antics with Trump are transparently biased in favor of lies and misrule.
He's brought out the worst in General Kelly (who, we've discovered, is an unrepentant racist and willing to use his authority to hurt the innocent). Gen. Kelly's obvious lies make him a liability in office, as we now know he'll say and do anything to help us continue under Trump's misrule.
They serve at the pleasure of the kleptocracy and bullies, not at the service of our country.
Trump is in obvious and repeated violation of his oath of office. People who help him are doing damage to humanity and to the earth itself, by encouraging us to reach for the worst rather than the best in ourselves. (By the say, Gen. Kelly, "God" has nothing to do with it. Try the truth and caring for others instead.)
9
Once again Nunes proves that he is a toast for the Administration and behaves in a manner that itself borders on treasonous behavior.
29
This began 30years ago with Reagan, Boehner and Gingrich
The Russians just added accelerants
41
I hope Mueller's taking a good look at Ryan, Nunes and McConnell too.
51
The article laments the lack of bipartisanship on the House Committee. Who in their right mind would ever expect bipartisanship when a lying, leaking hack consumed with conspiracy theories like Adam Schiff is the minority's ranking member?
And the claim that the republican memo was "rebutted" by the democrats' one is false. It disputed nothing. What the people learned from the release of those two memos is that democrats, the FBI and DOJ, AND the entire mainstream media lied through their teeth when they claimed that the Nunes memo was inaccurate and that it would be dangerous to release it as it contained so many sources and methods. It's as if the entire DC establishment thinks the hundreds of millions of us who don't live in DC can't read and comprehend a simple 3.3 page memo.
Jack Langer's comment is spot on. It is comical to see a publication that has relied on anonymous sources and leaks from democrats for virtually every single story for 2 years now about the president to now criticize leaking from republican. It could not be more absurd for the NYT to paint a leaker in a negative light only when there is an "R" behind their name, while depending on the leakers with "Ds" behind their names for 80% of your content, and never, EVER painting those leakers in a negative light.
When you publish an article attacking a single leak from a republican (and calling it partisan), while never calling any of your democrat leakers partisan, well, that makes you partisan too.
6
Lol, the Nunez Memo contradicts ITSELF.
The whole point of the memo is that the Page investigation was begun because the Steele Dossier was improperly used as the only evidence in an "illegal" FISA application.
But READ the last paragraph of the Nunez Memo. It specifically says that Carter Page was being investigated since 2014, because Russian Intelligence was trying to recruit him as an asset. The Steele Dossier wasn't used until the fourth FISA application on Page.
The investigation began before Trump hired him, personally announcing it on TV, to be a foreign policy adviser, and before the Steele Dossier was even written. (How did this nobody who made speeches praising Putin in Moscow get into the Trump administration anyway?)
Not only did Nunez create misleading propaganda for Trump, he is really bad at it. The first time he tried to tell this story he ended up admitting that the "evidence" he was bringing to the White House with the press in tow, was given to him at the White House by the Trump administration!
Trump and his henchmen are blatant liars who don't even bother to get their stories straight.
If you only listened critically to what your own news sources are telling you, that should be obvious, even without "liberal" media to point it out.
Logic is mathematical. Try using it to discern truth.
17
First, when referring to the other party it's 'democrat-IC committee members' or 'democrat-IC response.' Second, tell us that if the roles were reversed and Dems were were doing what republicans are doing, that you'd be ok with that. You'd be screaming and you know it. And you'd be right. So why the change of heart now?
1
NEVER? Highly doubtful. This partisan comment accusing the NYT of partisanship is funny. Those partisan glasses must provide a very narrow field of vision.
9
Republicans will do nothing. Paul Ryan is knowingly allowing a possible traitor to continue to chair a committee that is no longer effective. Nunes is obstructing justice and should be in jail.
The only way to restore sanity and a small degree of safety for our national security is to remove these treasonous people in November. If the country fails to do so this the nation will be even more compromised than the traitor in the White House has already made it.
How bad does this have to get before the people left with critical thinking skill so something about it?
97
Part of the problem is the people that elected the Republicans to Congress aren’t particularly strong in the critical thinking department. That’s how we ended up here.
10
It would be nice to see Nunes indicted for obstruction of justice.
37
Every day members of the GOP do something that reinforces my decision to never vote for a Republican again. I'm done making excuses and looking the other way for the sake of peace. No matter how long I live I will never get over their mendacity, duplicity, and their embrace of ignorance and bigotry. Never.
38
There is no bipartisanship in the Senate. The sooner we all honestly face up to that fact, the better. Every last Republican in Congress is doused in Ivanka Trump’s signature perfume, Complicit.
26
Disagree. McConnell and his little gaggle of sycophants who have to gather around him whenever he makes a public statement are highly partisan, but there are several members of the Republican caucus who have no problem working across the aisle. Unfortunately, too many of them are leaving, as are those of the same ilk in the House.
4
Devin Nunes, having been part of the Trump transition team, having lied about his meetings with Russians, and having recused himself, is obstructing justice on a near daily schedule.
Not only should he be removed from the House Intelligence Committee, he should be drawn and quartered for colluding with a foreign adversary.
23
Nunes is a traitor, Kushner is a traitor, Trump is a traitor.
Whats Ivanka?
Does a traitor typically suffer death or 5+ years nowadays?
19
Leaving Nunes in Congress sure doesn't say much about the folks in the Congressional District he represents ... Or, maybe it really does.
19
Sorta makes one wonder what Trump has promised Nunes for the private services he's performing for him. Must be something good - I read that Nunes is liked by his district in California, but he surely has turned into something repulsive in his constant attempts to sabotage the intelligence committee's investigation into Trump's connections and actions. Running around in the dead of night on a false errand for trump, revealing sensitive information despite Rosenstein's plea to Paul Ryan not to release the information to him, and the constant misinformation he's babbling out to Faux News. This man has apparently lost his mind and is drinking the trump Kool-Aid by the gallon. He must be expecting something really good out of trump to go to such lengths to protect him from the justice he so richly deserves. I would like to see Mr. Nunes being called to account for his secretive behavior against his country and why he would interfere so desperately with a congressional committee that he is supposed to be chairing as senior member.
20
If I could advise Mr. Mueller, and I guess I am, I would encourage him to subpoena Devin Nunes to testify. Under oath. The collusion has spread to the House Intelligence Committee . It is clear Mr Nunes is covering for the White House with Ryan's full support. The question that needs to be answered is why? You only collude to hide wrongdoing. What are they hiding? If it was all above board and the Democrats were the culprits, why are Republican Senators supporting Senator Warner and condemning what the House Intel Committee has done? How can anyone and I mean anyone sit there and say Hillary and the Democrats were corrupt when this is going on? Let me know when Trump gets grilled for 12 hours in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee on live television. That would be fascinating to watch. And I would invite Hillary to have a front row seat for that one! I'll buy her popcorn!
27
Truly bad, misleading lede.
“behind the leak of private text messages between the Senate panel’s top Democrat and a Russian-connected lawyer,”
It makes it sound as if Warner, like Trump, was somehow complicit of secret dealings with shady Russians...
In fact, he was making contact with a lawyer who knows Steele, the former British intelligence agent who authored a series of reports on *Trump's* election complicity and Russian connections, in order to set up a meeting with the Senate Intelligence Committee. The outreach was known to the members of the SIC, and OK'd by the Republican chair, so it was neither secret, nor shady, but an integral part of their investigation into *Trump's* Russia dealings.
The fact that the lawyer's firm has represented a Russian oligarch in the past is irrelevant, although in Trump's usual attempt at deflection, in which he projects his own misdeeds and nature onto others, Trump will tweet and shout like crazy over it!
Lying, Crooked, Little, Low Energy Donny Boy will eventually get his comeuppance.
21
Of course house Republicans are going to go to great lengths to protect Trump they are both cut from the same cloth.
7
Perhaps, Devin Nunes can be appointed the new White House Communications Director.
At least then he will actually be part of the Executive Branch and stop pretending he is part of a separate branch of the government!
P.S. Shame on you, Paul Ryan.
18
Remember when Trump and Sessions wanted to go after leakers? There is good reason for Trump and GOP to be obstructing this investigation: what it will find could destroy them, as my deep dive from last summer on Trump-Russia shows: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/think-you-know-how-deep-trump-russia-goes...
3
I guess that, reluctantly, Democrats need to play by these rules to level the playing field. Especially starting when the Democrats re-take Congress.
1
Had a Democrat leaked a GOP's texts, a Grand Jury would be formed within hours to bring charges. All I expect to hear is crickets.
39
Every last GOPer on the House Intel Committee needs to be voted out in November. It's despicable what these people are doing.
57
The article's statement that in the House the Intel Committee is torn by partisan sniping in misleading.
Chairman Nunes has made the House's work partisan and ineffective while serving as a shrill for Mr. Trump and the White House. Anyone who has followed his journey across newspapers front pages could reach no other conclusion. And Speaker Ryan has refused any action that might remedy that situation by providing new and effective leadership.
The Country deserves better from its leaders.
61
Democrats don't deserve any opportunity to further dismantle this country any more than they already have.
The GOP is openly corrupt. Period.
America, and it's two party system, relies on the assumption that even if the parties disagree on policy, they both care about the country as a whole and are trying to do the right thing and act with integrity. The GOP understands this and their thoughts on the subject amount to... Suckers!
When the system and the media lack the ability to come out and say that an entire party is corrupt, it's really easy for an entire party to get away with corruption. They just shout "liberal bias" and the media cowers.
47
JT it is a corrupt party with the few conscientious people left and McCain with little left in the gas tank.Our only hope is Mueller paints a picture the masses can get and we start with a clean slate.Our Country is on shakey ground.
7
I don't think McCain was that conscientious. He could be complicit. And his choice of Sarah Palin put us on course for accepting the lowest of the low and considering them acceptable
2
The entire Republican Party is complicit in the cover up and obstruction of justice which President Trump has engaged in. We need to move heaven and earth to vote these morally bankrupt people out of office. As to Devin Nunes, I intend to give money to his opponent. I hope others will do the same. We may not get him but we will show there are consequences to his treason.
35
DMD I have left a message quoting a local newspaper which his area reads and not complimentary.But the idea of sending money to his opponent is great will t do the same.
4
For sure, if you have disposable income then throw it away.
For those who think Devin Nunes might lose his seat, don't. Of the 10 districts the Democrats are targeting in 2018, District 22 will be one of the hardest for them to take. It’s a strong Republican seat, where Nunes has captured more than two-thirds of the vote in seven of his eight elections. The most prominent Democratic candidate has raised about a million, a drop in the bucket compared to the money Republicans and their dark money PACs are throwing his way. His constituents view him as one of their own and they not care one wit about bipartisanship on the House Intelligence Committee, sadly, for our country and the rest of us that must be ruled by this clown.
19
The best hope for Democrats is to turn the house, which will remove Nunes and Ryan from their leadership positions!
5
Republicans ought to be saying mea culpas daily. They are selling our country out.
17
Nunes is a traitor to this country and Ryan is pretending to be a conscientious leader while serving his paymasters. Neither belongs in our Congress.
109
Ryan is just as much of a traitor - to let this guy, Nunes, do whatever he wants to do for months to hide both their treason - Bob Mueller better round up all these traitors in the House!
27
Yes Yes Yes.
5
Are Trump and Kushner traitors?
Nunes is Trump's incompetent and obvious lap dog. Why is he still heading up this Committee???
59
Ryan is the one that can take him out - he chooses not to - which speaks volumes
30
Once again we should be reminded that the current crop of persons that have been elected to high federal political office are not necessarily the smartest or most capable people in the United States.
39
Kiwi, it isn't about intelligence. This is about whether or not elected officials are trustworthy and have the best interests of the country at heart. If the Intelligence Committees can't do their work without fear of leaks—and their members value partisan gain over all else—we have no oversight by Congress of the executive branch. All these checks and balances are supposed to keep us, we the people, safe.
18
Devin Nunes is a Trump toady, nothing more.
52
Misleading lead to this story, as it makes it sound like a Democratic Senator was in secret contract with a Russian lawyer, when it's a Washington lawyer with ties to the Russian investigation.
Nunes is a traitor. He needs to go.
58
The President himself ought to clear up this "swamp". What do our children and grandchildren learn from this dysfunction? DISGRACEFUL.
17
Can we throw all these unscrupulous guys out?!
15
Yes we can, using an obscure system called democratic elections. Hard to get it to work though, because it requires an electorate capable of using critical thinking.
2
Your kidding right? What would the Times have printed over the past year without leaks?
2
Keep in mind that Nunes was an Executive Committee Member of the Trump transition team.
35
.... who supposedly recused himself... And then back -ledaled when he realized he needs to lie and cheat to protect his Russian collusion from exposure!
13
Nunes needs to be fitted for an orange jumpsuit.
37
Nunes deserves to be censured, at the very least.
25
The Republicans’ Of The United States House Of Representatives presents the epic movie “Sedition” staring Paul Ryan as the spymaster Alfred E. Neumann and Devin Nunes as a bumbling Benedict Arnold!
21
Does Paul Ryan ever take responsibility for anything?
66
I used to think that the Republicans put party before country but now I realize it's all about keeping the job. They rarely act in even the best interests of the constituents who voted them in. Name one with integrity.
3
Nice to know that at least one branch of the federal government isn't run by total hacks.
11
Now they’re turning on one another, visibly and seemingly with impunity. It’s a big swamp.
9
On the one hand I am appalled by the unethical behavior of Mr. Nunes. On the other, I am heartened by the bipartisan actions of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. What a great story. Thank you Senator Bur and Senator Warner and the members of your committee. Keep showing your colleagues how Congress is supposed to work.
47
This is just the beginning. We should all expect Ryan to come down with his full weight and authority as he has in the past with President Trump. How hard? Ryan may go so far as to say of his team members that their actions were "unfortunate" or "not helpful." And that should take care of it.
Expecting Ryan to be assertive is like expecting Trump to be truthful.
51
There is implicit admission in the article that the Mueller investigation is partisan, not unlike a witch hunt.
It has been obvious all along that the House committee is divided on purely partisan grounds. Adam Schiff has been claiming on the Sunday morning opinion shows for a year that he has seen incontrovertible evidence that Trump is guilty of treason, but cannot give the details because they're classified. He got Nunes temporarily bumped because he met with a source at the White House. Not that the source was a White House member, but that the meeting took place at the White House. Trump allowed the publication of both competing memos that establish the subversion of FISA courts by the FBI and Justice department. The fact that there is a battle going on in the House committee does not make its investigation biased.
