Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe[W:266]

Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

By Tom LoBianco, Phil Mattingly and Eli Watkins
Tue March 28, 2017

Key House Democrats are calling on Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes to recuse himself from an investigation into alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, widening a stunning partisan split over the probe. "We've reached the point, after the events of this week, where it would be very difficult to maintain the credibility of the investigation if the chairman did not recuse himself from matters involving either the Trump campaign or the Trump transition team of which he was a member," Rep. Adam Schiff told CNN on Monday. "The questions are profound enough that I think we need to move past it, and ideally that would mean the chairman ought to recuse himself, not only from the investigation involving potential coordination or collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians, but also any oversight of minimization issues affecting the Trump transition since he was a member of that Trump transition team."

Nunes, however, told CNN Tuesday morning he was "moving forward" with the investigation. Rep. Joaquin Castro, in an interview Monday evening with CNN's Erin Burnett on "OutFront," echoed Schiff's call. "Actions taken by the chairman have compromised the investigation," Castro said. "Chairman Nunes at this point should recuse himself from this investigation." He said Nunes, who was a member of Trump's transition team, was too invested in Trump's political agenda, and acting in a partisan way. "I understand that for members of Congress, there is of course an inclination to help a President who's of your party," Castro said. "You simply can't do that. ... You have to be able to separate yourself from that."

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Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R/CA) should immediately recuse himself. Nunes has shattered even any pretense of investigative-independence with his secret White House meetings.

What is actually needed is for Congress to remove itself altogether from an investigative stature (far too much partisanship) and appoint a mutually acceptable non-partisan independent investigator with subpoena power and open hearings on the Hill. The American people deserve to know with certainty whether or not the Trump administration is compromised (kompromat) via Kremlin influence.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

Rogue Valley said:

Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe



Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R/CA) should immediately recuse himself. Nunes has shattered even any pretense of investigative-independence with his secret White House meetings.

What is actually needed is for Congress to remove itself altogether from an investigative stature (far too much partisanship) and appoint a mutually acceptable non-partisan independent investigator with subpoena power and open hearings on the Hill. The American people deserve to know with certainty whether or not the Trump administration is compromised (kompromat) via Kremlin influence.

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Nunes won't step aside. Paul Ryan, who used to be able to count me as being one of his biggest fans, is publicly supporting him. Because of this, the Congressional investigation is now seriously compromised, and it's going to be up to the Senate to pick up the pieces from here.

I am deeply concerned about Speaker Ryan's lack of ability to see that the optics of Nunes' actions are bad to anyone who looks at them. He has an obligation to the American people and he is not living up to his obligation.

I find what happened to be very concerning.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

Rogue Valley said:

Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe



Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R/CA) should immediately recuse himself. Nunes has shattered even any pretense of investigative-independence with his secret White House meetings.

What is actually needed is for Congress to remove itself altogether from an investigative stature (far too much partisanship) and appoint a mutually acceptable non-partisan independent investigator with subpoena power and open hearings on the Hill. The American people deserve to know with certainty whether or not the Trump administration is compromised (kompromat) via Kremlin influence.

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Good luck with that.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

Rogue Valley said:

Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe



Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R/CA) should immediately recuse himself. Nunes has shattered even any pretense of investigative-independence with his secret White House meetings.

What is actually needed is for Congress to remove itself altogether from an investigative stature (far too much partisanship) and appoint a mutually acceptable non-partisan independent investigator with subpoena power and open hearings on the Hill. The American people deserve to know with certainty whether or not the Trump administration is compromised (kompromat) via Kremlin influence.

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"Growing" meaning instant 100% support from all Democrats. I think the ultimate goal here for the Democrats is to push out anyone who might actually investigate Democrats.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

I don't know if Nunes has actually done anything wrong/illegal, but it certainly has not looked good. Whether he's done anything wrong or not, I honestly haven't followed the story close enough to know. But I do know it looks bad to be investigating the White House and then go to the White House for information, not share it with the rest of your committee and then hold multiple press conferences about the information you viewed at the White House. That looks bad.

Should he recuse himself? If there is truly nothing wrong with what the White House has done, then I don't see how it would hurt the Republican Party to ask him to step aside. If there is truly nothing to hide, it seems to me Republicans can put themselves forth as "honest" by having Nunes step aside and then show that no information suggests the White House did anything wrong/illegal. I suspect he won't step aside, but he certainly has hurt his credibility in this investigation.

jmotivator said:

"Growing" meaning instant 100% support from all Democrats. I think the ultimate goal here for the Democrats is to push out anyone who might actually investigate Democrats.

