Rubio on Warner contact with Russian lobbyist: It’s ‘had zero impact on our work’

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) dismissed a report Thursday claiming Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) texted with a lobbyist for a Russian oligarch who promised access to Christopher Steele, the author of a controversial dossier alleging ties between President Trump and Russia.

Fox News reported that Warner had “extensive contact” last year with lobbyist Adam Waldman, whose firm reportedly also has ties to Hillary Clinton.

Warner was seeking to establish contact with Steele as part of the Senate Intelligence Committee’s investigation into Russia’s election meddling.

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Rubio, who sits on the Intelligence panel, tweeted that Warner had disclosed the contacts to the committee last year and that they had “zero impact” on its ongoing probe into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

“Sen.Warner fully disclosed this to the committee four months ago.Has had zero impact on our work,” Rubio tweeted.

Sen.Warner fully disclosed this to the committee four months ago.Has had zero impact on our work. https://t.co/bnmI2Thedt #FoxNews

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 8, 2018

The Florida Republican has in the past voiced support for special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s election meddling and allegations of collusion involving the Trump campaign.

In December, Rubio said he “remain[ed] convinced” that Mueller would conduct the Russia investigation in a “fair and balanced” manner.

“From his reputation and everything I know about him, I remain convinced that when this is all said and done, Mueller is going to only pursue things that are true and he will do it in a fair and balanced way,” Rubio said in an interview.

“I think the best thing that can happen for the president, for the country and for everyone is that he be allowed to complete his investigation as thoroughly and as completely as possible and that we allow the facts from the investigation to lead where they may,” he added.

The Senate Intelligence Committee is one of several congressional panels probing Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 election. Warner, the committee’s top Democrat, said last month that “extraordinarily important” new documents had been obtained by the committee in its ongoing probe.

“We’ve had new information that raises more questions,” he said last month.