Now there is a complaint that the only supposedly non-partisan investigation, that in the Senate, is becoming sabotaged by the Republicans in the House.
5
All this proves is that it was never actually principle Republicans were standing on, it was desire for pure raw power. Ryan knows what works and even if he is not explicitly in contact with the Russians, he sees the same thing they do--a right-wing news media willing to peddle lies to the gullible, desperate citizens who voted for Trump and rabidly support him, no matter what. Ryan knows that there are up to 63 million citizens in this country who will never forgive anyone associated with initiating and questioning the legitimacy of their president, and to those 63 million citizens, that's just what this Russia investigation is--an attack on the legitimacy of Trump's election.
Ryan knows that it works because it has been working in his Wisconsin district for several election cycles now. Ryan knows that lies are not lies if someone believes them. He knows that as long as he is in power, he's going to continue to use and abuse that power to get what he has dreamed of and that motivated him to run for office in the first place. Pure raw power to convince his fellow citizens that their greatest enemies are the U.S. government, entitlement programs, and Democrats. And he is succeeding.
82
You have captured the essence of Paul Ryan more than anyone I've ever read.
8
"...a spokeswoman for Mr. Ryan, released a statement...saying, “The speaker heard the senators on their concerns and encouraged them to take them up directly with their counterparts.”
More strong actions from the strong speaker and his strong intellect and strong sense of decency and doing what's best for the country. Why, he probably even added that he was keeping the senators in his "thoughts and prayers." What could possibly be stronger?
23
Remember the good old days, when we had a real government?
20
Paul Ryan shouldn't be criticized for unethical behavior. He's just maximizing his income based on what's available from the Citizens United windfall. He has to prove to his masters that he can stand stone cold when faced with dead school children and those sick people who'll die without medicaid. Nunes is just obstructing justice. Please, stand in line.
Oh, Wait, that's unethical as well. Hmm.
VOTE this November. And make sure your friends vote. Throw out the people who can't be bothered because they're making too much money to care.
19
And vote them all out because this country will not tolerate traitors
6
All sides and the media have solicited and encouraged leaks in a manner perhaps unprecidented in a century. This paper in particular has virtually abandoned its policy of not using " unidentied or anonymous" sources except as a last resort. They have become a primary source. It's come to the point where some might even think "Anonymous" is a person's name. The zeal to quickly publish any tantilizing story has long overcome the standards of journalistic integrity.
This latest leak is just one in and endless cycle of leaks. whether it's Fox News, the NYT, or CNN. Stop providing a ready and eager forum for leaks and they will stop happening. The outcry over this particular leak is ludicrous, hypocritical, and disengenuous.
3
Whether it’s plotting with Russia to overthrow the election, spilling classified info to the media, or conspiring with the NRA to block common sense gun regulations that would prevent terrorism and save lives, the Republicans have shown time and again that they are willing to put America’s security at grave risk to advance their own political or financial interests. Despicable
19
There clearly were Republicans in the House that just didn't see the possibility of the Senate committee remaining nonpartisan and putting country before party. Shame on the House, and the representative, a chsirman no less, who can't keep from sneaking around in the bushes at night.
14
Devin Nunes is up to his eyeballs in this Russian mess - he’s a traitor to this country & will be dealt with accordingly, if not in the voting booth
8
This is all part of Nunes' and House Republicans' ongoing criminal conspiracy to obstruct justice.
They have been pretty consistent.
18
Senators Burr and Warner were right in going to Nunes' boss to air their complaint against the chairman of the House committee. Paul Ryan did the cowardly thing by blowing them off and telling them to talk to Nunes, as if that would do any good. Ryan demonstrated that 1) he agrees with what Nunes is doing, i.e. making a farce of the Russia investigation and turning it into a vindicate trump campaign, 2) he is scared of Nunes or 3) what might happen to him and the GOP politically if he acknowledges Nunes' misdeads. I go for the 3rd option. I think he wants to show GOP solidarity above national interestl, and I think that he and McConnell decided on this strategy a few months ago. And that is sickening.
141
Well, one might better say the people who elected Nunes are his boss, not the Speaker. But Ryan does have means to discipline Nunes if he wanted to, which he clearly doesn't.
9
After a yr of almost weekly leaks from intelligence and Justice departments printed and editorialized here,there were few concerns expressed about sensitive sources compromised...as long as the Trump/Russian collusion narrative was being fed. Now Nunez is the bad guy?
2
He’s been the bad guy from the beginning - he’s Trump’s lapdog
6
Nunes' hometown newspaper - the Sacramento Bee - referred to Nunes as "Trump's stooge".
6
Always keep in mind that everything Paul Ryan does or does not do is on the instructions of the Koch brothers of the billionaire Vast Right Wing Conspiracy.
14
I remember that Nixon's men went to jail after Watergate..I think people like Nunes will follow suit after Trump is impeached and convicted of undermining
this country's democracy.
14
Nunes will do anything to keep throwing red meat to Fox. He needs the Fox audience desperately, because he feels they give him license to be as slimy and dishonest as he needs to be in order to accomplish their common goals of weakening the federal government so much that it will never be able to stand up to the military-industrial complex ever again. After all, those billionaires need their bought-and-paid-for Congressmen to pass laws that will protect their class against the great unwashed of America: the middle and working classes.
15
For extreme partisans winning is everything and the ends justify the means. Exactly what we strive to teach our kids. Right?
9
Whatever criticism you might have had for John Boehner, I don't think he would put party before country. The same cannot be said for Paul Ryan.
13
Boehner only put party before country...Ryan puts Ryan before all.
6
Mr. Nune's actions are an embarrassment to the House, and the one responsible is Paul Ryan who lets him to do whatever he pleases to protect - not to investigate - Trump's campaign alleged collusion with the Russians in our presidential elections.
History won't be kind to them.
14
PX-90 Ryan knows his days are numbered. If he actually challenges any House members, especially of his own party, he's gonna get Boehner'd by them. May happen anyway by the end of 2018, early '19.
PX-90 Ryan knows his career is over, as no Speaker of the House in recent history (maybe forever) has ever risen past the position. There will be no higher office for him. He knows it, as does his party members. If he wants to survive and reap some retirement benefits - he'll not ruffle any feathers. Just give us that Opey smile, say something trite, and move on.
10
How is there any doubt that Ryan is compromised? Remember when he said he wanted to be at home with his wife and children? He was feeling guilty about his transgressions. DC is full of beautiful young women, no doubt many in the service of nefarious interests. Whether they're working for Putin, the Neocons, Koch Brothers, or other devious players remains to be seen. What is obvious is the bizarre spectacle of those sworn to protect us steadfastly refusing to do so.
6
I've been staying away from the news because all it does is make me sick. Politics is a power game as we all should know. But this? All I can think of is coup.
7
Are there any depths the House Intelligence Committee won’t sink to, in an attempt to throw a spanner in the Russian election interference investigations, which they themselves are also supposed to investigate. Attacking other investigations goes beyond dereliction of duty perhaps crossing into traitorous behavior. And while Nunes didn’t deny the leak. If I was a gambler, I’d bet my bottom dollar he has a lot of first hand information on that leak.
13
November 2018 will be an interesting time for America as the evils of Republican politics grow. They are being caught in their own snares and the voters are noticing.
16
So CPAC gives Nunes a "Defender of Freedom" award for leaking classified material from the Senate Intelligence Committee -- and now Republicans want to lock him up. He should be under investigation along with the rest of the Trump gang.
19
Wonder what the district he was elected from think about Nunes. It does seem like he shot himself in the foot.
9
Vote Janz for Congress & get this traitor out
6
The Nunes' House Intelligence Committee is as much about investigating the Russian attack on our Democracy (NOT) as the EPA is about protecting the environment (NOT), the Dept of the Interior is about preserving national park treasures (NOT), the Dept of Education is about education (NOT), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is about protecting consumers (NOT), and trump Making America Great Again (NOT).
All of our institutions are infested with these parasites doing the opposite of what the institutions' mission and purpose is all about.
29
Why is Paul Ryan behaving this way? It's so anti-American it makes my head hurt. Nunes needs to be gone - yesterday. And so does Paul Ryan.
26
Describing Adam Waldman as "a Russia-connected lawyer" in this story's lede seems unnecessarily biased towards the Faux News interpretation.
Chris Steele's "dossier of salacious claims" is not a "dossier," nor does it dwell on "salacious claims," which are a small part of the information he compiled on Trump, his, and his campaign's connections with Russia, much of which has been independently verified.
Responsible journalists who have read Steele's reports should be more careful in their own reporting.
20
Devin Nunes is a shill for Fox News and Donald Trump. He has no legal training, experience or expertise, although that hasn't stopped him from bloviating on legal questions like the adequacy of warrant applications presented to and repeatedly granted by experienced and impartial judges. The man spends most of his time driving way out in front of his headlights.
Nunes is a disaster with legs and a loud mouth attached; and he has no business on the House Intelligence Committee. I seem to recall that Nunes recused himself from this investigation some time ago because his role in the Trump campaign and his subsequent conduct on the Committee created a clear conflict and confirmed his bias.
It's time to remind Nunes of his earlier recusal and bar him from all further participation with respect to the investigation and oversight of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Everything he has done thus far has merely undermined the investigation and compromised our nation's intelligence agencies.
Show the man the door.
13
Forget all that, he's part of the conspiracy to obstruct justice, he should be in jail and not in Congress. If Ryan keeps this up, he'll follow shortly (provided he doesn't lose in November; I'm pulling for Ironstache.......
2
What truly worries is if the GOP base will accept any findings of fact in this matter, or any other. Conspiracy theories and crackpot notions seem to be the only steady diet these Trump folks can handle.
13
Wow! I wonder how Trump is going to spin this one to blame it on Obama and Hilary. The Republicans clearly have lost their minds! Paul Ryan will do nothing. He wants to save his seats at whatever cost. It makes one want to go take a shower after reading this.
12
Given all these major GOP security breaches from Kushner to Nunes, it is amazing to recall how we mercilessly and obsessively hammered Hillary Clinton for over 18 months over her email server, which it turns out was never hacked..
22
There is something very seriously wrong with Devin Nunes.
17
The staggering thing about these Republicans is that they actually seem to believe we citizens are buying their snake oil. Well, dudes, only 32% are.
The rest of us -- we among the intelligent, rational 68% -- haven't bought the GOP's poison for at least 15 years now, and especially not since January 2017, when that bimbo train wreck became president.
Fortunately for our current GOP-plagued nation, 68% is quite a nice hefty number -- more than enough to slam the Decency Door into Republican faces come November.
16
Well, yes, but of those 68%, almost half didn't vote at all (hello young people), or voted for someone other than the Democratic nominee because in their small brains she was worse than Trump. We still have that problem, so I don't see relief from our living nightmare for many years to come.
We read the NYT and we probably vote, but we are in a tiny minority. Other Americans are either thrilled with Trump and/or have moved on with their lives and could not care less about bipartisanship on the House Intelligence Committee. We are sunk, and the sooner the Chuck n' Nancy show either realizes this or retires (please), the more likely we'll be able to rid ourselves of traitors like Trump's servant boy Devin Nunes.
2
Do your job Ryan, run the House or stand down and let someone else give it a try.
17
Paul Ryan is the model for feckless leadership. He let's Nunes run amok and make a mockery of the House investigation, and does nothing to control him because Nunes is one of President Trump's "favorites" and you don't want to do anything to make President Trump mad, at least if your Ryan. It's the same with any issue. When Kids or innocent people get shot, Ryan's solution is to "pray for the victims." The only thing that he has shown passion f or initiative is to secure tax breaks for his donors and the 1%. That's all that is important to him.
14
It is high time for Ryan to relieve Nunes of his Chairmanship and replace him with an honest and patriotic American. Surely there must be at least one among the Republicans in the House?
2
I'd add that he wants to starve grannies too. It's not enough to be greedy. No, Paul Ryan has sweet dreams about eliminating any New Deal program out there. The poor, according to the new Republicans, deserve to be poor, including and especially their children.
3
Just another example of why the Republicans need to be voted out of office. Just like Nero, they're fiddling while Rome is burning.
12
Devin Nunes is a criminal who needs to be removed from his committee post. But don't hold your breath waiting for this to happen. Paul Ryan, who could and should do this, has become a hyper-partisan toady who is spending his entire energy protecting Trump.
14
Someone should spend time in jail, its that simple. Please see to it.
6
Yes, and their go-to mantra is "Lock Her Up!"
4
Did the whole Republican party use stolen Russian information during the 2016 election? Why else would they act like this? Do they really love Trump more than the country?
8
California will reckon with Mr. Nunes at the ballot box soon.
10
Paul Ryan is a NOT a leader. Even Sessions has finally found the courage to stand up to Trump. But Paulie is still too scared. I wonder if this is just the way Ryan is or if Trump has something on him.
10
Could Paul Ryan be any more feckless? When he first came on the scene I kind of liked his northern credentials (he from WI and me, MN), his youthfulness and the (now apparent lie) story of him being a great policy wonk. I thought he might be a good republican in a time with a lot of very nasty republicans.
But, alas, he's as bad if not worse. While the rest of the party has gone from hiding their worst faults the flaunting them, he's still pretending to be a good guy while doing nothing good himself. It's a pity, but par for the Trumpublican course.
10
Why it seems the senate republicans aren’t “on the team.”
4
From the day Nunes appeared to have the President's ear the bad behavior by this person, the deceit and bad behavior of this person has been evident. He is a desperate, despicable supporter of a failed administration which does not know the meaning of playing fair.
6
I agree. Nunes is despicable and a partisan lackey with no integrity and Patriotism. He is a national embarrassment in charge of a committee that is supposed to pursue the truth to preserve our national security. But he has no interest in finding the truth and protecting America's democratic institutions from Russian interference. I feel that he is a traitor to his office and he needs to be thrown out of office by his voters and probably be criminally investigated for inappropriate conduct.
8
Yes it's the Deep State and a certain foreign state at work deep inside our current government. We (US) are in peril. Ryan is at best a fool, or worse, a fellow traveler.
3
Does anyone else feel like Mueller is about to step up on the podium at the Olympics as these other two clown committees are still in the blocks with knots in their laces? What have we paid these people the last how many months for doing absolutely nothing? Can't we disband them and have them find something constructive to do? That creepy Nunes should eventually share a cage in Guantanamo but they're all complicit in getting absolutely nothing done.
