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Devin Nunes Could Be Facing an Ethics Probe for Spilling Secrets
Daily Beast ^ | 03/29/2017 | Tim Mak

Posted on 03/29/2017 11:11:17 AM PDT by 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.

(Excerpt) Read more at thedailybeast.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 115th; congress; devinnunes; ethicsprobe; nunespresser; trumpwiretaps
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1 posted on 03/29/2017 11:11:17 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

So Nunes authorized it. Period...


2 posted on 03/29/2017 11:12:33 AM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: SeekAndFind

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.


3 posted on 03/29/2017 11:14:43 AM PDT by nikos1121 (Rudy Guiuliani for Head of FBI)
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To: Sacajaweau

Trump can authorize it, too.


4 posted on 03/29/2017 11:14:47 AM PDT by Alberta's Child (President Donald J. Trump ... Making America Great Again, 140 Characters at a Time)
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To: SeekAndFind

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


5 posted on 03/29/2017 11:15:31 AM PDT by txrefugee
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To: SeekAndFind

6 posted on 03/29/2017 11:15:41 AM PDT by Slyfox (Where's Reagan when we need him? Look in the mirror - the spirit of The Gipper lives within you.)
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To: SeekAndFind
♦ 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
7 posted on 03/29/2017 11:15:44 AM PDT by HarleyLady27 ('THE FORCE AWAKENS!!!' Trump/Pence: MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!)
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To: All

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.


8 posted on 03/29/2017 11:17:11 AM PDT by gibsonguy
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To: SeekAndFind

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


9 posted on 03/29/2017 11:19:00 AM PDT by Mr. K (***THERE IS NO CONSEQUENCE OF OBAMACARE REPEAL THAT IS WORSE THAN KEEPING IT ONE MORE DAY***)
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To: SeekAndFind

Another nothingburger.


10 posted on 03/29/2017 11:19:09 AM PDT by mass55th (Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway...John Wayne)
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To: SeekAndFind

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.


11 posted on 03/29/2017 11:23:12 AM PDT by FenwickBabbitt
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To: SeekAndFind

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


12 posted on 03/29/2017 11:24:32 AM PDT by Tallguy
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To: SeekAndFind

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...?


13 posted on 03/29/2017 11:25:13 AM PDT by ManHunter (You can run, but you'll only die tired... Army snipers: Reach out and touch someone)
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To: SeekAndFind

14 posted on 03/29/2017 11:25:36 AM PDT by Vince Ferrer
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To: SeekAndFind

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.


15 posted on 03/29/2017 11:25:47 AM PDT by Meet the New Boss
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To: SeekAndFind

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


16 posted on 03/29/2017 11:25:59 AM PDT by cld51860 (Volo pro veritas)
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To: SeekAndFind

Sheesh.

This stuff is getting tiresome.

5.56mm


17 posted on 03/29/2017 11:25:59 AM PDT by M Kehoe
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To: M Kehoe
5.56mm

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

18 posted on 03/29/2017 11:29:38 AM PDT by Lazamataz (The "news" networks and papers are bitter, dangerous enemies of the American people.)
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To: Slyfox

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...


19 posted on 03/29/2017 11:31:02 AM PDT by JudgemAll (Democrats Fed. job-security Whorocracy & hate:hypocrites must be gay like us or be tested/crucified)
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To: SeekAndFind

Ir not


20 posted on 03/29/2017 11:33:25 AM PDT by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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