With Intelligence Committees Compromised, Russia Investigation Must Move To Special Prosecutor

I’m guessing that last night’s story that the White House not only pressured the FBI but also other intelligence agencies and the heads of the House and Senate Intelligence committees to push back on the story about the connections between the Russians and the Trump campaign has even most Republicans in Congress convinced that the investigation must be moved to an independent prosecutor or commission now.

The inappropriateness of what Priebus and the White House engaged in by pressuring other intelligence groups to refute the Russia connection story is staggering. I think the Iraq debacle should have taught us all the stupidity of trying to tell the intelligence agencies what they must find and say. While the FBI may have told Priebus that they believed the Times story was overblown, they refused to say so publicly. Did Priebus use the FBI as a source when he went to the other intelligence agencies and the Intelligence Committee heads? Did those agencies and individuals simply take Priebus at his word before they went and pushed back on the story to the press? Those questions are just a start.

The GOP heads of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, Nunes and Burr, are now completely compromised, have both repeated what Priebus wanted them to say to the press. As Jim Himes, who is a member of the House Intelligence Committee said, there is nothing that his committee has seen that could allow any member of the committee to make a determination one way or the other about the extent of the Russian connections.

Already, some vulnerable Republicans see the handwriting on the wall. Darrell Issa called for a special prosecutor or commission last night. Lindsey Graham has already called for a special congressional committee. I expect McCain to join them on a Sunday show tomorrow.

The remaining question is will McConnell give in or still try to hold the line as the story makes it harder to move the GOP agenda forward. More importantly, will Trump allow it. Based on his overreaction to just the Times story, that seems unlikely. If so, the break between the GOP in Congress and Trump may come much sooner than we think.