6
The real shame is the story no longer moves the needle. Small potatoes. What a sick culture. US allies blamed Trump for his first six months. Now they blame Americans for tolerating cheating and hate. Who can argue that?
9
Trump & the House Republicans have to be among the most irresponsible public figures ever to disgrace American politics...and that's saying a LOT!!!
6
Nunes has turned the House investigation into a clown show and has thoroughly disgraced himself in the process.
MAGA.
7
Wow: Let’s clarify:
GOP investigators on committee publish a misleading version of a memo AGAINST WISHES OF INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY!
They refuse to allow Dems to publish complete memo - after nation”s spies remove delicate classified data.
Dems, tired of GOP put-up job release no-longer-classified safe-for-US spies version, and get attacked by GOP.
DEM committee cochair gets what could be a lead on a desired witness, or could be more Russian interference.
He gives e-mails to his bipartisan colleagues in both chambers as classified work, so everyone knows what he’s up to.
Trump loyalist in House releases material without consulting members of parallel committee in Senate ...
...followed immediately by a twisted, off-topic attack by the Man Under Investigation.
Trump appears ready to blow up all 3 branches of government to prevent anyone from investigating the possibility he committed crimes to: get elected, protect himself from release of embarrassing info from his buddy Putin, or obstruct efforts to bring others to justice for doing same.
We should be terrified that the US’s head of Executive branch seems willing to do ANYTHING to retain power, including letting another superpower destroy our national identity, if he cannot do it himself; destroy the rule of law to gain more power, destroy any and everyone he calls a personal enemy, therefore a “national” enemy: the press, average political opponents, his attorney general.
At least Nixon knew to resign.
12
I do hope Nunes is being investigated for furthering a cover up
12
The Republican Party is a ship of fools. Not a day goes by that they don’t display an abject antipathy toward our Constitution and basic decency. They would be a great benchmark against which to compare levels of sanity.
November can’t come soon enough.
5
As I've stated before, the Trump Family and to a large part, the Republican Party, are the largest crime family in the U.S., far more dangerous than the Mafia was at the peak of its influence. DISGRACEFUL!!! ;)
5
Nunes is a total Trump lackey, and everything he does just exposes more hypocrisy from him, from the White House, and from the Republican Party, with a few exceptions.
4
If the House returns to Democratic control next year, Nunes is going to get neutered and buried. He won't be able to get anything for his California district. I hope his supporters realize that he is making their district a pariah.
2
Trump, nail these leakers! Remember, leaking is what you hate most!
4
Finally, we got some truth. Who cares who leaked it?
1
Wake up Devin. You made a deal with the devil and you will pay the price.
1
Paul Ryan is the biggest weasel in Washington. A good prosecutor could probably make a criminal case against Nunes. I wouldn't be surprised if Mueller is looking at him.
2018. Register. Vote.
10
LIke many in Congress. Nunes is in over his head. He isn't a lawyer. He is a farm boy who made it to congress. He needs to go.
3
What a sorry bunch of character...Nunes, toadying politicians, liars, fools who are all undermining our nation. So much damage in such a short time period. Our Founding Fathers (and Mothers), all those who loved this nation and worked for the common good of all, must be rolling in their graves or grief stricken if still living.
2
Trumps whole administration is made up of losers who are bringing this country to its knees. How many have been fired or quit? This is the worst administration in the history of our country. They make Nixon look like a choir boy.
3
Spy vs. Spy from Mad Magazine of yesteryear couldn't top this story.
2
LOCK THEM UP. I mean of course Nunes and his staff member(s) who leaked this info. These are children playing with real sensitive information and turning it into fodder for partisan news organizations. And then allowing Trump to Tweet about it. We are living in a truly bizarre era. There have always been dodos in the Congress, but Nunes represents the worst of the dummies. Time for his voters in the Fresno region to kick him out of office. Maybe prosecute him for treason.
5
A question from a dumb Canadian.
Many commentators repeat this line I have heard for decades but never stopped to question: "Register to vote". Why do you have to register to vote? Is it not enough to be a citizen residing in the appropriate area for whatever election? Register where? What's involved?
Thank you!
4
Denis, One is not automatically registered in the U.S. One is supposed to be able to find a form in any government office or publicly funded entities (e.g., state universities). You can register at the states' Divison of Motor Vehicles offices. It really is not difficult. One you are registered, you don't need to reregister unless you move. Then you have to register at your new address. However, because we leave a huge amount of responsibility to the states, we have variation from state to state, including running elections. (Federal law overrules states' in many cases.) Almost 1/3 of the states, and Washington, D.C., allow same-day registration: that is, you walk in to vote and can do so after you fill out the required form to register, if you haven't already. Similarly, some states allow people to vote in a primary election without being a registered party members. Some states allow you to change your party registration on the spot so you can vote in a primary. Some states allow 17 year olds to register, though they can't actually vote until they are 18. Clear as mud, right?
2
Indict he whole Republican party and Crooked Trump.
2
What does it take to get Nunes impeached?
7
What a joke, media represenatives like the NYTimes and other liberal news organizations encourage, cajole, bribe and pay for leaks, apparently this particular leak, showing Russian collusion with Democrats is naughty.
Isn't turn about fair play ?
Mark Warner and Adam Schiff make my skin crawl.
2
What’s in it for Nunes??? Don’t forget he also rushed out to have a secret meeting on the White House grounds in march 2017 about surveillance of the transition team. Why is he working so hard for DJT???
4
How is it that the Party of Regan became the party of Putin? What kind of crazy upside-down world do we live in?
5
Let's face it: Trump's lapdog Nunes is likely the leaker.
5
Is it just me or doesn't it seem like since John Kelly became CoS the White House has become a pouring faucet when it comes to leaks?!
What a daft lot!
But keep the leaks coming,we'd an end to this year-long sideshow.
2
Nunes should be censured.
5
This is just one more example of the Republican leadership style. The Speaker of the House:"The speaker heard the senators on their concerns and encouraged them to take them up directly with their counterparts.”
In his meeting with the senators, Mr. Ryan told them that he did not run the committee himself, the officials briefed on the encounter said"
I am in awe of the Speaker's sense of duty to both his oath as well as protecting and securing the truth for the American people---almost makes me want to cry.
The GOP Motto in 2020: "I wasn't there, Don't know anything about that; Not My Job. Reelect me to a 14th term 'cause I know all the lobbyists so we'll save time on passing bills."
8
Get Nunes off the House Intelligence Committee. With only an agricultural background, he never had any business on the committee much less chairing it when far more qualified people are available.
Bring him up for ethics charges. There seem to be no moral boundaries on the House Republicans. At least one or more seem to be actively working for the Russians or on the Trump (campaign) payroll.
This is going too far. What in the world is Ryan doing to earn his salary?
5
Devin Nunes needs to be removed from public office, even if his constituents prefer a Republican to represent them. Nunes is not trustworthy with power over others, appears to be a threat to our national security. to democracy, and to law and order as well. If he represents what Republican rally are, then God help us all, if there is one.
5
At the heart of the nations vitriolic partisanship, and Hatfield versus McCoy mentality and behaviors is the US House.
Its an old saying, that the Senate has two parties, while the House is filled with dozens. Most of them nothing but self-serving attention seekers. If term limits is ever passed it needs to first be for the House, and limit it to at most 3 terms.
5
It is remarkable, sorry I am meant expected, that the Speaker of the House feels no accountability for the actions of the House for which he has the power to change.
2
Is Devin Nunes “above the law”? Does he have congressional immunity from Mueller’s investigation? It’s clear he’s been acting as a Russian partisan for some time, but now it appears he may be directly colluding with the Trump administration to discredit or otherwise obstruct any investigation into Trump-Russia collusion, including his own. He needs to be stopped. Now.
4
Has it occurred to anyone that secrecy about contact arrangements could be for the safety of everyone concerned? Having said that, the appropriate people already knew about the effort.
United States Senators should not expect Republicans to put the interests of the United States or the Constitution of the United States ahead of the interests of the Republican Party and those that own the Republican Party.
3
Republican members of the house committee seem to have difficulty understanding that oversight is quite different from overlooking, even though the words may seem similar. Who knew English could be so confusing?
4
"Mr. Ryan made clear that he heard their complaints but noted that he did not run the committee himself."
Now that's a leader.
2
Nunes is appointed by the Speaker, not elected by the committee, so presumably he can remove him. He should do so. Ryan owns this.
1
I am happy for the leaks. The media has largely failed in its pursuit of facts about misbehavior by members of government. Warner’s contacts were legitimate issues to be revealed.
1
In a joint statement, Mr. Burr and Mr. Warner acknowledged the meeting with Mr. Ryan and said they had not requested that the speaker take any specific action.
~~~~~
Why not request action? If there are no consequences, then wouldn't the House GOP continue to do it?
2
Trump can't be trusted to keep a secret. Why should anyone who supports him be expected to show discretion when their sole interest is keeping him in office in order to allow the GOP to carry out its longstanding agenda. Trump, the various scandals and accusations serve a very useful purpose. They keep the media focused on the big news rather than the smaller items such as the chipping away at our civil rights, except for the right to bear arms, our social safety net (think tax gifts to the rich), and the erosion of our role in the world as well as our respect.
It's all part of making America greediest as always. And that means supporting the richest companies and individuals while obscuring it with these diversions. Yes, they're serious but if our elected GOP officials were, on the whole, responsible and responsive, this gamesmanship would not be occurring.
43
The only secret Trump seems to keep is his income taxes.
2
Paul Ryan isn't protecting Nunes and Trump. He's protecting himself. He is looking at a jail term if he doesn't find a way to keep the whole truth hidden about his own part in this mess.
72
This is slimy conduct by Nunes, Trump's chosen lackey, Houseboy, errand boy and spy. Residents of Nunes' district in Fresno and Tulare counties are fortunate to have a criminal county prosecutor, a Democrat named Andrew Janz, who challenging Nunes in November. You can Google Andrew Janz and Congress to get his campaign's website.
194
thanks for the heads up. I will make a donation to Nunes campaign
I have. Janz would be an intelligent and honest alternative to the show boating Trump smitten dairy farmer they have now. Nunes is a fairly smart farmer, but he knows nothing about the job Ryan put him in. He knew Nunes would be gullible enough to crawl out on a limb to sabotage the committee and their investigation. He does nothing for the people back home on the farms of rural California. All they care about is water that only a large tax-funded government can deliver. Summer isn't even here yet and they are already in drought.
2
Sounds like Mr. Nunes should also be under investigation for obstruction of justice.
284
Nunes came of age on Daddy and Mommy's dairy farm in the Central Valley of California. I have always suspected that he suffers from the dreaded OICDS (Over Inhalation of Cow Dung Syndrome).
74
I think it's just Mad Cow.
1
Right, then the US could take a couple steps closer to the "progressive" ideal of Venezuela.
Paul Ryan is trying his best to look blameless when in fact HE is responsible for Nunes’ position as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Ryan must approve of everything Nunes is doing or else he would replace him.
Ryan and Nunes are an embarrassment to the nation, and are working to undermine our great institutions.
349
Just think: Lyin' Ryan was almost a heartbeat from the presidency.
2
^^^^^THIS -- Ryan could replace Nunes at any time and chooses to leave this fool as committee chairman.
2
Well leaking federal secrets is a crime. When there be a prosecution?
81
Devin Nunes is a clear and present danger to our democracy. I have faith that Robert Mueller will be having a chat with Mr. Nunes very soon.
180
They come no more slimy. I know. I have met and held a prolonged discussion with this fellow.
113
He (along with Ryan, McConnell, & Burr) went from the intel Gang of 8 briefings by Brennan starting in August 2016 to the Trump transition.
Think of the highly classified intel Trump got from Nunes that was likely above and beyond what he was getting from the intel community in his candidate briefings.
1
I have a good friend whose parents came from the same island in the Azores as Nunes' family. Everyone agrees he's pretty stupid and will do anything for the limelight.
2
They have no shame as they serve themselves first, their party second, with their country coming in a very distant third, if at all.
95
Trump's war on law, order, and justice continues via his GOP foot soldiers.
88
Suddenly leaks are bad, eh? What a new twist of events. Oh, I guess it depends on who is doing the leaking. This is one of the Democrats favorite strategies.
6
Ummm, the leaks here are bad because they come from the Intelligence Committees. If one can put aside their partisan prisms for a few seconds and look at the issue as is, leaking information from a confidential investigation done by the Senate committee basically puts the House Committee and Senate Committee at odds with each other. And what is the public interest being served by this leak? The Senate Committee GAVE the document to the House committee, which means the folks from both parties in the Senate Committee had read the document and it was not something being covered up from one party or the other. It was simply a confidential report of a conversation one member of that committee had in his efforts to get more information on the issue they were investigating. Confidential yes, conspiracy no.
Whatever one's political affliction, ultimately our energies must serve the nation. If one decides that 49% of America is the supreme enemy, that person has a serious moral problem and has forgotten what it means to be a patriot.
3
Let’s get it straight, please. The REPUBLICAN chair of the Senate committee, along with the leading Democratic Senator, made the complaint. I guess though that anyone complains about Nunez must be a Democrat, is that it? How pathetic..
1
So you don’t see the difference, not to mention the irony, of leaks from the members of an Intelligence Committee? Apparently your Republicans on the Committee don’t share your view.
1
"Senate Intelligence Leaders".......
Boy, if that's not an oxymoron.....
Nunes, on the other hand is just a plain moron!
Talk about insulting the intelligence of the American people!
How many more stunts by this "Chair" will go unpunished? While he is "recused" from the Russian investigation?
Can't Senators be held to an obstruction of justice standard?
A defrauding of the American public standard?
39
..."was" recused! He unrecused himself some time ago, before the infamous memo....'n the original recusal wasn't really a recusal...yadah, yahda, yahdah...
1
Hahah, bummer when you got caught organizing with Russian contacts to create a fak dossier on a political enemy and then use it to wire tap a republican campaign office. Hillarious. NYT if you were not the colonist and emperial paper of note I would be canceling my sub b/c of all this collusion with the Democratic Party
6
At the risk of employing what’s undoubtedly one of Trump’s favorite words, Nunes needs to be nuked from his “Intelligence” position. Now.
38
Nunes, Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell are all in collusion with Donald and the Russians! Power is more important to these clowns than the national security of our nation!
