Secretive search for man behind Trump dossier reveals tension in Russia inquiry

[riversedge]

Source: The Guardian



Attempt by two congressional staffers to contact former MI6 officer highlights fight for control over House intelligence committee’s investigation

Last modified on Tuesday 8 August 2017 08.38 EDT

Two US congressional staffers who travelled to London in July and tried to contact former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele were sent by a longstanding aide to Devin Nunes, the chairman of the House intelligence committee and a close ally of the White House.

The trip has brought back to the surface a continuing struggle for control of the committee’s investigation into Moscow’s role in the 2016 US election. The reliability of a dossier compiled by Steele, containing explosive allegations of extensive secret collusion between Trump and the Kremlin, is a key part of that investigation.

The two staffers turned up unannounced at Steele’s lawyers’ offices while the former MI6 officer was in the building, according to a report by Politico on Friday. But the committee’s leading Democrat, Adam Schiff, said on Sunday neither he nor his Republican counterpart had been informed about the staffers’ London trip.

............................................
“It was an intelligence committee trip although going to meet with the lawyer was not the sole purpose of the trip. They were also there on other committee business,” the official said, but he added he could not describe what else the committee staffers were doing in London.



Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/07/donald-trump-russia-dossier-christopher-steele-devin-nunes

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If Devin Nunes knew of this trip-so did Paul Ryan IMHO

Link to tweet

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The staffers were sent by an aide to Devin Nunes, chairman of the House intelligence committee and a close Trump ally. Photograph: J. Scott Applewhite/AP

[lark]

1. Wonder if they were sent to threaten him or bribe him?

I seriously doubt they actually wanted to advance the investigation.

[TheBlackAdder]

2. Am I missing something? How can it be secretive, when their trip and purpose were broadcasted?

News articles seemed to cover this trip even before the two left.

[OnDoutside]

4. The kicker is that they were sent by Nunes rather than Conaway.

[OnDoutside]

3. That is outrageous. I thought it odd when first made public but

To hear they were sent by Nunes is something Democrats should creating blue murder about.

I agree, if Nunes did this, Ryan knew about it.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Love the comment by John Sipher, at the closing of this article:

“I find the fact that they presumably spent taxpayer money to undertake such a hyper-partisan and unprofessional effort extremely troubling,” John Sipher, a former senior CIA officer said in an emailed comment. “There are normal ways to do this through our existing institutions, and their relationships with our British partners. This is bad on many levels.

“Republicans that are part of the House investigation should not be undertaking efforts without informing their Democratic colleagues,” Sipher added. “Not only is it unprofessional but it is impolite. Mr Steele was a professional who worked on important and compatible issues with the US. He deserves better than being ambushed by a bunch of hacks.”

Sure glad they didn't get to pull this off without drawing attention to what they had done.

Thank you, riversedge.

[byronius]

6. An endless parade of inappropriate action. Nunes certainly belongs in prison.

Machinations, scheming, moves and counter-moves -- everything but civil service and sensible governance.

[flibbitygiblets]

10. I hope Mueller brings Nunes in and charges him with obstruction too

There needs to be a precedent set that this won't be tolerated.

[riversedge]

15. My bet is that Paul Ryan knew about Numes. IMHO

[Ford_Prefect]

7. They were bird-dogging Steele for the Russians or someone else with the same dark agenda.

If I were Steele I'd be somewhere else...

They can't buy him or threaten him. Their only hope and intent is to make him "go away" or to compromise the integrity of the report. So many of those who could or did shed light on Putin's hidden financial empire have already died in quite suspicious circumstances. Among others closely involved with Trump Eric Prince has long standing connections to those who clean up difficult situations. Sometimes it's called Damage Control.

[Cosmocat]

11. How do you suppose two U.S. congressional aides

Just happened to show up in England at Steele's lawyers office when he just happened to be there?

Seriously, what are the odds?

[Ford_Prefect]

16. These were staff to a congressional assistant of Nunes? I have some land in Florida to sell, too.

[Sunlei]

8. IMO trump backed Republicans try to discover who in Republican party ordered that dossier on trump.

Come on fess up Republican party, who ordered that dossier on trump & laughed about it for couple years?

Then passed it to a D who immediately turned it over to FBI. Why didn't Republicans turn it over to FBI?

[MGKrebs]

9. That really is outrageous.

Are any Republicans going to stand up and denounce this?

[flibbitygiblets]

12. I won't be holding my breath. There's probably a lot worse the Russians have on them.

You don't even have to go all the way to Moscow to get dirt on most R's. Just head for the nearest public bathroom.

[Hekate]

13. KnR

[moonseller66]

14. Another call for calls?

The Democratic blogs and sites are pretty good at mobilizing to get people to call their Reps and Senators over health, tax, SS and other issues.

Maybe it's time they started a campaign to have people call the media in droves! Someone at these sites can post the phone numbers of the major media and get everyone started making calls complaining they should be investigating this or that.
For too long has the media gotten a free ride covering just what they want or are told by their overlords. Imagine millions calling a network to ask why they don't cover certain stories?

Just a thought!

[OnDoutside]

17. Rachel discussed this last night, and it still leaves unanswered questions as to what those two were

doing at Steele's office in London. Interesting that while Democrats were said to be "Livid" about this, Adam Schiff has batted this down. One can only presume Conaway has given him assurances and has f*cked Nunes out of it. I can only guess that Schiff sees the bigger picture in not blowing this up.

I don't think we've heard the last of this story somehow.