Nunes recuses from probe into Trump’s Russia link
WASHINGTON: As President Donald Trump prepared to receive his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at his Florida resort later on Thursday, his Russia troubles continued to take a toll on his administration and allies on Capitol Hill, with one more recusal.
Devin Nunes, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, announced on Thursday he was recusing himself from the investigation his panel is conducting into alleged links between Trump campaign aides and Russia.
Nunes, who was seen as too eager to bail out the President, cited a complaint filed with the House ethics committee by “leftwing activists” alleging his inappropriate handling of classified material as the reason why he was stepping aside.
Allegations of improper contacts between Trump campaigns aides and Russians have already led to one firing — erstwhile National Security Adviser Michael Flynn — and one recusal from related probe already, by attorney general Jeff Sessions.
Trump campaign’s alleged Russia links are being probed by the intelligence committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate as well as the FBI, which is also investigating allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 polls.
The congressional panels also took on for investigations allegations by President Trump that Trump Tower, his campaign headquarters, was subjected to a wire tap ordered by President Barack Obama.
Though no evidence was cited, or has come up since, the issue has evolved into one about “unmasking” of the identities of American citizens during the surveillance of foreign nationals that is believed to have yielded names of Trump aides.
Nunes found evidence of unmasking in intelligence reports made available to him by White House officials, which he announced at a news conference, without revealing names and without looping in other members of the committee.
The chairman then rushed off to the White House to inform the president of his new findings, which were provided to him by the White House itself, in a move that was widely seen as partisan and an attempt to help Trump.