The fact that Nunes (of course he did!) leaked Sen. Warner's texts is just like some junior high prank to embarrass a kid you don't like!
Devon Nunes, is a puppet for Donald, just like Ryan and McConnell! Shame on them!
80
Nunes is a hyperpartisan hack and needs to be removed!
76
Are we ever going to find out who killed Fyodor Karamazov?
8
Hmmm. Tough choice. Pick one: Alexei, Ivan, or Dmitri or Vladimir P.
Nunes, one of the most, if not the most, reptilian of the bunch...
62
Nunes is deplorable, and Speaker Ryan complicit. This is unlawful according to U.S. Code › Title 18 › Part I › Chapter 119 › § 2511
e)
(i) intentionally discloses, or endeavors to disclose, to any other person the contents of any wire, oral, or electronic communication, intercepted by means authorized by sections 2511(2)(a)(ii), 2511(2)(b)–(c), 2511(2)(e), 2516, and 2518 of this chapter, (ii) knowing or having reason to know that the information was obtained through the interception of such a communication in connection with a criminal investigation, (iii) having obtained or received the information in connection with a criminal investigation, and (iv) with intent to improperly obstruct, impede, or interfere with a duly authorized criminal investigation, shall be punished as provided in subsection (4) or shall be subject to suit as provided in subsection (5).
67
According to this statute, wouldn't Rep. Nunes' actions be clearly seen to be obstruction of justice, since they clearly were intended to obstruct the Intelligence Committee from having an impartial and bipartisan investigation? The only reason I can think for Nunes to behave this way would be to try to gain brownie points with President Trump. And this article seems to be implying that the House Intelligence Committee investigation has been in fact derailed by this into partisan bickering. So perhaps this incident shows the wisdom of the framers of the constitution, in that just as the House of Representatives mirrors the British House of Commons, a commoner like Nunes is nevertheless unable to successfully obstruct the Senate investigation nor the investigation by the independent counsel. If the Senate mirrors the House of Lords, then perhaps the Senate Intelligence Committee will yet prove itself to be effective in some way, if only to give Mueller more data to work with. They clearly have more gravitas than their House counterparts.
2
When does Mueller indict Senator Warner? Or is he only focusing on non-Liberals?
7
For what would Mueller indict Sen. Warren? From my understanding of this article, the texts were an attempt to arrange a meeting with Steele regarding the Senate committee's investigation. The other members of the committee knew about the texts. Talking to the author of the dossier seems like a logical part of the investigation to me.
1
well Warner and he Republican counterpart were simply trying to reach out to Steele via an intermediary to get Mr. Steele to come into Washington for a panel interview. There is nothing shady there and I bet Burr and Warner were also in contact with Mueller with regards to their efforts to meet with MR. Steele as his testimony could help with the Mueller investigation, Then again maybe Mr. Steele has already been interviewed by Mr. Muellers staff on the down low?
2
Indict for what?
2
I'm sorry. There is no intelligence in the Senate or the House either.
5
"In the House, Republicans and Democrats have been consumed by partisan sniping, airing grievances on television and in the press, while the pace of witness interviews has slowed to a crawl."
"...and Democrats..."?
This is phony baloney "balance" for balance's sake. The same kind that Paul Krugman so laments. Tell us readers which Democrat on the House Intel Comm has been "consumed by partisan sniping"?
39
Nunes plus intelligence committee equals oxymoron. Bigly.
27
Maybe I could be arrested for saying that Paul Ryan, the House Speaker himself, leaked the confidential material. Well, arrest me; but the traitors are Ryan and Devin Nunes. They’re far more interested in protecting a president who is widely believed to be deep in the pockets of Vladimir Putin and, maybe, Russia’s organized crime syndicates. We have a right to demand a clear, unobstructed red carpet for Robert Mueller’s painstaking efforts to protect us—“we, the people “— from foreign menace and potential domination—and Messrs. Ryan, patriots that they are, are doing all in their power to discredit him and provide cover for a president whose family is in office not to run the country but to leverage possible financial liabilities in their favor and hazard American security into the bargain. Is not a president supposed—sworn—to defend America and Americans? Or is he supposed to use the powers of his office to get out from under potential criminal obligations to a nation not exactly our friend? And Republicans, those lovers of freedom and the red, white and blue, hypocritically see no problem with classified leaks of documents that may implicate and fatally compromise not only a mere president but our entire country? Oh; I forgot; all bets are off for Donald Trump and his family. They’re more important.
33
The Nunes memo did certainly appear to be a partisan smear job, and not even a good one, as it was refuted by both the FBI and the Democratic memo. But I think the Republicans are banking on the idea that since the Nunes memo was based on classified information, the redactions in the Democratic rebuttal would prevent it from having any impact. This certainly seems to be a conflict of interest in which Rep. Nunes was serving the President at the expense of both the country and the truth.
1
Hold it, will you? You might as well put the whole of Washington into jail because Washingtonians' favourite sport is leaking. I have to agree with the president's trolls here that the indignation is pathetically selective.
I find the USE made of the leak despicable because it definitely distorted what Warner was doing, i.e. he was acting in consent with the chairman. And yet, despicable behaviour is NOT treason. There is no justification for hyperbole, you are trivializing treason by throwing the accusation around so indiscriminately. Let the facts speak more clearly for themselves, hyperbole diminishes the effectiveness.
And don't come with the whaddabout excuse ...
Who does Representative Nunes work for, Trump or our Republic?
Who is this guy anyway?
Vote 2018
.
36
Nunez is in way over his head as a Trump sycophant. Nunez is literally a hick from the sticks. When this all blows up, and it will, Trump will leave him to twist in the wind. Because his small rural area of California has not felt the full brunt of the drought - they have been happy to vote him back into office. It seems to me he doesn't have much concern anymore about representing the folks that elected him - just finding new ways to kiss up to Trump, and leak information through ill-advised memos (not to mention to his buddies at Fox).
I honestly believe he would be shocked if he were brought forth on treason charges (which at this rate he should be), because he doesn't have a full understanding of the dangerous game he is playing with national security. His best case scenario is that he lose his seat in the next election, because if he continues at this rate he will end up in Federal prison. Pretty sure Trump will not pardon him - or go to visit on Sundays. Dear Mr. Nunez - when the Trump presidency unravels as it is doing pretty quickly - Trump will return to Mar-a-lago with Melania, and the crew - you sir will be hung out to dry. Consider paying more attention to your constituency, and a little less to the fame, and fortune of Trumps newest reality show.
25
America, its institutions and the taxpayer have been very good to Paul Ryan all his life, and yet his way of “giving back” from his current position of power and privilege is to choose to his party and the 1% donors who keep it in business, over country every time. He is the worst kind of hypocritical ingrate.
40
How long until we can imprison Devon Nunes?
32
"It's not my committee." Speaker Ryan washes his hands of the matter.
Fat lot of good that did Pilate.
17
For so many reasons Nunes should have his butt locked up. If not, he at least needs to be neutered, tared and feathered in public display.
11
I realize Mueller is a busy man, but when is he getting around to Nunes obstruction of justice/collusion behavior and antics?
40
Why are so many American lawmakers acting in Russia's interest instead of our own? Trump and the House majority appear to be doing their best to undermine faith in our intelligence services and now to undermine the Senate. Trump is doing nothing to stop Russia's attack on our elections, is doing nothing to sanction Russia (notwithstanding US law requiring him to), and is even attacking his own Attorney General while offering nothing but praise to Putin.
What has happened to our nation, to leadership?
32
Although rare, the Earth's magnetic field occasionally switches polarity (magnetic pole reversal). There seems to be a similar phenomenon in which Republicans - long the law and order, anti-Communism party - switches positions whereby they suddenly love Russia but hate American law enforcement (tribal mass delusion).
2
Let me give it a shot.
Republicans in Congress have no interest in investigating Russian hacking of our elections because it would make Donald Trump look bad.
If Donald Trump looks bad, the base will get mad. Sean Hannity's head will explode. Fox News will destroy those disloyal Republicans.
If the base, including Fox, gets mad at those making Trump look bad -- i.e., Congressional Republicans -- the base will vote for even more extreme Republicans during primary time.
That will cost those traitorous Republicans their Congressional seats. It might even make them toxic to Washington lobbying firms, the kind that pay former Congress people ridiculous sums of money.
Power, rank, and money. Not necessarily in that order.
1
Rep. Nunes, along with Pres. Trump, is a member of the Putin Fellow Travelers Club which is dedicated to doing everything possible to stall and slow-walk any and all Russian intervention and meddling in the 2016 U.S. election and all upcoming U.S. election.
18
Nunes needs to go. By resignation or by vote, either would be fine.
24
Or by arrest.
2
so do connecticut, new york city, chicago, and california. and best of luck to each
From Wikipedia, to Representative Paul Ryan Faust:
" "Faust" and the adjective "Faustian" imply a situation in which an ambitious person surrenders moral integrity in order to achieve power and success for a delimited term."
12
I like your comment but must respectfully disagree with it. I believe that Paul Ryan, like the current occupant of the White House and most of their supporters in government, is amoral and therefore has nothing to surrender.
2
Maybe Trump is right; He didn't collude with Russians to the detriment of the American people.
He colluded with Republicians to the detriment of the American people.
15
How nice to learn there are at least two grown ups in the Senate, Warner and Burr. A pity so few follow their example.
26
Once again Speaker Ryan has proved that he is woefully inadequate for his job. He needs to step up and put the country first. What ever happened to honor and patriotism?
33
Nunes is not compatible with intelligence. With morals and understanding principals of democracy too. With rule of law. I hope he goes home in November
15
Perhaps the most damaging evidence to support turning the House Democratic in November. Ryan, the Sergeant Schulz of the GOP: "I know nuthing, I see nuthing. . ." is the House duly-elected Speaker but he's more like an antique Bose shelf-mount cube. AG Sessions tries to claim "integrity and honor" in his actions but Ryan cannot make such a claim. And Trump is a devout liar who redefines partisan.
9
Pot Meet Kettle. I am beginning to think that the only good republicans that are left, are ones who are six feet under.
10
The level of sheer hypocrisy and double standard coming from the GOP is just beyond imagination. I seriously can't fathom how anyone, on either side of political debate, can look at what is going on and not be stunned on a daily basis.
24
It is quite a shame that when people bring facts to light that clearly show misdeeds in Government, that there are always people there who try to brand the whistleblowers as criminals. It is a constant theme, no matter which party is in power, the whistleblower is a criminal. Truth is truth, and those who bring it to light should be commended, not persecuted.
5
You're right. The senators should be commended for bringing Nunes' obstruction to light.
1
Just more evidence that Nunes is irresponsible, partisan, and completely unqualified to serve in Congress, let alone chair a committee. Get rid of him, Ryan.
19
This is the sort of story that most people don't follow (they don't have time) but that tells a world about what is going on. Principals are being violated (repeatedly) by the House committee under Nunes while the Senate committee is showing their own principals by correctly and bilaterally complaining. Meanwhile, all the public hears is: Senator contacts Russian and Trump tweets.
14
Nunes should be censured and removed from office for violating his oath of office. He is doing nothing to uphold the Constitution and everything possible to deflect valid measures being taken to investigate Trump's ties to Russia and his administration's ties to Russian interference with the 2016 election. Nothing Nunes has initiated or supported is for the good of the USA. Traitorous.
23
Trump owns Nunes and Republicans in the House committee while those in the Senate committee are clearly committed to the separation of powers between the Executive and Legislative branches of government. It's pretty clear that the House has no institutional responsibility, they consider Trump to be their source of electoral power so he can do as he likes and they will go along like little puppy dogs following the leader of the pack.
8
How can Nunes's actions not be considered obstruction of justice? If not strictly by the letter of the law, then certainly in spirit.
17
just exactly what is considered obstruction of justice out there in long suffering, and righteous, san francisco?
In the House, Republicans and Democrats have been consumed by partisan sniping, airing grievances on television and in the press, while the pace of witness interviews has slowed to a crawl. Democrats have repeatedly accused Mr. Nunes of using his position to protect Mr. Trump from the investigation.
==========================================================
To the editors of the NYT - false equivalency, look it up, and quite engaging in it. I, for one, am sick and tired of the media trying to cast this as a equals. The GOP is in control of this committee and all others. Are you suggesting that those of us in the Democratic Party shouldn't push back against blatant lies from the GOP in our effort to protect our democracy and our republic? Are you suggesting that when the GOP engages in its day in, day out, obfuscation and lies, that we should just sit there and let them continue to dismantle our institutions of democracy.
I'm not OK with that, so just stop it.
19
Democrats and their supporters have been leaking information damaging to Trump for almost two years. Most of these leaks were illegal but that did not raise any concerns from democrats or the press. Now they are shocked that anyone could do such a thing? Really?
2
What, precisely?
Most of the leaks about Trump have come from the White House itself. No Democrats needed to be involved.
1
Why bother writing a letter of complaint to Nunes when he's probably the one that leaked the texts? And Paul Ryan - "I don't run the committee myself." Um, as the Speaker of the House, do you purport to run the House? If you can't keep your members from engaging in this type of behavior, resign. What a weasel.
16
I am not surprised that Devin Nunes would stoop so low, actually seems right in keeping with his political activities as main hacker for our great leader. I am extremely surprised at the unwillingness of Speaker Ryan to do anything about it. His lack of concern and lack of actions against Nunes make him a complicit conspirator in the rogue defense of a defenseless president!
12
It is a longshot for the Democrats to win in the 22nd district of California, but if the reported Blue Wave takes out the vile, corrupt and Nixonian Devin Nunes, Trump's mole on the House Intelligence Committee, that would be the cherry on the democratic Sundae for me. Regardless, if the Dems do indeed take back the house, I hope they restart an investigation of Nunes for serial ethics violations. There is a long list of craven and contemptible Republicans doing the bidding of Trump, but Nunes has to be near the front of that parade of dishonor and deceit.
15
Devin Nunes and Paul Ryan are trying to stop congressional oversight of the Russia investigation. In doing so they're destroying an important part of our government's system of checks and balances.
They should both be investigated by the Special Counsel along with Trump and his corrupt administration.
16
It's pretty obvious that Nunes did this. Why Ryan doesn't shut Nunes down and kick him on off the committee is beyond comprehension.
8
Nunes and Ryan are conspiring to obstruct justice. How do I get on that jury?
