There's a problem with Devin Nunes' invitation to FBI Director Comey—Nunes never sent it

Mark Sumner

Daily Kos Staff

Thursday March 30, 2017 · 6:43 AM PDT

2017/03/30 · 06:43

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 22: House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA) speaks to reporters during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol March 22, 2017 in Washington, DC. Nunes said U.S. intelligence collected communications of President Donald Trump incidentally and legally during the transition period following the U.S. election. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

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On Wednesday, Devin Nunes had a single comeback for those who claimed his antics over the last week had destroyed both his own reputation and the ability of the House intelligence committee to conduct an investigation into the Trump administration’s Russia connections.

Nunes: It appears like the Democrats aren’t really serious about this investigation.

Reporter: But they want to start, they’re saying we should start …

Nunes: They didn’t sign the letter to Director Comey, who is a foundational witness. That didn’t happen. You should ask them why they wouldn’t go sign that letter.

In fact, Nunes’ leaning on the letter to Comey was beyond ironic, because that letter was part of his play to cripple the committee. Comey had already declared that he wouldn’t appear before the committee until Nunes cleaned up his act, and by making moving forward dependent on an appearance by the FBI Director, Nunes was attempting to put progress on indefinite ice.

However, there is one person who disputes that the chairman ever bothered to send an invite.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes and FBI Director James Comey can't seem to agree on whether the former invited the latter to testify before House Russia investigators, in a dispute that has now popped up twice in less than a week. … a source at the FBI said the reason Comey couldn't make the hearing was because he was never invited.

Yes, emphasis added.

Nunes wrote up a letter to Comey last Friday, but Adam Schiff and other Democrats on the committee refused to sign it because 1) they were all too aware of the trap Nunes was trying to set and 2) they wanted to continue with public hearings and Nunes purposely scheduled Comey’s visit to interfere with what would have been the next hearing.

Then, Tuesday, Nunes said that he had invited Comey again to come testify before the House intelligence committee.

What’s missing here? Nunes never sent the letter to Comey.

A Nunes spokesman said that discussions between House intelligence staff and Comey staff have been conducted over phone and email, but did not immediately say if a formal request had been sent via letter.

Part of Comey’s deal was that he wouldn’t come without a formal invite. Nunes has still not sent that invite to Comey. Because Devin Nunes is doing everything he can to delay any action by the House intelligence committee.

There's a problem with Devin Nunes' invitation to FBI Director Comey—Nunes never sent it

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