UPDATED: House Intel Dems Rebuff Nunes' Flawed Russia Probe And Announce Do-Over

Source: Talking Points Memo


By Tierney Sneed

February 6, 2019 1:07 pm

In an extraordinary rebuke to his predecessor, House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) formally announced on Wednesday that his committee would be re-opening its Russia investigation to pick up on lines of inquiry that were left “uncompleted” by the committee investigation of the previous Congress, when Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) was the chair. The move was somewhat expected, but still a remarkable reversal of the course the committee had charted under GOP leadership.

“During the prior Congress, the Committee began to pursue credible reports of money laundering and financial compromise related to the business interests of President Trump, his family, and his associates,” Schiff said in a statement, that also pointed to the President’s actions since taking office that have “only heightened fears of foreign financial or other leverage over President Trump.”

“Unfortunately, these and numerous other avenues of inquiry were not completed during the last Congress,” Schiff said, a somewhat gentle reference to the obstruction and interference Intel Republicans were accused of leading during the last Congress’ probe.

Schiff’s statement on Wednesday tantalizingly said the investigation would be into election influencing efforts conducted not just by Russia, but by “other foreign entities.”

Read more: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/house-intel-dems-rebuff-nunes-flawed-russia-probe-and-announce-do-over

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UPDATE:

House intelligence chair announces sweeping investigation into Trump's finances and Russia

By Jeremy Herb and Manu Raju, CNN

Updated 1:17 PM ET, Wed February 6, 2019

(CNN)House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff announced Wednesday a broad investigation his committee would undertake "beyond Russia" into whether President Donald Trump's financial interests are driving his actions.

Schiff said the investigation would "allow us to investigate any credible allegation that financial interests or other interests are driving decision-making of the President or anyone in the administration."

"That pertains to any credible allegations of leverage by the Russians or the Saudis or anyone else," Schiff told reporters after the House Intelligence Committee's first meeting in the new Congress.

In a statement, Schiff said the investigation would include a continued probe into Russia's actions during the 2016 election and contacts between the Russia and Trump's team, as well as an examination of "whether any foreign actor has sought to compromise or holds leverage, financial or otherwise, over Donald Trump, his family, his business, or his associates."

Schiff said the investigation, which could involve additional congressional committees, would also look at whether Trump or his associates have "sought to influence US government policy in service of foreign interests" and any potential obstruction into the various investigations.

more
https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/06/politics/house-intelligence-transcripts-mueller/index.html