6
Man - glad Trump plugged those leaks he was railing against on the campaign. I know how angry his whole base was about that.
6
The truly bad part of this story is that neither committee should carry the title of Intelligence, as we are currently seeing that there is no INTELLIGENCE coming out of DC.
2
One thing is certain. We will hear about the GOP memo, in true Benghazi style, long after the millionth time it is shown to be a fairy tale. With Hannity and Limbaugh and clones revealing it as a blockbuster revelation every day it has already gotten more traction than it deserves.
Nunes is deeply beholden to someone to be as fumblingly blatant in his sabotage as he has been.
7
This is a fight to the end for the nation's soul and spirit, and one thing the GOP has proven is that national security and it's secrets are game.
8
When voters do the right thing in November, they will decide whether the present diversion of raw sewage (Fox, Breitbart, et al) flowing into our public water systems should continue, or if construction should immediately begin on rechanneling the raw sewage to treatment plants and allowing potable water (not Fox, Breitbart, et al) to become publicly available.
5
Wack-right, extremist Congressman Devin Nunes is a menace to the House Intelligence Committee he chairs (and from which he was forced to recuse himself from its Russiagate investigation). This daffy zealot serves as President Trump's personal errand boy, lackey and spy into the Intelligence Committee's very work. Devin Nunes' connection with anything having to do with the concept "intelligence" would be hilarious if he weren't so destructive. Fortunately, residents in his congressional district have a great alternative this November: criminal prosecutor Andrew Janz, Democrat.
24
www.andrewjanzforcongress.com
4
Trump opened Pandora's box and now all the vermin marauders he's released and supported are attempting to destroy democracy. Justice, morality and democracy will prevail.
52
Do tell us how democracy is being destroyed. I guess you’re okay with spying on political opponents by the Obama Admistration. We’re just not supposed to know when a Democrat colluded.
After they are voted OUT, I want legal blood in courtrooms across America. I would enjoy watching that for years afterward.
2
But ... Hillary's emails ....
17
Yeah but at least Hillary had top security clearance, but Jared and every other WH worker didn't have that. So if she "mishandled classified information "what do you call non security cleared Jared handling classified information? Treason? You either have clearance or not. And anyone handling classified information without clearance has committed a crime. Lock them all up.
4
The "Classified" e-mails were classified after the fact. At the tiime Hillary Clinton "mishandled" the e-mails they were Confidential, not Classified. Republican trolls always either forget that, or they wish we would.
Putin's puppets, some unwitting, but all complicit. Party before country.
The attack on democracy worldwide must be stopped, and articles like these shine light on the place where the Russian rats like to congregate. Keep up the good work, NYT!
54
Why are you congratulating the Times?
"House Intelligence Committee"?
Isn't that a virtual oxymoron considering the partisan zealot morons who're running it for the Republicans?
Paging signs of intelligent life in the universe of the House...
46
This leak is so typical of those in the Republican House, particularly Nunes.
.........
However, I want to applaud Mr. Burr, in particular, for staying true to his principles and acting w integrity (one of the few GOPers I can think of who are still statesmen/women).
I also want to applaud Warner for not seeking retribution about this leak and for still trying to work w Burr and maintain bi-partisanship.
83
He really has no cause for “retribution”. He just looks like a bumbling fool. Why don’t you accuse him of collusion?
1
Nunes is more than a partisan hack. As I recall, he was part of the transition team. He seems to be doing everything he can to obstruct any investigation; perhaps he's hiding his own wrongdoings. This whole thing is such a test of our systems because there are so many people in power who aren't using it for the good. I have been impressed by the way Warner and Burr are working together and, of course, so much rides on Mueller and his team. I hope there will be congressional hearings so that the nation will hear the evidence, improving the chances of action by Ryan/McConnell.
93
Logic and common sense would say that you are at least close to the truth with your statements about Nunes.
3
The fact remains that every domestic bout of sniping and partisan rancor within our country is essentially another win for Mr Putin. He is singlehandedly playing us like a Stradivarius violin and from his vantage point every inane political fight sounds like more sweet music to his ears.
We need both sides of the aisle to come to their senses and come together or Russia will take our lunch money and kick us in the groin every day of the week. I'm hoping and praying that the American citizenry have more sense regarding our diverse motives and needs for the country and stop our elected officials from behaving like the third grade imbeciles they appear to be.
If we can't come together to face a common threat then we are doomed as a nation.
16
That would be nice, except that the Republicans won't come together! They are beholding to Putin and Donald, this is evident by their do-nothing attitude towards an administration that is at best unethical!
Russia attacked our democracy and the GOP doesn't care!
4
It's easy to paint republicans in a very wide brush stroke as absolutely devoid of ethical concern. But I know for a fact that this is not the case among the wider American public. It is our responsibility as individual citizens to circumnavigate our current political climate and find a way past our own tribal affiliations. This is hard work and it requires people to exit their bubble and engage directly with persons with whom they might disagree with on the surface. We need to listen first and answer second. We have spent the last 4 decades dehumanizing the opposite side and blaming them for all our woes. This has only driven them deeper into their own faulty narrative. We need to recognize with their help that we also share a faulty narrative at times. Pursuing our current trajectory will only lead to worse and worse outcomes for everyone.
Trump attacked Comey for supposedly "leaks" even though what he gave to a third party was no Confidential or protected.
Once again the GOP relies on hacked e-mails. It will come back to bite them.
34
Sounds like these House GOP members are following the same playbook that the Russians apparently used in their (successful) disinformation warfare against out country, except these members of Congress now are applying the tactics against other Congress members who aren't falling in line with the White House. Once again, Fox News are playing a key role in the dissemination of these falsehood and disinformation. (Who needs RT when you have Fox News?)
In my book, that's more than partisanship, and it borderlines cronies working to gain favors from a sitting tyrant. In this case, they are helping to set up tyranny in this country.
43
The sheer volume of nuttiness and outright lying that the GOP House is producing these days makes me believe that Paul Ryan is the Captain of a derelict vessel, and needs to step aside as he is totally incapable of actual leadership.
87
I usually would type in a comment here, lambasting such dispicable, small, snotty partisan behavior as the handicraft of hacks. Unfortunately, the Republicans have been doing this for so long that I've longed since become numb to their repeatedly horrid behavior.
36
The GOP is counting on Americans' numbness to get away with these political stunts/crimes! Stay alert. Stay focused. Stay engaged!
299
We have a president who will self-implode, a Republican Congress which will self-destruct, a White House staff who are not unlike a corrupt version of the Keystone Kops, and a Cabinet in the back pockets of the powerful and greedy.
Add to that list, the above's supporters, and we have chaos, the demise of a democracy, and looming anarchy. Congratulations, Putin, you are getting the biggest prize of all..us.
46
And yet he and the republicans are winning! They control both houses of Congress, the presidency and most of the States governorship. These “keystone cops” have passed a tax bill, appointed a conservative Supreme Court judge and wait, there’s more...
They control both Houses of Congress due to State led gerrymandered voting districts. It is no longer possible in some Southern and mid-Western voting districts for Democrats to gain a majority. The tax bill was passed in the middle of the night, behind closed doors, with no Democrats in attendance. It was a GOP tax heist, pay back to their donors. It had nothing to do with taxation policy; it had everything to do with who they owed their campaign funding to. Large donor tax gifts are permanent; smaller tax gifts to the 99% will sunset in 2027. The GOP appointed an evangelical ideologue to the Supreme Court; he has repaid them by ruling in favor of an employer who fired a truck driver for leaving a loaded container and driving his rig to a place where he would not freeze to death, or endanger others on the iced over public roadways. Gorsuch would have supported endangering the driving public in order to get consumer goods delivered. Nothing life threatening about undelivered consumer goods; driving a fully loaded container on ice would have been life threatening for all concerned. Staying in an unheated rig and freezing to death was due an employer? That would be a first. Note: I worked for a large corporation which had loaded tanker trucks on the road; we would not have expected a driver to freeze to death, if he could not safely drive a loaded tanker on iced over roadways.
Nunes and his gang's destructive shenanigans is one thing, but what really gets my ire is Paul Ryan condoning and abetting the undermining of our government and it's institutions. Shame on him!
127
when one man obstructs, its obstruction. when 2 men obstruct, its a conspiracy. the penalties for conspiracy are quite serious. how many will be found to be co conspirators?
1
To learn about the Koch brothers and their deep collusion read Jane Mayer's Dark Money...a real eye-opener.
30
Best way to get rid of the five-watt-bulb Nunes is for Democrats to take control of the House. People need to get registered. Then they need to actually vote.
Nunes is a disgrace!
75
Scary, scary scary thought:
If both Trump and Pence were unable to serve then the Speaker of the House is next in line.....
17
Warner and Burr are an inspirational example of bi-partisanship. Some good eggs remain in Congress, but most are rotten. Vote them out!
32
I hope Mueller is taking note of the obstructionist, Nunes. In addition, Nunes presents a security risk. Nunes should receive the same treatment as a citizen who leaks or as a Secretary of State who mishandles classified information by using a private server.
34
Clinton's private server was from Colin Powell who told her not to use the State Dept. often hacked server. The items noted Classified were noted after the fact; at the time Clinton and Powell used the private server, the noted items were marked "Confidential"; a big difference between the two. This Fox News lie continues to be used in Comments sections. There is a documented history here; read it.
1
Devin Nunes is a traitor and should be thrown in jail immediately. He’s put Trump’s interests ahead of the People’s. Terrible, terrible politician and person.
61
They could fix this in a millisecond by removing Nunes from the committee. He certainly isn't going to do the right thing and step down. Maybe he'll recuse himself? Oh wait....
34
It is high time Nunes is dragged into Mueller's investigation for obstruction of justice and Paul Ryan as his enabler.
36
AMEN!
4
The time for talking is long since past. It is time to vote and really drain the swamp, not the Presidency, the Congressional swamp. Voters put in Trump because of some vague idea that a rich Presidential outsider would be different. Yet they voted for their local Republican Congressmen. If voters love this mess then they should keep their favorites in Congress and continue to whine about how bad it is.
If this story was written with the names changed to fit players in North Korea's or Russia's Dictatorship or Plutocracy, it would read exactly the same. Our Republican Congress has a holy mission to enrich themselves and their PAC contributors. They lie and tell voters what they want to hear, and then rationalize their mandate for doing whatever they want.
Ryan has his holy revelation that he should be a leader in getting rid of all social programs and running up big deficits to pay his contributors. He will not allow even the slightest chink in his agenda to slow him down.
Voters quit whining! Voters have the power. Vote them out of office!
20
The leaks would mean something if the investigation means something. What did we find out? That some Russian is sipping vodka in St Petersburg posting on Facebook. I don’t feel at all threatened by that.
2
Jim in WI writes "I don't feel at all threatened".
Well, bully for you--but the rest of us find the prospect of Putin pulling the puppet strings on U.S. elections just a mite... worrisome.
Not to mention the vast amounts of Russian mob money being laundered into various GOP politicians' campaigns via PACs of dubious origin. That is more than a mite disturbing.
So you sit easy in your unthreatened splendor.
The rest of us will do everything in our power to prevent our democracy from being undermined further...
9
No. There were, and still are, hundreds of these people, each with thousands of online personas, posting false information, linking to false "news" sites, organizing rallies, and stirring up partisan hatred. they raget people like you, that are too uninformed to know the difference between nonsense and reality.
The russians also have created tens of thousands of bots that post and repost the lies. This makes it appear that there is some legitimacy to these outrageous lies, which causes people like you to vote against the interest of the USA and against your own interests.
7
This article makes it sound like the Democrats AND the Republicans on the House committee are to blame for the dysfunction -- "In the House, Republicans and Democrats have been consumed by partisan sniping" -- but there is literally only one person to blame for this committee's breakdown and that's Republican Devin Nunes. And everyone knows it.
44
The Senate Bi-Partisan Committee seems more interested in protecting one of their club, Sen. Warner than dooming anything about the mountain of leaks coming from other members of their "club".
The leaks came from the House Intelligence (there is an oxymoron) Committee not anyone in the Senate.
5
you do not get it- my point is that different and more significant LEAKS- came repeatedly from the Senate side- so.........I consider this all hypocritical haggling-a kind of pious standing to protect a fellow colleague Seen. Warner.
Only in your mind does Warner need protection. With Burr's knowledge and agreement it was decided that Warner would try to contact Steele so their committee could interview the source of the infamous Steele dossier. A very legitimate and worthwhile objective and effort.
Ryan has been an utter disappointment as Speaker of the House. While I respect the difficulty of leading a fractured part he has revealed himself as a particularly weak Speaker, not only with regards to shenanigans like those Nunes but also relating to managing Trump. Yes, yes.... I know the difficulty but the man doesn't even seem to try!
13
So, down the street, we have the President wrecking the Executive Branch.
McConnell has done his part by working to destroy the Senate for ten years. And with Scalia's death, he was provided the opportunity to begin destroying the Supreme Court.
So, Paul is just jumping into the game. Let's destroy the ability of the two parties to work in the House, and while we are at it, let us destroy the working relationship between the two legislative bodies.
Since these people are working for the enemy of Democracy and America, there should be no mercy if our Democracy is restored. There should be no effort towards reconciliation until the truth is known and punishment is handed out. Our inability to do that with the Civil War has never let the country heal, because we never cleaned the wound.
12
"In his meeting with the senators, Mr. Ryan made clear that he heard their complaints but noted that he did not run the committee himself, the officials briefed on the encounter said."
That Paul Ryan, what a leader!
22
The House of Representatives is falling apart because all the parties have gerrymandered safe seats for members. Without real competitive races most House members are slave to the ideologues who dominate talk radio and social media and are the most motivated voters. Devin Nunes is not captive to the truth, he is captive to the fear Trump will park Air Force One in his district and called him "Nasty Nunes" or any one of his put downs.
6
Forget all the committees. Instead rely on Steele and the British tabloids to discover the truth. Might be slightly embarrassing but it's also a lot cheaper.
8
Or we can rely on a report from Australia warning us about attempts to undermine Steele, despite his reputable service with MI6.
Nunes and his staff have long acted as the political agents of the Trump White House and in so doing have violated their oaths of office. Nunes is clearly participating in obstruction of justice. I fervently hope that there is some legal liability attached to their traitorous actions.
10
Why is Nunes still on the House Intelligence Committee? He's shown himself to be Trump's stooge and he's also worked on his transition team.
Paul Ryan is also a Trump stooge. Hopefully they'll both be out of Congress in November.
