House

House Intel chief signs off on new subpoenas in Russia probe

by Olivia Beavers - 10/10/17 5:39 PM ET

Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, has reportedly signed off on subpoenas for the research firm that produced the controversial dossier containing unverified allegations about President Trump and Russia.

Nunes issued the subpoenas on Oct. 4, asking for materials and testimony on the opposition research from Fusion GPS sometime later this month or early in November, CNN first reported Tuesday.

The sign-offs come after the California lawmaker stepped back from leading the panel’s inquiry into Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential campaign after an ethics investigation began to look into his handling of the probe when it appeared he was coordinating with the White House.

As chairman, Nunes has the sole authority to sign off on the committee’s subpoenas without needing to consult the minority members of the panel, but the move will likely ignite fury among Democrats who say he should not be participating in the probe at all.

And despite handing over the reins to his colleague, GOP Rep. Mike Conaway (Texas), Nunes allegedly continues to exercise a shadow authority on the Russia investigation, CNN reported.

{mosads}

Conaway initially requested the subpoenas and Nunes signed off on them, The Associated Press reported Wednesday, citing a person familiar with the subpoenas.

Nunes and a spokeswoman for Conaway both declined CNN’s request for comment.

According to reports, the subpoenas were done without including the Democrats, angering some who feel like they are being left out of the process.

A Democratic committee source told CNN “the subpoenas were issued unilaterally by the majority, without the minority’s agreement and despite good faith engagement thus far by the witnesses on the potential terms for voluntary cooperation.”

“He’s not in any way, shape or form working on the investigation,” one Democratic committee member said. “He’s sitting outside the investigation and pushing it in a political direction.”

Democrats accuse Republicans of attempting to discredit the dossier in order to wipe away the damaging allegations made about the business mogul.

Joshua Levy, a lawyer with Fusion GPS, also expressed concern about the subpoenas, telling the AP that the decision is a “blatant attempt to undermine the reporting” of the dossier.

Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.), the top Democrat of the committee, in September said Republicans of trying to “discredit” the author of the dossier “rather than looking into how many of the allegations he wrote about were true.”

“What we should be most concerned about is whether those sources of the information in the report are true, not in discrediting the author of that report,” Schiff said at the time.

Levy says the subpoena decision came after the intelligence committee was given the “opportunity to agree to the same terms that other committees have allowed in a good faith effort to strike a balance between Congress’ right to information with our clients’ privileges and legal obligations.”

“As we evaluate these subpoenas,” Levy continued, “we have serious concerns about their legitimacy.”

The panel also subpoenaed the FBI and the Justice Department in August as they pursued documents related to the dossier and its author Christopher Steele.

Both the House and Senate Intelligence committees are investigating the extent and the success in which Russia interfered in last year’s election and whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to sway the outcome.

Russia’s election meddling is also the subject of a Justice Department probe led by special counsel Robert Mueller.

– Updated: Wednesday, 11:08 a.m.

Tags Mike Conaway