House Intelligence Committee chair Devin Nunes (R-CA) abruptly ended his committee’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, despite objections from Ranking Member Adam Schiff (D-WA), leaving many questions unanswered by witnesses and key figures altogether left out of the probe. The lead investigators, Congressmen Nunes and Michael Conway said they found no evidence of collusion, contradicting findings of the U.S. intelligence committee, Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe—which has already indicted 13 Russians with aiding Trump’s campaign—and at least one Republican on their Committee. Trump continually denies any collusion, often taking to Twitter to rant in all caps about the investigation as a “witch hunt.” But here are four reasons the investigation should remain open:
- Representative Devin Nunes has been at the center of the Russia investigation, as the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, but he has used that power to act as a cover for the Trump administration.
- The committee failed to interview numerous key witnesses, including George Nader, of whom one leading committee member said he had no knowledge.
The good news? There’s still three ongoing, open investigations into Trump, his campaign, and Russia, including Mueller’s probe, which has already resulted in charges against 19 people, including Trump’s former National Security Adviser and campaign chairman.
ACTION OF THE DAY
#NeverAgain. Wednesday marks one month since the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. As the Trump administration fails to take meaningful action to prevent gun violence, the students from Parkland are leading the charge. On Wednesday, there will be a national school walkout to demand action on guns. Find out if a walkout is happening near you here. And check out CAP’s new series on 6 ways to prevent gun violence here—the second video is out today!
WHAT’S TRENDING
Tillerson’s Out. This morning, the Washington Post reported that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson—whose tenure has been marked by lack of achievements and low morale—was being replaced by CIA Director and former Tea Party member Mike Pompeo. According to the State Department’s statements, Tillerson found out that he was fired via Trump’s tweet, although the White House has denied that report. Tillerson’s firing comes just one day after he blamed Russia for the UK nerve agent attack. Trump nominated Gina Haspel to replace Pompeo as the CIA Director, but her confirmation is not a sure bet. She has drawn the ire of some senators previously, as she played a key role in the torture of prisoners at a CIA black site.
The Wall’s a Waste. Today, Trump is traveling to California to view prototypes of the his unnecessary border wall. And despite Trump’s campaign speeches, Mexico is not paying for it; American taxpayers will. We already know that the wall is not only a waste of taxpayer’s money, but also a threat to the environment. It’s also a way to terrorize border communities. Trump’s trip comes as a spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) quit due to administration officials’ use of “misleading facts.”
GOOD NEWS
Baltimore’s Still In. On Monday night, the Baltimore City Council approved to “pass a ban on any new or expanded crude oil terminals within the city.” This bill, if signed by the mayor, would make Baltimore the first East Coast city to “ban a specific kind of fossil fuel infrastructure.” This move is part of a growing trend of states, cities, and localities taking action on climate change, even while the Trump administration refuses to admit climate change even exists.