Rep. Devin Nunes Steps Aside From Russia Probe, Faces House Ethics Investigation

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes announced Thursday morning he will temporarily step away from leading the House Intelligence Committee's probe into Russia's involvement in the 2016 presidential election amid criticism of his handling of classified information. Meanwhile, the House Ethics Committee said it will launch an investigation into the allegations against Nunes.

While Nunes, a Republican from California, said the charges are "false," "baseless" and "politically motivated," he said it's in the best interest of the committee to have fellow Republican Rep. of Texas Mike Conaway temporarily lead the investigation. (For more information on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch for daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Saying that "several leftwing activist groups have filed accusations against me with the Office of Congressional Ethics," Nunes said in his statement that the charges "are being leveled just as the American people are beginning to learn the truth about the improper unmasking of the identities of U.S. citizens and other abuses of power."

The House Intelligence Committee has been investigating connections between the Trump campaign and Russian hacking as well as President Trump's claims that President Obama wiretapped Trump Tower.

Nunes had apologized to his fellow members of the House Intelligence Committee, according to Rep. Jackie Speier, after he discussed new evidence related to their investigation with the press and with the White House before sharing it with the other representatives.

House Speaker Paul Ryan released a statement Thusday saying Nunes "has earned my trust over many years" but that "it is clear that this process would be a distraction for the House Intelligence Committee’s investigation into Russian interference in our election," referring to the Ethics Committee's investigation of Nunes.

Rep. Adam Schiff, a Californian and the ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that Nunes made the decision "in the best interests of the committee and I respect that decision."

This is a breaking news story. Refresh for updates.

Like the White House Patch Facebook Page.
Follow us on Twitter.
Sign up to comment on the site.

Photo: House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., center, walks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi following a closed-door meeting in a secure room in the basement of the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, April 4, 2017. Credit: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite