Congress’ Russia probe losing credibility
The Republican-controlled U.S. House is supposed to be investigating concerns that Russian operatives interfered in the November election in order to help elect Republican Donald Trump as president. Unfortunately, the chamber’s intelligence committee chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes of California, is starting to look like a tool of the president.
Nunes should simply step away from the case, as some Democrats are requesting. An independent commission should be formed to investigate the possible links between Russian influence efforts and members of the Trump campaign.
U.S. Rep. Denny Heck, D-Olympia, joined other members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on Tuesday in asking that Nunes step away from his role leading the committee’s inquiry. The Senate and FBI are also looking at possible links between the Trump campaign and Russian actors in connection with hacking of Democratic emails and other actions attacking the Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton.
There is a smell in the air. Open air and the sunlight of an unbiased investigation are needed. A good way to get to the bottom of it is to create an independent, bipartisan commission that has power to look thoroughly into what happened and whether members of Trump’s circle had a role.
Heck first supported that less-partisan approach in December. Another option is to bring in an independent prosecutor.
Nunes has claimed publicly — without sharing proof with other members of his committee — that he has information showing the communications of Trump’s transition team were picked up by U.S. surveillance of other parties.
That claim is unverified. Nunes refused to share either his source or the evidence even with his committee members. Also inviting suspicion is that Nunes canceled a hearing this week at which former deputy attorney general Sally Yates was expected to tell the committee about Trump’s former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who had resigned earlier this year after it became clear he had contacts with a Russian ambassador and lied to the vice president about it.
Whatever roadblocks Nunes might put up, the public deserves to know the unvarnished truth.
GET WELL, KIM WYMAN
Secretary of State Kim Wyman announced this week she has colon cancer and is undergoing treatment.
Wyman, 54, said her treatments are to include chemotherapy and radiation.
The second-term Republican said she intends to keep working during her treatment and recovery.
Wyman has been a good public servant — beginning with her years as Thurston County auditor in charge of elections. She has carried on a tradition of nonpartisanship at the state-level office.
We wish her a full recovery.
This story was originally published March 30, 2017 at 8:32 PM with the headline "Congress’ Russia probe losing credibility."