‘Wiretap’ a bum rap: intel chair

GOPer: Zer-O proof

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes said on Sunday that the Justice Department could not provide evidence of wiretapping at Trump Tower.

“Was there a physical wiretap of Trump Tower? No,” Nunes (R-Calif.) told “Fox News Sunday.”

The Justice Department turned over a classified report to the Intelligence Committee Friday regarding President Trump’s allegations that then-President Barack Obama had ordered surveillance on his Midtown headquarters during the 2016 campaign.

Nunes said that, upon reviewing the report, he stood by his earlier comments that there’s “no evidence” backing up Trump’s claim.

“The information we got on Friday continues to lead us in that direction. There was no FISA warrant that I’m aware of to tap Trump Tower,” he said, referring to the federal Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that regulates the issuance of surveillance warrants.

Rep. Adam Schiff, of California, the Intelligence Committee’s top Democrat, also saw the report and said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday that Trump’s wiretapping claim was “just patently false.”

The issue will come to head Monday when FBI Director James Comey testifies before the committee. He could shed light on Trump’s wiretap claims and on whether Trump campaign members improperly spoke to Russian agents.

Nunes said “there’s no evidence of collusion” between Trump and the Russians to sway the election. But Schiff said he hadn’t reached that conclusion.

“At the outset of the investigation, there was circumstantial evidence of collusion,” said Schiff. “There was direct evidence, I think, of deception.”

Trump has offered no evidence to support his explosive allegation, which he made in a series of tweets on March 4.

Sen. Susan Collins, who serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Trump at least needs to back up the basis of his claim.

“That’s what I wish he would explain to us on the Intelligence Committee and to the American people,” Collins (R-Maine) told “Meet the Press.” “And I do believe he owes us that explanation.”