And here we go – the House Intelligence Committee ends its probe, saying there’s no evidence of collusion between Trump and his BFF Putin.
The House Intelligence Committee is shutting down its contentious investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, the top Republican leading the probe announced on Monday.
The committee will interview no more witnesses and Republicans are in the process of preparing their final report, Rep. Mike Conaway (R-Texas) told reporters. A draft of that roughly 150-page report will be delivered to committee Democrats for review on Tuesday.
The draft document asserts that there is no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians, the most politically charged question examined by the committee.
It will also contradict an official U.S. intelligence community assessment that Russian President Vladimir Putin showed a “preference” for candidate Donald Trump during the election — another assertion that has been disputed by the president.
“We found no evidence of collusion,” Conaway said Monday. “We found perhaps some bad judgment, inappropriate meetings, inappropriate judgment in taking meetings — but only Tom Clancy could take this series of inadvertent contacts, meetings, whatever, and weave that into some sort of a spy thriller that could go out there.”
Further, he said, “We couldn’t establish the same conclusion that the CIA did that they specifically wanted to help Trump.”
Wow. That’s pretty remarkable. I’m sure the Dems on the committee will be freaking out soon enough.
UPDATE: My prediction was right.
House Intelligence Committee will announce they are done with Russia investigation interviews; Democrats say there are still scores of witnesses the committee should call https://t.co/ZN5WBrLhQO pic.twitter.com/dm1iOp8497
— The Situation Room (@CNNSitRoom) March 12, 2018
And…
BREAKING: Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee will conclude no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia; Democrats are expected to write their own report https://t.co/aZLygotSdP pic.twitter.com/BL5cwABbUI
— The Situation Room (@CNNSitRoom) March 12, 2018
UPDATE (TRS):
CNN reporter got a statement from Senator Burr, who seems to at the very least concur with the spirit of the House Intel conclusion…
MORE: Burr just told me he’s seen “NO” evidence of collusion yet and no evidence yet to substantiate 2017 IC assessment that Putin sought to aid Trump. Asked about efforts by Russians to coordinate w Trump camp, he said: “It’s collusion on part of the Russians not the Trump camp”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) March 12, 2018