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Before last week, I don't believe there was anyone who supported Nunes recusing himself. So, yes, after his actions there is "growing" support. Is it primarily Democrats? Undoubtedly, but given the fairly head-scratching behavior of Nunes last week, similar actions this week would likely start seeing Republicans support it as well.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

Slyfox696 said:

I don't know if Nunes has actually done anything wrong/illegal, but it certainly has not looked good. Whether he's done anything wrong or not, I honestly haven't followed the story close enough to know. But I do know it looks bad to be investigating the White House and then go to the White House for information, not share it with the rest of your committee and then hold multiple press conferences about the information you viewed at the White House. That looks bad.

Should he recuse himself? If there is truly nothing wrong with what the White House has done, then I don't see how it would hurt the Republican Party to ask him to step aside. If there is truly nothing to hide, it seems to me Republicans can put themselves forth as "honest" by having Nunes step aside and then show that no information suggests the White House did anything wrong/illegal. I suspect he won't step aside, but he certainly has hurt his credibility in this investigation.
Before last week, I don't believe there was anyone who supported Nunes recusing himself. So, yes, after his actions there is "growing" support. Is it primarily Democrats? Undoubtedly, but given the fairly head-scratching behavior of Nunes last week, similar actions this week would likely start seeing Republicans support it as well.

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You said my post better than I did. It's all about the optics here. I doubt Nunes did anything illegal and possibly didn't even do anything immoral. But what he did was optically awful and the fact that Paul Ryan either doesn't see it or doesn't agree with that to me is more concerning than anything Devin Nunes actually did.

It isn't just Democrats who are calling for him to recuse himself. I've been a Republican since I registered to vote for the first time in June of 1980. I'm a huge fan of Paul Ryan's and have floated his name for years as someone who I would love to see as the GOP candidate for POTUS. But if he does not ask Nunes to step aside from this particular investigation, I will never support Paul Ryan again. He is a smart man and has to know that Nunes' actions, pretty inexplicable as they are, require Ryan to take an action here that may not be what the Republicans want, but is in reality the best thing for the investigation and really, for the future of the party.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

Rogue Valley said:

Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe



Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R/CA) should immediately recuse himself. Nunes has shattered even any pretense of investigative-independence with his secret White House meetings.

What is actually needed is for Congress to remove itself altogether from an investigative stature (far too much partisanship) and appoint a mutually acceptable non-partisan independent investigator with subpoena power and open hearings on the Hill. The American people deserve to know with certainty whether or not the Trump administration is compromised (kompromat) via Kremlin influence.

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I'm still awaiting the solid evidence that the Russia's actually hacked the DNC.
Given that last week, we've got an under reported story about Crowdstrikes data "investigation" about another issue being wrong.

Not to mention the fact that the FBI has failed in their due diligence to investigate the DNC hack in the first place.
I don't know if the FBI is incompetent, covering or doing something else, but there are still too many questions about that to continue with this.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

tres borrachos said:

Nunes won't step aside. Paul Ryan, who used to be able to count me as being one of his biggest fans, is publicly supporting him. Because of this, the Congressional investigation is now seriously compromised, and it's going to be up to the Senate to pick up the pieces from here.

I am deeply concerned about Speaker Ryan's lack of ability to see that the optics of Nunes' actions are bad to anyone who looks at them. He has an obligation to the American people and he is not living up to his obligation.

I find what happened to be very concerning.

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I don't see how or why he should, given what we currently know. Now, if we find out that he's actually done something, like Congressman Cummings did with the IRS and their targeting of conservative groups (no Dems called for Cummings to withdraw as ranking member of the IRS scandal hearings), then we'll have a completely different scenario, and I will change my mind.

Now, as I've said before, Nunes didn't follow procedure and for that he has apologized, and he's been castigated by the press and others, as he should have. However, procedural screw-ups do not equate a conspiracy to cover-up wrongdoing by the administration, or is it an actual nefarious action by Nunes that would require his removal or recusal.

A lot of this pan banging is being done to say "Don't look at the felonies committed by the previous administration in revealing classified information and violating citizens 4th Amendment rights. Look over hear -- Russia, Russia, Russia."