12
Let me get this straight..Democrats have spent over a year flipping out every time a Republican comes within a hundred feet of a Russian, but now are angry because someone proved they have connections to a Russian? Alreighty.
but, but...Hillary
but, but....Benghazi
but, but.....DO SOMETHING!
3
No, they are upset because Nunes leaked a Senate subcommitteember's legitimate investigative inquiry to Fox News, and packaged it as some sort of nefarious activity. In other words, Nunes attempted to discredit the bipartisan Senate inquiry. Whyever would he want to do that...?
6
Paul Ryan never takes responsibility for anything!
12
What has happened to the RepubliCONS??? They have become nothing more than a crime family! I am utterly REPULSED and I used to be a Republican. There is no level to which they won’t stoop. VOTE THEM OUT!!!
12
Paul Ryan is so feckless one has to wonder what purpose he serves.
9
Further evidence that Nunes requires impeachment and Ryan isn't a leader. Also that Trump and Fox are willing to take ordinary information out of context and turn it into nefarious fiction. Nothing surprising here - Putin pulls the strings of his Fox & Trump puppets.
9
Leakers gonna leak...Adam Schiff has done plenty of his own...
Prove it.
7
My comment simply wouldn’t get past the censor if I were to give a full-fledged account of the nouns and adjectives that come to mind when I think of Nunes and his “committee”.
11
I do not understand how Devin Nunes has been allowed to remain as Chairman of that committee when he has proven himself to be unreliable, gullible and partisan.
It makes no sense that he has not been pulled from that Chairmanship UNLESS the party leadership wants a Chairman with exactly those traits. Is Nunes G.K. Chesteron's "Splendid Dupe" - the innocent who makes an allianace with a more knowing evil?
7
"The House committee spent much of the last month locked in a bitter dispute over the secret Republican memorandum, which accused top F.B.I. and Justice Department officials of abusing their powers to spy on one of Mr. Trump’s former campaign advisers. Republicans released the document over the objections of the Justice Department and the F.B.I., which warned in a rare public statement that it was dangerously misleading."
Those people in the House are supposed to be adults, yet they keep acting like a bunch of two tear old's throwing a tantrum.
Then there is their foolishness in not listening to some intelligent talk
"Republicans released the document over the objections of the Justice Department and the F.B.I." And when the Democrats released their memo, it proved just how ignorant and foolish those house members are. Their action did not do their boy Trump, nor them, any good, but showed them to be what they are.
5
Nunes? Nunes? Is that you again?
9
Devin Nunes should be censored. He's been abusing his office for partisan gain.
At one point, he had recused himself from the House Intelligence Committee investigation, which was only right given his staunch support of the president and role on the transition team. .
But then he pops up again only to do worse damage to the objectivity of that committee.
Both he and Paul Ryan who's allowed these shenanigans are making a mockery of what it means to serve in Congress.
18
He should be dressed down, lose his lapels, have his sword broken, his seat burned, and censured. Alas Christine, that is only wishful thinking with this crowd.
I want to know when military intelligence is going to report. They don't trust this congress to not blab their methods or they would have by now. If all the Europeans and others were on to the Trump amateurs, you know our military was.
3
Wow -- Nunes is both a knave and a fool.
12
Lock him up!
9
PaulRyan is fully endoctrinated into same pathetic cult of idiocy we are all watching AltGOP cult now fully embrace.
He has NO INTENTION of doing anything that helps anyonen not on both knees bowing in servitude to the new idolatry they worship named #DonnyGoldenCalf.
He is AynRandian hater of equality & democracy as most Americans recognize it.
He plays like he is NOT just tool for idiocy hunan centipede of fecal mouth food we have to hear from their mindless & weak hearted fearless leadership.
(excpet when Putin speaks) then they all restet their agenda to fit new one of annexed WH.
3
I can’t wait to see people like Paul Ryan and Devin Nunes in jail. They will reap what they sow. Treasonous cowards.
263
Ah, Mr. Nunes, a future resident of nearby Danbury, Connecticut, that's a no-no anyway you look at it.
44
They still have the death penalty in Terre Haute....
1
"In the House, Republicans and Democrats have been consumed by partisan sniping, airing grievances on television and in the press, while the pace of witness interviews has slowed to a crawl."
What an interesting way to describe the Republican head of the committee being caught straight up lying to the public, and now leaking classified documents to Fox in an attempt to poison the Senate's investigation, and the Democrats, you know, pointing out that this is happening and providing corroborating evidence.
176
YES! Why can't the press just say what actually happened? The irony of real news being called fake and real news rooms as a result being too careful is that real journalism errs on the side of caution and shoots truth in the foot. In the meantime we get Comey and Obama being overly cautious too. Where did that get us?
8
A lot of the things published here lately can be categorized as "interesting takes" on out and out malfeasance.
5
Why is the NSA doing almost nothing about Russian meddling? because our traitor in chief won't let them. Eye opening to say the least!
82
Too bad Speaker Ryan has absolutely no influence over the House committees...too bad he's a coward and a liar. Stop covering up for "Crooked Donnie" and his gang of thieves. Remove Devin Nunes as chairman of the committee, as he has proven himself to be a partisan. Do your job, Mr. Speaker!
141
It's pretty clear to me some members of the House of Representatives are rubes, minor-leaguers, and idiots who get voted into office in districts that are safely held by their party (thanks to gerrymandering in some cases). Allowing someone like Nunes to be in a sensitive position when he is such a partisan hack is really a disservice to the nation. The people of Tulare might proudly claim this guy, but on the national stage, he's a clown.
101
It is disheartening and disgusting that in this day and age any senator of any party should be so stupid as to assume his emails marked Top Secret will be kept top secret!
Nothing on the internet is top secret!
When will the ignorant learn - Hillary Clinton and her campaign managers, Mark Warner, Hope Hicks, et al.
I would like for media in general, and the New York Times in particular, to develop a more realistic sense of intrigue, media manipulation, syntax (the use of words which create narratives in themselves - like "Dossier", top secret, and silly initial warnings. Such words are weaponized by Alt Media like Fox News and CNN to make some actions seem sinister. Act like Big Boys and Girls - Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat, is a pompous moron about the internet, and Christopher Steel is a suave, smart, media-savvy former intelligence agent who is more like James Bond that the Democrats and Republicans would like to believe. Quit using jargon and write more interesting and factual stories.
6
Republicans; no ethics, no morals, no scruples, no values, (other than opportunism and expediency), no principles, no programs (other than stealing from the poor to give to the rich), no compassion, no patriotism. Crooks, liars, racists, bigots, xenophobes, homophobes, misogynists, obstructionists, and with the 2016 election, traitors. They are just a bunch of craven political prostitutes for the Koch Brothers and assorted plutocrats, the NRA, faux Christian religious fascists, Big Pharma and insurance vultures, and now, for their Russian financers and handlers. They need to be removed, for once and for all, permanently, from American political life, beginning in 2018 and ending in 2020
And they need to pay criminal penalties for 40 years of poisoning our politics.
31
That time period of 40 years of absolute corruption coincides with the election of St. Ronald Reagan of the Addled Brain and Stone Dry Heart.
Former altar boy, Paul Ryan, remains one of his acolytes, invoking that holy name whenever he thinks he’s in a jam. St. Ronnie is one defunct patron saint now, boy.
3
Disaster for our country follows every Republican President: Nixon: crooked, a traitor (told the South Vietnamese not to negotiate a peace treaty so he could get elected), thief and liar, had to resign before his impeachment), Reagan , stooge of Big Business, destroyer of unions, Iran Contra; Bush I: CIA spook, Kennedy assassin, crack dealer who took out Noriega to keep his mouth shut, Bush 2 - an utter disaster, 2 catastrophic wars, crashed the economy, totally corrupt and crooked cronies, and now Trump: liar, psycho, crook, traitor. Republican political prostitutes need to PAY, and pay dearly for ruining out country on behalf of their owners, the Koch Brothers and the NRA.
I wonder how Paul Ryan is able to look his kids in the eye these days? Whatever core of integrity and honor he had, he has lost it, all because of his desire for power.
Does he really think he is setting an example for his children? Perhaps in the past he cared about that, but no longer. He sold his soul. And, he can't get it back.
Bryan
47
I feel sorry for his confessor.
Remember when the GOP & Fox said those who leak should be jailed....Trump & Ryan here is your big opportunity.
50
"In the House, Republicans and Democrats have been consumed by partisan sniping, airing grievances on television and in the press, ...".
Partisan sniping? What covfefe! You have Nunes doing blatantly unethical, if not illegal stuff while supposedly recusing himself because, don't forget, he was acting at the behest of the White House. And when Democrats point this out, it is "partisan sniping"? This might be the lamest example of shoddy journalism in the NYT to date - what cowards.
40
Nunes and the amoral kaksitocrats.
12
Ryan is a profile in mush
28
Can I have some more poison with that treason, Congressman Nunes?
13
Devon Nunes and other Russian puppets and Trump stooges must be imprisoned for decades for treason against the United States of America.
19
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the gravest threat to American democracy – your Republican Party.
65
Bingo!!! We have a winner!!! Well said!!!!
5
The House Republicans on the Intelligence Committee, lead by Nunes, are committing treason. They are a despicable lot and even their Senate counterparts have had enough. This bunch needs to go to jail. Now, who can make that happen? In November, we need to VOTE TREASONOUS REPUBLICANS OUR!
15
Chaffetz disclosed a classified document from Comey that he had restarted the Clinton email investigation and got to leave without being prosecuted. Nunes has pulled many ridiculous stunts and he needs to be investigated for his own collaboration with Putin as well as his many absurd tactics to obstruct justice. Nunes is a ridiculous fool California and we hope you have had enough of him and Rohrabcher. Punt these ludicrous Russian punks to the curb.
26
We Californians hear you and the nation and are ready to out traitors, charlatans, grifters and Washington DC bottom feeders. We have forced Darrell Issa out of the way, and are setting our sights on Duncan Hunter, a crooked career politician, and Mimi Walters to name a few. Cut out the rot and let some sun heal the state and nation. Patriots over party.
4
Nunes is a sellout. he is literally selling out his own constituents to please the owners of Westlands Water District, the worst actor in California water rights, water use, and water politics.
Nunes has helped WWD arrange deals where they can pollute the water that people drink, then obtain clean water for their crops, and give nothing back. WWD is in a part of the state with essentially zero water resources of its own. There is just about no surface water, and the groundwater there is naturally full of various toxic salts, and has been further polluted by their own practices. To continue farming this arid wasteland, they have come up with truly Orwellian schemes to buy water from clean sources that cities use for drinking water, and replace it with polluted water. Meanwhile, they have hired NUNES former staffer as their chief lobbyist, and their former lawyer is now trump's 2nd in command at the interior department and had a hand in writing the legislation that the GOP house passed last year to weaken protections for the Delta.
The Delta is where most people in southern half of the state get their water, so making it worse is a bad idea.
The people in Nunes district are some of the poorest and most disadvantaged people in the state, and nunes is deliberately screwing them out of clean water to line his own pockets.
2
Devin Nunes seems to be a Trump stooge of the first caliber. There is not even a pretense of trying to investigate if a foreign power, arguably hostile, has attempted to subvert the fundamental governance process of American democracy. There is not even a pretext of trying to investigate this in a bipartisan or objective way - the goal seems to be to whitewash and hide any possible involvement so it doesn't appear that Trump's campaign or his election were aided or influenced by Russia. Despite clear evidence to this as well as a massive campaign to steer American public opinion, and divide the American public into warring camps (which might be succeeding, clearly) Nunes prefers to use his role to cheerlead for Trump, cover up for Russia, and attack Democrats. Nunes attitude is 'Democracy be damned, partisan politics full-speed ahead!' while Putin and Russia laugh at how well their subversion is succeeding. Nunes needs to be censured or removed from the House Intelligence Committee (wouldn't it be nice if actual 'intelligence' were a requirement for Congress...?) as his continuing role there effectively neuters any House oversight of foreign intelligence activities.
15
This not a new scam. Why are you phrasing this as contended? Nunez? Really. Not partisan. OK. Stop the moral equivalency nonsense. Republiclown reps are accessories after the fact to treason. #trump=treason
8
All tied to Crooked Trump.
14
Putin is winning, thanks to Republicans like Devin Nunes and his enabler, Paul Ryan.
21
Why isn't there more demands for POTUS to call for an investigation into the Russian interference with our elections? Isn't this a clear statement of the relationship of DJT with Putin and the Russian government?
If no action now there sure will be in mid-term elections this year.
14
Really really tired of having to check my browser tabs to see if I'm on the NYT page or the Onion.
7
Please, let us not feel too deeply sorry for the republicans, or invest them with any new found ethical awareness that they have been obviously lacking in for years.
It was not that long ago that they were falling all over each other to ingratiate themselves to Trump. And Trump was just as flawed and destructive then as he is now.
If a democrat pulled the same low down, crooked, garbage that Nunes has the republicans would be screaming, in unison, "lock him/her up!".
Democrats need to win some elections. Until they do they should be every bit as brutal as the republicans have been since taking over the government.
8
Devin Nunes is a partisan hack who is destroying the House Intelligence committee that he was appointed to chair. It started with the midnight run and continues on a daily baisis with Nunes' "but Hillary!" deflections from the main objectives of the committee. Nunes' memo was a disgrace - distorted and blatantly lying by omission. And now this. Evidently Paul Ryan is solidly behind Nunes because he won't remove Nunes. So, Ryan is a snake, too.
Vote the bums out!
16
Paul Ryan is responsible for Nunes' misbehavior as he smiles and the beltway media considers him an "adult". Pathetic that Ryan & McConnell have given up on being a check on the executive branch!
8
The craven, and racist GOP doing such things? For shame. I'm sooooooooooo surprised.
1
There was a time that I thought Ryan's political views including his beliefs in Ayn Rand's wacky political and economic philosophies were what he truly believed rather than useful misdirection for his service to the GOP's political donors. His lack of oversight over Nunes as well as his recent dodge on gun control legislation have convinced my that he allow anything including putting American democracy at risk from Russian hacking or letting children die in school massacres to gain political advantage. If there is a Hell there must be a particularly dark corner for who people disguise their self serving malicious actions as righteousness acts based on deeply held moral values. I have always wondered how people like Ryan can profess to be devout Catholics while perpetrating so much evil in the world.
