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| Chair of House intelligence panel sees no evil in claims of Trump-Russia links | Chair of House intelligence panel sees no evil in claims of Trump-Russia links |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The House intelligence committee chairman, Devin Nunes, on Monday said calls for an independent investigation into alleged contacts between aides to Donald Trump and Russian intelligence sources could amount to a “witch hunt”. | |
| Nunes, who served on Trump’s transition team, said he had not seen any evidence of contacts between associates of Trump and Russian officials. | Nunes, who served on Trump’s transition team, said he had not seen any evidence of contacts between associates of Trump and Russian officials. |
| “As of right now, I don’t have any evidence of any phone calls,” Nunes told reporters on Capitol Hill. “That doesn’t mean they don’t exist, but I don’t have that. And what I’ve been told by many folks is that there’s nothing there.” | “As of right now, I don’t have any evidence of any phone calls,” Nunes told reporters on Capitol Hill. “That doesn’t mean they don’t exist, but I don’t have that. And what I’ve been told by many folks is that there’s nothing there.” |
| He added: “At this time, I want to be very careful that we can’t just go on a witch-hunt against Americans because they appear in news stories.” | He added: “At this time, I want to be very careful that we can’t just go on a witch-hunt against Americans because they appear in news stories.” |
| Nunes’s comments were made amid an aggressive attempt by the White House to rebut reports that associates of Trump communicated frequently with Russian intelligence officials in the year leading up to November’s election. | Nunes’s comments were made amid an aggressive attempt by the White House to rebut reports that associates of Trump communicated frequently with Russian intelligence officials in the year leading up to November’s election. |
| The links, which are being investigated by the FBI, have drawn renewed scrutiny after the resignation of Michael Flynn as national security adviser, over allegations that he discussed sanctions with Russia’s ambassador to the US in December and subsequently misled the vice-president, Mike Pence. | The links, which are being investigated by the FBI, have drawn renewed scrutiny after the resignation of Michael Flynn as national security adviser, over allegations that he discussed sanctions with Russia’s ambassador to the US in December and subsequently misled the vice-president, Mike Pence. |
| Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, disputed Nunes’s characterization of the investigation. | Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, disputed Nunes’s characterization of the investigation. |
| “The fact is, we haven’t even begun to sit down with the FBI to talk about what have they looked at, who have they talked to, what leads have been pursued, what haven’t,” Schiff told MSNBC. | “The fact is, we haven’t even begun to sit down with the FBI to talk about what have they looked at, who have they talked to, what leads have been pursued, what haven’t,” Schiff told MSNBC. |
| “The reality is we don’t know whether there were contacts with Trump campaign officials. That’s one of the core issues that we’re going to investigate. | “The reality is we don’t know whether there were contacts with Trump campaign officials. That’s one of the core issues that we’re going to investigate. |
| “Having conversations with intelligence community leaders is not evidence.” | “Having conversations with intelligence community leaders is not evidence.” |
| The House and Senate intelligence committees are running separate investigations into efforts by Russia to interfere in the presidential race. Democrats have demanded an independent, outside commission to fully investigate the nature of Russia’s potential influence over Trump and his administration. | The House and Senate intelligence committees are running separate investigations into efforts by Russia to interfere in the presidential race. Democrats have demanded an independent, outside commission to fully investigate the nature of Russia’s potential influence over Trump and his administration. |
| According to a report by the Washington Post, the White House enlisted Nunes and his Republican counterpart on the Senate intelligence committee, Richard Burr, to help counter news reports about the Russia links. | According to a report by the Washington Post, the White House enlisted Nunes and his Republican counterpart on the Senate intelligence committee, Richard Burr, to help counter news reports about the Russia links. |
| Addressing reporters on Monday, Nunes echoed Trump administration tactics by pivoting from the substance of the investigation to instead focus on the nature of anonymous leaks to the media. | Addressing reporters on Monday, Nunes echoed Trump administration tactics by pivoting from the substance of the investigation to instead focus on the nature of anonymous leaks to the media. |
| “There’s been major crimes committed,” Nunes said. “What I’m concerned about is no one is focusing on major leaks that have occurred here. We can’t run a government like this. A government can’t function with massive leaks at the highest level.” | “There’s been major crimes committed,” Nunes said. “What I’m concerned about is no one is focusing on major leaks that have occurred here. We can’t run a government like this. A government can’t function with massive leaks at the highest level.” |
| Trump and his administration have zeroed in on the leaks, the president himself calling for an investigation into who is behind them. | Trump and his administration have zeroed in on the leaks, the president himself calling for an investigation into who is behind them. |
| “The FBI is totally unable to stop the national security ‘leakers’ that have permeated our government for a long time,” Trump wrote on Twitter last week. | “The FBI is totally unable to stop the national security ‘leakers’ that have permeated our government for a long time,” Trump wrote on Twitter last week. |
| “They can’t even find the leakers within the FBI itself. Classified information is being given to media that could have a devastating effect on US. FIND NOW.” | “They can’t even find the leakers within the FBI itself. Classified information is being given to media that could have a devastating effect on US. FIND NOW.” |
| Nunes has previously defended Flynn and criticized the leaks that forced him out of the White House. Asked on Monday if he was not engaging in leaks of his own by telling reporters there was no evidence while his committee’s investigation was still ongoing, he said: “I would never talk about classified information with any of you, because that would be a crime.” | Nunes has previously defended Flynn and criticized the leaks that forced him out of the White House. Asked on Monday if he was not engaging in leaks of his own by telling reporters there was no evidence while his committee’s investigation was still ongoing, he said: “I would never talk about classified information with any of you, because that would be a crime.” |
| He also rejected calls to subpoena Trump’s tax returns, which the president refused to disclose as a candidate, in a break from a 40-year precedent. Democrats have renewed their push to make Trump’s filings public, arguing they could contain information on his business dealings with Russia. | He also rejected calls to subpoena Trump’s tax returns, which the president refused to disclose as a candidate, in a break from a 40-year precedent. Democrats have renewed their push to make Trump’s filings public, arguing they could contain information on his business dealings with Russia. |
| “No, we’re not going to do that,” Nunes said. | “No, we’re not going to do that,” Nunes said. |