That said, there's a lot about ties to Russia by people in or previously in the Trump team that makes me sick to my stomach. If it can be proven that Trump coordinated with, or instructed others to coordinate with, or even knew that people were coordinating with Russia to hack the DNC and Hillary's campaign staff, then as I've said on here before, he should be impeached, convicted in the senate, removed from office, and then taken before a Grand Jury for indictment, be charged with federal crimes, tried in federal court, and if convicted... jailed like any other traitor, or better yet, hauled out to the point at the fork of the Anacostia River and the Potomac River at Fort McNair in Washington D.C. and shot by firing squad where Lincoln's assassination conspirators were hung.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

Harry Guerrilla said:

I'm still awaiting the solid evidence that the Russia's actually hacked the DNC.


Given that last week, we've got an under reported story about Crowdstrikes data "investigation" about another issue being wrong.

Not to mention the fact that the FBI has failed in their due diligence to investigate the DNC hack in the first place.
I don't know if the FBI is incompetent, covering or doing something else, but there are still too many questions about that to continue with this.

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There is no physical evidence about who hacked the DNC.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

Mac77 said:

There is no physical evidence about who hacked the DNC.

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There is evidence, but what is publicly available is flimsy at best.
Just to put it into perspective, I with my medium CPU/IT skills (not a professional in any way, just a hobbyist) could fabricate the same information in about 30mins to an hour.
Using nothing but commonly available PC applications.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

Beaudreaux said:

I don't see how or why he should, given what we currently know. Now, if we find out that he's actually done something, like Congressman Cummings did with the IRS and their targeting of conservative groups (no Dems called for Cummings to withdraw as ranking member of the IRS scandal hearings), then we'll have a completely different scenario, and I will change my mind.

Now, as I've said before, Nunes didn't follow procedure and for that he has apologized, and he's been castigated by the press and others, as he should have. However, procedural screw-ups do not equate a conspiracy to cover-up wrongdoing by the administration, or is it an actual nefarious action by Nunes that would require his removal or recusal.

A lot of this pan banging is being done to say "Don't look at the felonies committed by the previous administration in revealing classified information and violating citizens 4th Amendment rights. Look over hear -- Russia, Russia, Russia."

That said, there's a lot about ties to Russia by people in or previously in the Trump team that makes me sick to my stomach. If it can be proven that Trump coordinated with, or instructed others to coordinate with, or even knew that people were coordinating with Russia to hack the DNC and Hillary's campaign staff, then as I've said on here before, he should be impeached, convicted in the senate, removed from office, and then taken before a Grand Jury for indictment, be charged with federal crimes, tried in federal court, and if convicted... jailed like any other traitor, or better yet, hauled out to the point at the fork of the Anacostia River and the Potomac River at Fort McNair in Washington D.C. and shot by firing squad where Lincoln's assassination conspirators were hung.

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You know, Beau, I've posted in harmony with you for the better part of 4 1/2 years. How my post about my disappointment in Speaker Ryan's apparent lack of concern over the optics of this situation deserved this hyperbolic and completely off-topic post about Congressman Cummings, the IRS, ties to Russia, and shooting people by firing squad in the same location where the Lincoln assassination conspirators were hung is beyond me.

I never mentioned a conspiracy. I never said one thing about "ties to Russia". I never said anything about the hacking of the DNC emails. I never said anything about the IRS. If you would like to post about those topics, I'm sure you can start a new thread about them. I am posting about what has come out about the behavior and curious actions of Chairman Nunes and added in my own concern about his boss' actions. I have no idea why you quoted me to go down this path and I have no interest in pursuing this off topic discussion with you.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

tres borrachos said:

You know, Beau, I've posted in harmony with you for the better part of 4 1/2 years. How my post about my disappointment in Speaker Ryan's apparent lack of concern over the optics of this situation deserved this hyperbolic and completely off-topic post about Congressman Cummings, the IRS, ties to Russia, and shooting people by firing squad in the same location where the Lincoln assassination conspirators were hung is beyond me.

I never mentioned a conspiracy. I never said one thing about "ties to Russia". I never said anything about the hacking of the DNC emails. I never said anything about the IRS. If you would like to post about those topics, I'm sure you can start a new thread about them. I am posting about what has come out about the behavior and curious actions of Chairman Nunes and added in my own concern about his boss' actions. I have no idea why you quoted me to go down this path and I have no interest in pursuing this off topic discussion with you.