7
This is just another nail in the coffin for the Republican party that has done its' very best to endanger our democracy. Paul Ryan has shown his true stripes and I'm sure will not run again this coming Fall. Nothing he has done with respect to the investigation is defensible and he will be made to look like the spineless politico he always was. He got his stupid, ridiculous tax cuts for the rich and so he is satisfied going to ground. hey Mr. Speaker, thinking about running for president someday? We don't forget.
6
At what point does Paul Ryan stand up and remove Nunes?
5
What will it take, Speaker Ryan, to finally remove Nunes?
9
this is far past the notion of a constitutional crisis - it's happening now in real-time. there are no grown ups left in washington dc who represent the people. i would not be surprised if certain factions of our nation declare that they have had enough. 2nd amendment people might be right - a crooked government that comes for their guns cannot stand - and a crooked government that fails to do it's very job as an entity has no place in this country of laws. they all need to be removed.
1
If it hasn't been already made clear, Nunes was on the Trump transition's executive committee.....he has no choice but to recuse himself. This is not a fuzzy area, Ryan is way off the sidelines and out of bounds.
The GOP Congress is obviously telling its members to either retire, or go rogue.
#votedemin
10
Devin Nunes = The reincarnation of Joe McCarthy
8
Nunes is a bad guy. Russians probably have him blackmailed, because he sure scurries around like someone is controlling him. He should probably be prosecuted for his crimes against the state.
12
The predominant theory for Nunes begins with the fact that he was possibly in cahoots with or at least knew about Michael Flynn's plot to essentially kidnap Fatullah Gulen (a lawful US resident) at the behest of Turkey, since at the time Flynn was an (illegally) unregistered agent of the Turkish government (remember: Trump only hires the best people!). Nunes may have been in meetings or on phone calls with Flynn where this was discussed.
Remember that Nunes was up in arms about the "unmasking" scandal, where it was revealed that intelligence was indirectly spying on Flynn because Flynn kept calling people who were under FISA surveillance. During this period was when Nunes made his dramatic midnight rush to the White House so he and the Trump team could get their stories straight. Since this time Nunes has done everything he can to impugn and deflate the HIC probe.
So: What if in the course of reviewing evidence and intelligence as part of the "unmasking" scandal, Nunes found that HE had been swept up by FISA due to his communication with real targets?! Especially if he knew of, had spoken of or taken part in any of Mike Flynn's foul dealings during and after the transition, that would certainly give him the motive to disrupt the investigation as much as possible.
4
The state of Wisconsin, home of the Badgers, has a new mascot, the Weasel. A weasel uses devious tactics to avoid hard work, and will resort to chicanery for political gain, just as Ryan did in his Wealth Transfer to the Rich tax reform. Weasels use a deceptive dance to confuse others, illustrated by Ryan's doublespeak between the authority and influence he has on one hand as Speaker of the House, and on the other hand the lack of control he has over what anyone else in the House does, especially the House Intelligence Committee.
As yet uncovered is whether Ryan is a Russian weasel. For now, he is simply the Weasel of Wisconsin.
12
They may end up as characters on "The Americans", or as Snowdens' housemates.
Or on the gallows if the Supreme Court could rule that hanging was not a cruel and unusual punishment.
4
This is yet another reason why our intelligence services should think twice about sharing information with the Congressional committees. The latter are as porous as a sieve.
6
The NYT again blaming both sides:
"In the House, Republicans and Democrats have been consumed by partisan sniping, airing grievances on television and in the press,"
This kind of statement does nothing to tell the truth. It's just like saying that both sides in Charlottesville were equal.
Democrats defending the country against unsavory attacks by Nunes and company is not a both sides thing.
Clean up your work.
13
I've no problem with Congress investigating democrats, republicans, independents, the FBI, the NSA, the MLB or anyone else if something seems amiss.
My gripe is the majority's lax approach to Trump. Nunes has gone rogue; side-stepping his own committee, ostensibly recusing himself only to sound off every 5 minutes and authoring fan-fiction memos (while the bases of his assertions is conveniently "classified"). In appearing before Congress, Sessions, Bannon, Hicks, Kushner, etc. casually decide which questions they wish to answer based on an executive privilege that the president has never asserted. Congress allows this.
The only person who seems to have an interest in actually investigating whether or not the President of the United States has committed any crimes is Robert Mueller. That he is undeterred by the suspect's (i.e., the Trump administration's) self-serving "red lines" regarding financial information and feels no need to respond to Congressional and presidential provocations only reinforces his reputation as a professional. Unlike Congress, Mueller seems to actually WANT answers to his questions. Comparing how Mueller goes about his business largely without comment to the way Congress has been conducting itself is like night and day. It is a total validation of his appointment as special counsel.
There's way of knowing what Mueller will or will not find, but we should all be grateful that it's him and not Congress running the investigation.
9
Nunes has demonstrated why this tainted investigation can never be of any value. He is a liar and a scoundrel and a failed human being, along with many of his republican committee members.Pull the plug, it's a fraud and a terrible waste of money. We will have to hope the states along with the misused internet companies can secure for us a reasonably honest midterm election.These charlatans do not belong in Congress.
7
What is so objectionable about Nunes isn't so much that he leaks information as that he mis-characterizes it in order to deceive. Repeatedly. The irony is astounding -- the House Intelligence leader obfuscates truth rather than seeking it. Who, exactly, does Nunes think benefits from this dis-information?
6
And we thought Bohner was bad. Thanks to Janesville, Wisconsin for sticking us with Ryan for all these years. Political prostitute in really too mild a comparison.
8
Even as a democrat I had some respect for Paul Ryan - well that's long gone. He's just as awful as the man in the white house - he just dresses it up better.
9
Speaker Ryan is truly "spineless". One of the worst Speakers we have ever had in Congress. He needs to go.
10
Nunes is a Trump sycophant. He's proven it time and again. The GOP has proven that it doesn't know how and therefore can't govern. They are terrible.
7
Nunes is a hack. He must go. Ryan must remove him. November is coming.
8
The traitors in or near the whitehouse, are like the gang that couldn't shoot straight. Trump admits on television he fired Comey to stop the "Russian hoax".
Then it goes downhill from there for these grifters. If only trump listened to the italian mob and not the russian mob he wouldn't be in the mess he is in today. The group in the white-house are just not very bright.
3
They complained to feckless Paul Ryan? What a laugh. Putin would offer a more sympathetic ear and constructive solution than that spineless amoeba.
5
ah, treasonous behavior by a complicit congress... whodathunkit?
3
Even if the entire United States of America were to suddenly vanish, its government would continue on in perpetuity busying itself with its own inner working dramas and probably wouldn't even notice us all missing, perhaps not until payday.
1
Great article.
3
And the GOP monster begins to eat it itself
Tasty!
4
At what point do the actions of the members of GOP House Intelligence Committee, make them a person, or persons of interest in Mr. Mueller's investigation? What rises to that level when examining the actions of members of the legislative branch as opposed to the administrative branch of our government?
I think it is time to start asking some very specific questions of Mr. Rosenstein, who is overseeing this investigation in the Justice Department. As an American citizen, I want to understand why Mr. Nunes seems to have a free pass on all of this legally. It is useless to wonder any longer why Speaker Ryan continues the free pass. Mr. Mueller however, is investigating legal collusion and obstruction, which would provide a very different answer we all deserve.
563
Mr. Nunes has violated his oath by his partisan, possibly illegal, and certainly unethical behavior in this matter. Leaking information to discredit his counterparts in the Senate investigation is, at the very least, a breach of his oath to protect the Constitution of the United States and the citizens of this country. He did not swear an oath to Mr. Trump, at least not publicly, and his behavior should be censored by the House and investigated by Mr. Mueller. This is an unconscionable breach of ethics and morality by Mr. Nunes!
4
We can only hope that Mr. Mueller eventually sets his sights on Mr. Nunes.
1
The House of Republicans is becoming corrupt beyond belief.
13
oops, i meant to say House of Representatives.
1
I'll be gazing skyward for any sight of flying pigs should this happen, but yes, at this point it's clear that Mueller should be investigating Nunes for obstruction of justice, AND Ryan & McConnell for their willingness during the campaign to exploit the emails they knew were hacked by Russians & to ignore warnings about Russia's intrusions.
7
It almost seems like there is some Trump -Nunes bat cave buried under Washington DC where these shenanigans take place. We really need to drain this swamp and take a closer look around.
11
These endless Republican smear antics remind me of my grade-school days when the heartless kids used to pass around notes mocking and disdaining the new kid on the block. Of course, as goodness always prevails, the new kid always had the last laugh. She'd lead the safety patrol after school, while the heartless snobs served detention, writing on the blackboard 500 times, "We must not be such heartless snobs."
4
Leaks all of a sudden matter to Dems? Give me a break. Warner tries repeatedly to meet with a Russian spy, but the story of interest is that the texts were leaked? That's so 1970s...
2
Will Mueller look at Nunes for obstruction or conspiracy to obstruct justice? Nunes has certainly done everything he can to undermine, derail, and discredit the Mueller investigation. Despicable people...
6
Thanks to the Senate committee leads for keeping your eyes on the prize and acting as responsible, patriotic Americans. Can you now get some funding on securing our national elections? Surely this is worth the proposed $1billion, at a minimum. Russian assault on our voting system is one of the most pressing national security threats--and the recently $700+ billion authorized for the DoD won't be addressing this need.
6
Smirk Ryan is not a Republican he is the current "President" of the Koch Franchise Govt. His career in politics started under the guidance, support and political philosophy /franchise of the Koch/Bradley Foundation Partnership. He represents their greatest success and placement of power. He controls their agenda across the board and controls access to all the levers of power. The negotiations on cabinet positions, major advisors in Trumps Admin.,As bills that get passed on behalf of Koch Franchise and who gets Koch funding all goes thru Ryan. As long as Ryan can keep Trump on task to implementation of Koch's agenda he needs to sideline Muller, it's a race . Paul Ryan is as dangerous to our Democracy as Trump.
69
what is paul ryan willing to stand up for besides the further enrichment of the top 1%?
18
He's keen to take rights away from anyone who isn't rich, White and male, so there's that.
3
As I understand it, the role of the Russian House and Senate investigations is to gather information, i.e. fact-finding. The role of special counsel Mueller’s investigation is to determine and pursue any criminal activity.
We know that the HPSCI chairman, Devin Nunes, behaves more like a Trump surrogate than someone leading an objective investigation. I hope that the senate intelligence committee will stay on task, despite HPSCI’s attempt to sabotage them.
I fear, however, that we will have to rely on the Mueller investigation for both fact-finding and criminal proceedings. That’s not the way it should be (Mueller is under no obligation to publicly release all the information he’s gathered), and it’s just another example of how truly dysfunctional our government is under Trump.
Our legislative branch is failing “billy” (as Trump would put it) to serve as a check on a corrupt administration.
23
Is there anything Republicans won't do? What political norm remains unbroken? I can think only of three: Arresting opponents, assassinations, and coups. And Trump and other Republicans have spoken favorably of all three.
201
So far Republicans haven't resorted to "Arresting opponents, assassinations, and coups", however, why do you think Trump wants a full military parade with arms on the weekend after election day in November? Trump and the Republicans not only talk like autocrats, they will try to intimidate like autocrats...
5
I would consider the GOP extreme gerrymandering a form of a coup. Taking over the government by non-democratic means.
5
So, I it's just another leak. Like Washington doesn't already leak like a sieve.
1
I don't know why people continue to expect Paul Ryan to behave in a proper or decent manner. He has long since signed on to the program.
14
A leak intended to obscure the investigative process, a.k.a. obstruction of justice.
2
Not like this. Sorry, you must have no familiarity with how the Intelligence committees work.
2
I remember there was a candidate running for president in 2016 that kept attacking his opponent for her supposed poor handling of intelligence.
I can't remember his name, but he kept repeating the same charges over and over and over against her, saying he'd put an end to all leaks.
I wonder what ever happened to him?
A president like that who would make sure there wouldn't be any leaks and secret classified intelligence would remain secret, that's just what we need right now!
732
Back during the summer, it came to light that there was a discussion overheard between Ryan, Nunes, McCarthy and a few others, following I believe one of Nunes' nefarious doings (there have been so many it's hard to remember the details of all). The gist of the conversation was that "it" whatever it was, had to stay in the family, and they all had to stay on script with regard to their story.
When this whole sordid trump mess is finally exposed, I would hope that all who were complicit get taken down to the fullest extent the law allows(and it's pretty obvious it now includes many who were not directly involved in trump's campaign). What a rat's nest - Paul Ryan chief amongst them.
254
It was "I think Putin pays Rohrbacher and Trump"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/house-majority-le...?
But to your comment, it is very reasonable to assume, based on his behavior, that Nunes is involved in this too
3
Under our system of government, the House would have to initiate impeachment proceedings against DJT. Somehow - no matter what transgressions come from Mueller's investigations - I don't see Paul Ryan allowing those proceedings to ever start.
5
how bad IS THIS? from their actions this year, im having trouble imagining what "IT" could be...
2
Just another example of the despicable Congressmen and aides in the GOP. Undermining the US Govt and People to push partisan false narratives. Nunes is a disgrace to not only the GOP and America, but to the ideal of being an American and working with other Americans to better America. Not just themselves or their political party. the GOP are a disgrace to decency and the truth. They all should be sent to Russia.
47
I can't understand why Paul Ryan doesn't reign in Nunes.
22
Ryan does not reign in Nunes because he is clueless. If he is not “clueless” and does understand what is going on then he lacks any scintilla of integrity and is gutless.
4
If he won't, perhaps, the 22nd Congresional district in California will. He's held that spot for 15 years, whereas Trump only won the region by 10 points in 2016. A couple of months ago, they had a "generic poll" of Nunes vs. a generic Democrat, and Nunes won only 50-45%. Should be interesting to see if he gets re-elected. https://ballotpedia.org/California%27s_22nd_Congressional_District_elect...
Of course, there's no guarantee Paul Ryan will be re-elected, either... https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/10/randy-bryce-paul-ryan/
1
I thought it was the content of the leak that mattered and not who leaked.
Isn't that what we're told after the countless anti-Trump leaks to the media?
2
Did you read the article? Senator Burr backed up Senator Warner. The content was portrayed as nefarious when it was not.
