President George W. Bush's ethics chief warned of the danger facing the United States as Russia persists in its efforts to destabilize the country.
The House Intelligence Committee re-opened the investigation into President Donald Trump after the previous chair Devin Nunes (R-CA) prematurely pulled out. i
"This is very dangerous for the United States of America," Painter explained. "Unlike Watergate, this involves a foreign power that has apparently infiltrated our government through influencing an election. Then we have the financial relationships with the Trump Organization and perhaps members of Congress. Russia may very well have information on members of Congress that allows Russia to blackmail them."
He went on to call it a "dangerous" situation for the country that always needed to be fully investigated, despite Nunes' resistance.
"Finally, the House Intelligence Committee is going to be doing something," he continued. "They've been sitting on their hands for two years harassing the FBI.
Painter mocked Trump for claiming "presidential harassment," saying the only person doing the harassing is Trump.
"He's been going after the press and immigrants and religious minorities, his own cabinet members, members of Congress," Painter said. "He's flailing around here, but it's quite obvious he's in serious trouble. I don't know if he's a Russian mole or not, but he's certainly acting like it."
While the president is in attack mode, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) even admitted that it seems like Trump is on the take, the Los Angeles Times reported. While he didn't comment about Nunes, McCarthy said former Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) is likely being influenced as well.
“There’s two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump,” McCarthy said last summer. Then-Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) quickly cut the conversion short and refused to allow anyone to speak of it. McCarthy is now the head of the House Republican caucus.
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