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I was talking to you, not about you. I was trying to discuss the underlying topic of all this hyperbole. How you thought otherwise is beyond me as well. Sorry about that. I'll try not to make that obviously shameful mistake again.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

Slyfox696 said:

I don't know if Nunes has actually done anything wrong/illegal, but it certainly has not looked good. Whether he's done anything wrong or not, I honestly haven't followed the story close enough to know. But I do know it looks bad to be investigating the White House and then go to the White House for information, not share it with the rest of your committee and then hold multiple press conferences about the information you viewed at the White House. That looks bad.

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Bad? How?

Maybe folks should reserve their opinions until they are informed as to why things were done the way they were.

Here is some of that info that should have been waited on.

The following is a similar interview.

Slyfox696 said:

Should he recuse himself? If there is truly nothing wrong with what the White House has done, then I don't see how it would hurt the Republican Party to ask him to step aside. If there is truly nothing to hide, it seems to me Republicans can put themselves forth as "honest" by having Nunes step aside and then show that no information suggests the White House did anything wrong/illegal. I suspect he won't step aside, but he certainly has hurt his credibility in this investigation.
Before last week, I don't believe there was anyone who supported Nunes recusing himself. So, yes, after his actions there is "growing" support. Is it primarily Democrats? Undoubtedly, but given the fairly head-scratching behavior of Nunes last week, similar actions this week would likely start seeing Republicans support it as well.

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There does not appear to be any reason for him to recuse himself or for the White House to ask hi9m to step aside.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

Beaudreaux said:

I was talking to you, not about you. I was trying to discuss the underlying topic of all this hyperbole. How you thought otherwise is beyond me as well. Sorry about that. I'll try not to make that obviously shameful mistake again.

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You responded to my post, went way off topic with that hysteria, and you wonder why I didn't assume your off topic rant was directed at everyone else who also didn't post about those things in this thread. "Shameful" mistake? I can see you're filled with hysteria and hyperbole today. I wish you a good day.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

jmotivator said:

"Growing" meaning instant 100% support from all Democrats. I think the ultimate goal here for the Democrats is to push out anyone who might actually investigate Democrats.

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You mean ex-democrats as Trump, because there is no democrat that is under investigation by that committee at this time.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

Beaudreaux said:

A lot of this pan banging is being done to say "Don't look at the felonies committed by the previous administration in revealing classified information and violating citizens 4th Amendment rights. Look over hear -- Russia, Russia, Russia."

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That is a BS deflection. The previous administration is not the target of this investigation. If they have something to investigate let them and nail their asses to the wall, but that has zero to do with this one.

If it can be proven that Trump

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No such thing will ever come to pass. Some other poor bastard will fall on a sword. It is just the way things are done.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

Rogue Valley said:

Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe



Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R/CA) should immediately recuse himself. Nunes has shattered even any pretense of investigative-independence with his secret White House meetings.

What is actually needed is for Congress to remove itself altogether from an investigative stature (far too much partisanship) and appoint a mutually acceptable non-partisan independent investigator with subpoena power and open hearings on the Hill. The American people deserve to know with certainty whether or not the Trump administration is compromised (kompromat) via Kremlin influence.

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I think they should ignore the democrats because they are just noise at this point. They call for resignations every five minutes, but never, ever resign when they should. We also need to know if there is a single shred of evidence that Trump colluded with the Russians. If there isn't, let's drop the whole thing.

It's time to investigate the bigger scandal. What was going on prior to Trump taking office? Why were they being spied on? Was it legal? Who gave the orders to illegally transcribe and unmask these individuals and for what purpose? Was the intelligence community used as a political weapon, as in a police state?

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

In spite of Nunes having the support of Team Trump, Paul Ryan and the House GOP Leadership, the House Investigation Committee has too much baggage to continue this investigation. Enough GOP Senators hear the grumblings. I expect the Senate to take over the investigation.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

prometeus said:

You mean ex-democrats as Trump, because there is no democrat that is under investigation by that committee at this time.

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And they want to keep it that way.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

jmotivator said:

"Growing" meaning instant 100% support from all Democrats. I think the ultimate goal here for the Democrats is to push out anyone who might actually investigate Democrats.

