Devin Nunes Could Be Facing an Ethics Probe for Spilling Secrets

Daily Beast ^ | 03/29/2017 | Tim Mak

[SeekAndFind]

House rules compel Congress to ‘investigate any unauthorized disclosure of intelligence.’ That’s what the intel chair seems to have done when he talked about Team Trump and foreign surveillance.

The controversy surrounding House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes may just be getting started. Nunes could soon be staring down the barrel of a House Ethics Committee investigation, lawyers familiar with the House’s rules tell The Daily Beast.

A few Republicans have already joined Democrats in calling for Nunes to either recuse himself from his committee’s probe into Russian influence—or to step down as chairman.

To add to this pressure, it appears that the chairman may have opened himself up to an ethics investigation by apparently disclosing the existence of a foreign surveillance warrant during a press conference last Tuesday.

Nunes’s problem lies in the arcane rules of the House of Representatives. Buried in the rules regarding the House Intelligence Committee is a section that triggers a mandatory investigation into an allegation of spilling classified information.

“The Committee on Ethics shall investigate any unauthorized disclosure of intelligence or intelligence-related information,” reads the rule. The key to this rule is the phrase, “shall investigate”—a command, rather than a mere suggestion.

“The plain wording of the rule is that the ethics committee is required to conduct such an investigation,” said Brett Kappel, an attorney that specializes in political law.

The trigger could be as simple as a complaint from a single member of the House of Representatives.

“If another member of Congress were to raise a written complaint about the actions of chairman Nunes, specifically his decision to disclose to the public information that is classified… the ethics committee would be required to conduct an inquiry,” explained Bradley Moss, a lawyer that specializes classification issues.

[Sacajaweau]

So Nunes authorized it. Period...

[nikos1121]

Let me see if I understand this.

It’s permissible to leak classified info to the press, but it’s not permissible for one person with full clearance to speak to another person who has full clearance.

I really get nothing from listening or reading the media since November 8. There is really no news service worth listening to.

[Alberta's Child]

Trump can authorize it, too.

[txrefugee]

No, Nunes should not be investigated. Obama should be investigated. This is Democrat media BS to cover up his breaking of the law.

[Slyfox]

[HarleyLady27]

♦ The balance or civilian (representative) oversight into the compartmented intelligence falls to a very select group known as the Intelligence Gang of Eight. Four Democrats and Four Republicans (four minority party and four majority party political leaders) for a total of eight. Four from the House and Four from the Senate. –Understand the Gang of Eight Here– The Gang-of-Eight can, if they choose, interact with the intelligence product with the same level of security clearance as the compartment being reviewed. Only these eight members can interact with the intelligence product in this way. This ensures their ability to conduct oversight. Here’s the current 2017 Intelligence Oversight Gang of Eight: Ryan; Schumer; Pelosi; McConnell; Nunes; Schiff; Burr; Feinstein

[gibsonguy]

What about that Rat hack that went on MSNBC and declared Trump colluded based on more than “circumstantial evidence”? Ryan should be demanding for him to resign.

[Mr. K]

OHFERCHRISSAKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mass55th]

Another nothingburger.

[FenwickBabbitt]

No one can be allowed to expose Democrat illegality or the Washington and media elites will do all they can to destroy him. That’s all that’s happening now.

[Tallguy]

Nunes hasn’t given ‘specifics’ of named a source. Just smoke.

[ManHunter]

Yet another distraction from the Left. Just how does one “disclose” intelligence to the Intelligence Community...?

So a supposed violation of “House Rules” is somehow more serious than illegal surveillance and dissemination/leaking of “intelligence” of an opposing presidential candidate...?

[Vince Ferrer]

[Meet the New Boss]

Nunes didn’t disclose any intelligence.

He disclosed that a whistleblower showed him intelligence info indicating federal laws may have been broken with respect to intelligence on Trump and his team.

Nunes did the proper thing in bringing it to the attention of the President, who is charged with enforcing violations of federal law.

If Democrat or GOPe politicians are trying to prevent or obstruct Nunes from informing about, or the Trump administration from investigating, these apparent violations of federal law, then I hope Attorney General Sessions initiates an investigation into whether the Dems and GOPe are obstructing justice or participating in a conspiracy to obstruct justice.

If any members of the House Intelligence Committee try to punish or retaliate against Nunes for informing the President of apparent violations of federal law with respect to this intelligence monitoring of Team Trump, that could serve as the basis of charges of obstructing justice or conspiracy to obstruct.

[cld51860]

But they have no problem with the disclosure of say, Michael Flynn’s name, etc. These people are quite insane.

[M Kehoe]

Sheesh.

This stuff is getting tiresome.

5.56mm

[Lazamataz]

5.56mm

Gettin to be to the point that this is the only answer.

[JudgemAll]

According to Comey Hillary is a female lamb who can expose
all secrets on her smart phone but if it gets to wikipedia it is the Russians’ fault at the behest of Trump...

[Nifster]

Ir not