GOP-led panel clears Trump in Russia inquiry
WASHINGTON — The Republican-led House intelligence committee on Friday released a lengthy report concluding it found no evidence that President Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 campaign, a finding that drew praise from the president and rebuttals from Democrats.
The report caps an investigation that began with the promise of bipartisanship but quickly transformed into an acrimonious battle between Democrats and Republicans over Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election and whether there were any connections with the Trump campaign.
Trump quickly claimed vindication Friday on Twitter, writing, “Just Out: House Intelligence Committee Report released. ‘No evidence’ that the Trump Campaign ‘colluded, coordinated or conspired with Russia.’ Clinton Campaign paid for Opposition Research obtained from Russia — Wow! A total Witch Hunt! MUST END NOW!”
But the committee’s Republicans didn’t let the Trump campaign completely off the hook. They specifically cited the Trump campaign for “poor judgment” in taking a June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower that was described in emails to Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., as part of a Russian government effort to aide his father’s presidential bid. The report also dubbed the campaign’s praise of WikiLeaks “objectionable.”
“While the committee found no evidence that the Trump campaign colluded, coordinated, or conspired with the Russian government, the investigation did find poor judgment and ill-considered actions by the Trump and Clinton campaigns,” the committee wrote.
The report’s conclusion is fiercely opposed by committee Democrats, who accused their Republican colleagues of playing “defense counsel” for the White House throughout the investigation.
“Committee Republicans chose not to seriously investigate — or even see, when in plain sight — evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia,” Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the committee, said in a statement. Schiff cited several “secret meetings and communication” between people linked to Russia and Trump campaign officials including former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and Trump Jr.
The House investigation is the first of several inquiries probing Russian election interference to conclude. A separate investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller continues, as do probes led by the Senate intelligence and judiciary committees.
On Friday, a federal judge in Washington threw out a civil lawsuit brought by Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, that sought to challenge the authority of the special counsel in the Russia investigation.