5
Yes, but the fingerprints on this point directly to Nunes, someone who even in the most favorable light, has performed as Trump's man on the House Intelligence Committee. The text that he leaked was given to his committee with strict conditions as to its secrecy. Not only was that violated but it was framed in such a way as to reflect poorly on Senator Warner and to suggest collusion with Russians. Senator Burr roundly condemned that implication. If Nunes' attempt to make Warner look like he is colluding with Russians for evil reasons, which Burr rejected, sounds familiar, that's because this has been the rhetorical sleight of hand Trump and his apologists have been using about Democrats and Russia. Disgraceful.
5
Paul Ryan. Bought and fully paid for by Trump/NRA/GOP. If you don't give him money, he will do nothing for you. The Senators obviously forgot to bring the cash.
108
What happens if Ryan pushes Nunes off the committee for cause? Does he have to face nasty tweets from Trump? He's already got what he wanted on the legislation he needed, what does he have to lose?
9
"In the House, Republicans and Democrats have been consumed by partisan sniping, ..."
The Republican Mr. Nunes has obstructed justice and continues to do so. The House investigations have gone off the rails because House Republicans have sabotaged them at every opportunity. The responsibility for that is not bipartisan. Take, for instance, the tale of the memos. Even Mr. Trump's own DOJ and FBI told us that the Republican memo was characterized by "material omissions of fact that were intended to be misleading." Nunes Mr. Ryan, and their House Republicans are willing to protect this president even though it is increasingly likely that he has committed treason. Consider that. It is a traitorous abandonment of the Constitutional oversight duties and an outright violation of their oath of office.
167
If it weren't for Rep. Schiff's adult behavior an statesmanship--Nunes would drive the Committee's work into a ditch and then hide the evidence.
13
It's great that there are some adults in DC. Burr and Warner are a model that should be emulated.
35
Nunes must be stripped of his chairmanship and sent packing. He's an unrepentant political hack and does not serve the interests of the country
154
Devin Nunes has made it clear that he is not American, he is a Republican. Why is it so hard to look out for our country before party?
71
Hmm. In most cases, the (R) designation after members of Congress denotes a Republican. In Nunes' case it's more ambiguous, since "(R)" could be read as "Russia."
1
How Nunes is still in his position is mystifying. He should be kicked off the committee, investigated by the Houses Ethics committee for his behavior, and investigated by the FBI for obstruction of justice.
238
I can not think of a party more deserving than the GOP to be forced upon the Pequod with Trump as Captain Ahab. We know the voyage is madness and doomed. Ryan and crew deserve every bit of the misery brought about by Trumpism Let this fanatical party sink with their mad captain.
35
Paul Ryan can hardly remove Nunes as chairman when Paul Ryan has been involved up to his neck in Nunes' antics: as clearly disclosed by Carter Page in his interview with Chris Hayes on October 30, 2017. Ryan/Republican Motto "What happens in the Family stays in the Family".
https://usa-video.net/J7T4wkWPtew-what-did-carter-page-know-all-in-msnbc...
25
It's Chinatown .
1
This was a presaged about a month or so ago.
I'll look for the story, it seemed reputable, that a woman successfully imitated Shaun Hannity's Facebook account and had a bit of a conversation with Julian Assange of WikiLeaks.
After some banter, Assange said that he'd have some info for Hannity about Mark Warner, the senior Democrat on the Senate Intel Committee.
Lots of espionage and blackmail flying around, and I wouldn't doubt for a second a direct connection between Assange and other Russian operatives to the GOP. I believe we eventually will be shown strong evidence of this.
The depth of this corruption and treason may run so deeply that this may be Mueller's greatest constraint, far beyond normal dirty trick politics.
20
How much money does it take, I wonder, to pay someone to betray their own country?
20
Why doesn't the real USSSCI call Devin Nunes to testify under oath, and answer questions about handling classified data and obstruction of justice?
15
I was under the impression that our representatives were for all purposes , adults.
Our country has been manipulated into exactly what Mr. Putin wants to see.
Chaos.
The Congress was tasked in each chamber with establishing a bi-partisan committee to examine the extent , if any , of interference with the 2016 election and what effect it may have had upon the outcome of the election
The House Intelligence Committee is being chaired by Devin Nunes , a Republican closely allied with Trump. Nunes immediately attempted to deep six the inquiry and recused himself at one point early on. Now he is back and once again portraying the investigation as a whitewash by the FBI and other security agencies. This might all be viewed in the light of the nonsense of Nunes and the Republican party in general in defense of Trump. A man that reveres Putin and absolutely refuses near unanimous legislation from Congress..which he signed into law..imposing sanctions upon Russia as of October , 2017. Five months back and no sanctions. Why ?
The House Committee is now a farce and the Senate Investigation is barely moving
All eyes are upon the Special Counsel. A man once revered by all as a straight shooter , a war hero , an indefatigable fighter for justice , and an above reproach and much admired head of the FBI
Rather than cheer on Mr. Mueller's thorough and impartial inquiries , the GOP has attacked both his integrity and that of the FBI. Indeed our very foundations. A selfish disgrace indeed
36
A year or two ago this would have been big, shocking news. Today? Meh. Wish that was our worst political problem. What were once vices are now habits.
11
How much kompromat do the Russians hold on Trump, Ryan, Nunes, and the GOP gang?! Apparently enough that even with having proof - and indictments -
of Russians hacking into our elections doesn't even cause a whimper or a slap on the hands. And now Ryan is allowing this egregious misconduct to continue by Nunes?! #Complicit
14
Ryan is the most ineffectual, weakest party hack of either the 21st or 20th centuries.
14
and the most despicable, along with that McC piggie.
1
Let's see Trump start an investigation of this leak, since he hates leaks so much. Start with Nunes.
5
Nunes is clearly a lapdog for Trump, and has disqualified himself as an objective investigator of the Russia issue. The real story is Paul Ryan going merrily along with him.
26
Well, GOP, you might be able to smear the Steel Dossier, but you can't continue to make excuses for conspiracy, money laundering, the much abused emoluments clause, Russian cyberwarfare, Russian tampering with elections, Cambridge Analytica, obstruction of justice....just to name a few. Then there are all the firings, security clearance denials - more so than any other presidency in our entire American history. So yeah, go ahead and play with your matches to try to light little distracting fires, but the truth is marching on and will be revealed in full.
17
Why do we even have a House of Non-Representatives in the 21st Century? There are enough fools in DC without these 500+ grifters.
2
Well the dems have been leaking for ever now its time for the repubs to leak, and I hope they leak a lot.
1
These are the people protecting us from Putin's most recent threats.
Enough said.
5
We need to see this latest outrage for what it is: an attempt by Trump loyalists to defend him against the evidence, no matter how compelling and how vital for the security of the nation. Their willingness to protect Trump against a necessary legal inquiry is a form of obstruction in itself and will deserve criminal prosecution once he is proven to be the traitor and criminal that the mounting evidence is revealing him to be.
11
Why is Devin Nunes still involved with this investigation in any way, shape or form? He needs to be removed from that committee ASAP as he is clearly partisan, biased, and compromised.
11
Two years and $8MM dollars devoted to eight political dog & pony shows staged by Republicans "investigating" Benghazi, and yet when the country has been and is currently still under attack by Russia, Nunes/Trump/Fox News/et al are actively sabotaging the investigation and, according to the head of the NSA, doing absolutely nothing to thwart more attacks. I've got news for you - Russia isn't the greatest threat to American democracy.
13
So why are the Republicans in the House falling all over each other to protect Trump and, by the way, Nunes? Is it money? Lust for power? Some agenda to benefit their donors and no one else?
If Mr. Mueller can get to these questions, maybe we'll learn something more about the nature of Republican political reality in the 21st century. We already have a pretty good idea of how corrupt and morally bankrupt they all are.
Register and VOTE!!!!
9
Aren't you all happy that this "leak" was made public? Clearly the information leaked was-at most- a political embarrassment to Sen. Warner- it did not endanger national security. I think the Republicans did all of us voters a public favor- indeed Sen. Warner should have voluntarily disclosed these conversations in the public interest.
5
Very impressive Marco Rubio to provide a link to Fox but not to the joint statement issued by the committee. With friends like that....
3
How much justice does Mr. Nunes get to obstruct before he's removed from office?
10
I would imagine that Fox News might be compelled to reveal its source since it is not a real news organization, nor are any of its employees real reporters.
7
When is Nunez finally going to be kicked out of the investigation and of Congress? He belongs in jail.
7
You wonder why Special Counsel Mueller hasn't subpoenaed Rep. Devin Nunes given his blatantly and continuing attempts to obstruct justice. This is one case where we do know that there was coordination (aka "collusion") with the White House. The complicity of Speaker Paul Ryan is equally troubling and seems to be sending the message that is may impossible for the House ever to consider articles of impeachment.
9
The GOP and the current president sure do seem to be loosey goosey around confidential and secure information for people who raged on and on about Hillary Clinton's email.
5
Every day, more news breaks about the massive corruption in every level of our government. This is not new and clearly an overt attempt by Nunes to protect trump from all of the crimes he's committed. My suspicion is Nunes was promised a little piece of the 19% of Rosneft to guarantee his support.
Nunes needs to be removed from the committee as he's clearly acting in his own and trumps best interests when he should be worried about what's best for America.
5
Remember when the Republican concern with Hillary was that she couldn't be trusted with classified information?
7
Is any more proof required to understand that Nunes is a co-conspirator to Donald Trump's obstruction of Justice?
9
Further underscoring the right's drift into Banana Republicanism, passive partnership with Putin's election meddling and active subversion of ethical government.
5
the house committee's majority ( GOP ) is interested only in protecting trump
not the truth
not the fact that we were attacked by Russia
and they will do anything to do so
including leaking and telling lies
5
One thing that you have to say for Paul Ryan: he does an incredible impression of Pontius Pilate, his apparent historical role model.
3
Paul Ryan is now part of, and fully culpable for, Nunes' and his GOP majority's gross misconduct and likely illegal behavior. People frustrated or alarmed by this have the option to actually do something. Ryan has a viable, progressive Democratic opponent. Easy to find this website using the Google. Help him out.
9
"Wow. my puppet, Nunes, had his staff member request copies of Senator Warner text messages marked 'CONFIDENTIAL' so he could leak them to Fox News! DISGRACEFUL"
-Trump Tweet
45
Meanwhile, it's high-fives and pass the vodka over at the Kremlin. They don't need to defeat us to defeat us, they just need to meddle a little and there, and watch us destroy our country from the inside.
735
B - You sure got that right, except I don't think Putin drinks.
1
Did anyone read Tom Clancy's book Debt of Honor? Specifically the end....the problem is that Pence is the VP !!
1
I know Putin and the Russians have something on President Trump, seeing as how complicit Trump has been with Putin's attack on our elections and our country and his lack of any response as told to us by our top intelligence officials again and again, but what gives with Speaker Ryan?
Ryan has done nothing to stop the Russians from attacking us and has done nothing to stop Nunes and his brazen attempts to cover for the president.
Why are you not doing your job Speaker Ryan?
318
Ryan is not doing his job because he has a rubber stamp right now in the Executive Office, and as long as he keeps the rubber stamp there, he will be able to complete his transformation of the United States into Atlas Shrugged.
14
The GOP is entirely blackmailed, and likely some Dems too.
The Grand Temptation --vast sums of Russian dirty money ---in all it's diverse and convoluted financial configurations, is the means that Russia uses to control these spineless Republicans whom even if they wanted out, it's far too late now.
Mueller's line of inquiry may be so deep, so systemic, that he must make some sort of decisions how far to go. These are likely quite difficult to make given the essentially unstable nature of our present government.
In my lifetime, I've never seen anything more serious, so threatening. Perhaps the assassinations, but they were much more nebulous and indistinct than what we are seeing now.
9
Because he has no morals, ethics, or backbone.
15
Keep it up, Devin Nunes, Paul Ryan and the other Robber Baron operatives who are trying to destroy OUR governments at all levels. It's called TREASON and WE THE PEOPLE are coming for you all.
WE will replace you with Socially Conscious Women and men in November 2018 midterm elections - just a few months from now - and demand that OUR newly elected officials take you all down with the help of Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller.
This will not stand in OUR United States of America. Not now. Not ever.
397
Well, that was clear but let us not count our chickens before they show up. We must do those things you state we will do but being prideful is called hubris and we don't need that right now. There's plenty on display from the right.
4
I wish I had your confidence in the outcome of the November vote.
2
Party First: Country Never: GOP 2018
Nice GOPeople.
Welcome to Republistan, another 3rd-world Russian satellite country run into the ground by the Matryoshka-Doll-In-Chief and his loyalist Grand Old Propaganda stormtroopers.
367
"Mr. Ryan made clear that he heard their complaints but noted that he did not run the committee himself, the officials briefed on the encounter said"
Yes, Ryan is allowing Nunes and the other GOP members of the committee to run rampant. He has the power to remove Nunes, and he should, for multiple instances of misconduct, but of course he won't, because he is shielding Trump.
Nunes is beyond the need for censure, but Ryan has proven again and again to be a total wimp in defense of American democracy. He has become a complete GOP party hack. I hope voters in his Wisconsin district are made aware of his utter failure not just as speaker but as a responsible legislator. He deserves to be ousted in November.
1229
Paul Ryan is undoubtedly compromised somehow.
23
For Mr. Ryan to remove Mr. Nunes from his committee chair position and censure him--he would likely need the backing of his employers: the Koch Brothers.
25
Ryan announced a while back he's not running for reelection in Nov.
2
So what's Ryan going to do? Absolutely nothing. Ryan got his precious tax cuts from Daddy and now he wants Daddy's help in dismantling Social Security and Medicare.
The only way to get change is to VOTE in November.
818
Yes, good people of Wisconsin, please vote this scoundrel OUT!!
10
By Paul Ryan refusing to remove Devin Nunes from the House Intelligence Committee, he is endorsing Nunes' actions in that capacity. Since those actions pretty clearly include obstruction of justice, Paul Ryan appears complicit of obstruction also.
1026
Voters in California, be aware of what Nunes has been doing for the last 14 months.
2
Paul Ryan's commitment to party ahead of country has seemed unbreakable. If he does not now remove Devin Nunes from his chairmanship, that will be verified.
516
It's ok to mishandle confidential information as long as a Republican is doing it for political gain. If anyone else was doing it "carelessly", but without motive, they should be sent to prison.
642
There is a difference between confidential and secret.
This only matters if the partisan "leaker in chief" Adam Schiff(never miss a photo op) is expunged from the committee.
1