It looks like the embattled House Intelligence Committee is finally getting back on track
Thomson Reuters
"Yesterday, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence sent two letters related to its investigation into Russian active measures during the 2016 election campaign," Emily Hytha, a spokesperson for Republican Rep. Mike Conaway, wrote on Friday.
"The first letter was sent to FBI Director James Comey and National Security Advisor Admiral Mike Rogers, inviting them to appear at a closed hearing on May 2, 2017," Hytha wrote. "The second letter was sent to former CIA Director John Brennan, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates inviting them to appear at an open hearing to be scheduled after May 2nd."
The letters appear to mark the end of an impasse that emerged late last month, when the committee's chairman, Devin Nunes, accused Democrats of not signing a letter inviting FBI Director James Comey to testify before the committee in a closed session and failing to provide their witness list to the committee's majority.
His comments surprised Democrats, who said they had offered to schedule both a closed hearing and an open hearing with Comey. While the committee has no plans so far to hold another open hearing with Comey - he appeared in an open session with Rogers last month - the Democrats had been pushing to reschedule the open hearing with Yates, Brennan, and Clapper that Nunes had scrapped.
The break in the impasse comes a couple weeks after Nunes recused himself from the committee's probe into Russia's election-related meddling. He stepped down on April 6 and handed the probe over to Conaway amid questions about his ability to lead an independent investigation into President Donald Trump's ties to Russia.
Nunes, who served on Trump's transition team, came under intense scrutiny last month for his decision to bypass the rest of his committee and brief Trump on classified executive-branch documents which he said showed that members of Trump's transition team had been swept up in government surveillance. Reports have said he obtained those documents from White House officials, despite earlier claims that he had gotten them from an intelligence source.
Nunes' vice-chair, Rep. Adam Schiff, criticized Nunes for bypassing the committee, calling on him to either share the documents with his colleagues or recuse himself. He also disagreed with Nunes' unexpected decision cancel the open hearing with Yates, Brennan, and Clapper, which had been scheduled for late March.
The Washington Post reported at the time that the White House had pressured Yates - who reportedly warned Trump administration officials in January that former national security adviser Michael Flynn could be vulnerable to Russian blackmail - not to testify. The White House has denied intervening.
- I spent $2,000 for 7 nights in a 179-square-foot room on one of the world's largest cruise ships. Take a look inside my cabin.
- Colon cancer rates are rising in young people. If you have two symptoms you should get a colonoscopy, a GI oncologist says.
- Saudi Arabia wants China to help fund its struggling $500 billion Neom megaproject. Investors may not be too excited.
- Catan adds climate change to the latest edition of the world-famous board game
- Tired of blatant misinformation in the media? This video game can help you and your family fight fake news!
- Tired of blatant misinformation in the media? This video game can help you and your family fight fake news!
- JNK India IPO allotment – How to check allotment, GMP, listing date and more
- Indian Army unveils selfie point at Hombotingla Pass ahead of 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market