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Can you explain his behavior last week and defend it as appropriate in his role as head of the investigation? Seems like going to WH for secret briefing, the briefing the potential target (Trump) or his associates in a private meeting, this person who Nunes served during the campaign and transition, and refusing to share that info with ANYONE, is just on its face disqualifying.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

JasperL said:

Can you explain his behavior last week and defend it as appropriate in his role as head of the investigation? Seems like going to WH for secret briefing, the briefing the potential target (Trump) or his associates in a private meeting, this person who Nunes served during the campaign and transition, and refusing to share that info with ANYONE, is just on its face disqualifying.

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Wow.
Even though the information was provided, you still appear to be ignorant of it. Watch the provided video.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

Devin Nunes is making it very hard for Republicans to claim they can run an impartial investigation on Russia

Sean Spicer doesn't know how Devin Nunes got on White House grounds

Nunes couldn't have entered the White House grounds and used a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) without the express permission of a White House insider. The same permissions procedure applies to whoever Nunes met with in the SCIF. In addirion, someone in the Trump White House had to provide Nunes with SCIF computer log-on credentials.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

JasperL said:

Can you explain his behavior last week and defend it as appropriate in his role as head of the investigation? Seems like going to WH for secret briefing, the briefing the potential target (Trump) or his associates in a private meeting, this person who Nunes served during the campaign and transition, and refusing to share that info with ANYONE, is just on its face disqualifying.

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Because the House "investigation" is about Russia/Trump collusion.
What Nunes was shown isn't.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

Rogue Valley said:

Devin Nunes is making it very hard for Republicans to claim they can run an impartial investigation on Russia

Sean Spicer doesn't know how Devin Nunes got on White House grounds

Nunes couldn't have entered the White House grounds and used a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) without the express permission of a White House insider. The same permissions procedure applies to whoever Nunes met with in the SCIF. In addirion, someone in the Trump White House had to provide Nunes with SCIF computer log-on credentials.

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Make that Executive branch insider ... Intel orgs are in the Executive branch.

Re: Calls grow for Nunes to step aside in Russia probe

Beaudreaux said:

I don't see how or why he should, given what we currently know. Now, if we find out that he's actually done something, like Congressman Cummings did with the IRS and their targeting of conservative groups (no Dems called for Cummings to withdraw as ranking member of the IRS scandal hearings), then we'll have a completely different scenario, and I will change my mind.

Now, as I've said before, Nunes didn't follow procedure and for that he has apologized, and he's been castigated by the press and others, as he should have. However, procedural screw-ups do not equate a conspiracy to cover-up wrongdoing by the administration, or is it an actual nefarious action by Nunes that would require his removal or recusal.

A lot of this pan banging is being done to say "Don't look at the felonies committed by the previous administration in revealing classified information and violating citizens 4th Amendment rights. Look over hear -- Russia, Russia, Russia."

That said, there's a lot about ties to Russia by people in or previously in the Trump team that makes me sick to my stomach. If it can be proven that Trump coordinated with, or instructed others to coordinate with, or even knew that people were coordinating with Russia to hack the DNC and Hillary's campaign staff, then as I've said on here before, he should be impeached, convicted in the senate, removed from office, and then taken before a Grand Jury for indictment, be charged with federal crimes, tried in federal court, and if convicted... jailed like any other traitor, or better yet, hauled out to the point at the fork of the Anacostia River and the Potomac River at Fort McNair in Washington D.C. and shot by firing squad where Lincoln's assassination conspirators were hung.

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It is a VERY generous description of what he did to say he merely didn't follow "procedure." He went running to one target of the investigation to share information he will not even brief the House committee about, then holds a press conference that was obviously intended to give Trump cover. That's what we'd expect from a Trump surrogate not the head of a legitimate investigation, so who does he work for? The House or Trump?

Would you describe Schiff meeting in private with Obama and key members of his administration and sharing with them highly classified information before briefing Nunes as merely "procedural" problems? Give me a break - no one could do that. So why pretend with Trump?

And not even Nunes is alleging felonies by the Obama administration, so which felonies are you talking about? After his disastrous press conference he makes a point to say the intercepts all appeared legal. And to assume they were felonies assumes that there was no actual reason to investigate Trump or members of his campaign but we don't know that yet either. The bottom line is a thorough investigation of the ties and whether they exist or not will tell us whether the Obama administration committed felonies, because that investigation will rely heavily on information collected under Obama.