Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Nunes abandons 2015 pledge to combat cyber-attacks

California Republican Congressman and former Trump campaign transition national security point person Devin Nunes 
Devin nunes.jpg
is unabashedly derailing an investigation assigned to the House Intel oversight committee he chairs into Russian interference, including cyber attacks against Democrats, during the 2016 election.

So it's instructive to see how far he's moved from the commitment he made to fight "unprecedented global threats" including "debilitating cyber-attacks" - - his words - - when Speaker Paul Ryan reappointed Nunes to the Intel committee chairman post in 2015, the record shows:

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Nunes to Remain as Intel Committee Chairman



Washington, October 29, 2015 
Congressman Devin Nunes (CA-22) today issued the following statement announcing his intention to remain Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence:  
“I am honored to have been asked by the new Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, to continue serving as Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Our nation faces unprecedented global threats ranging from the growing risk of deadly terrorism to debilitating cyber-attacks, and the Intelligence Community’s response to these threats requires diligent Congressional oversight. After careful reflection and in light of the Speaker’s wish for me to continue this important role, I have decided to remain Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. As we move forward under the leadership of Speaker Ryan, it will be important to complete the good work we have done on an intelligence authorization bill and to get cybersecurity legislation passed to the President’s desk.” 
Speaker Ryan said, “The world has gotten only more dangerous, and serious times call for serious leaders. That’s why I’ve asked Rep. Devin Nunes to stay on as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee... 

As I wrote last week:

Nunes was the Trump transition team national security liaison. No wonder he is sabotaging the Intel committee's investigation, especially after chairing Monday's hearing - - a debacle for the GOP - - where the FBI confirmed the agency's criminal and counter-intelligence investigations into Team Trump.
Looks to me like the White House and GOP are circling the wagons and are making sure Nunes' committee doesn't hold anymore open hearings like Monday's embarrassment where FBI Director James Comey told the world that his agency had been running criminal and counter-intelligence investigations into Team Trump.

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