Aided by convoluted logic, Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) decided that somehow President was right that the story about a Russian bounty on American soldiers’ heads can’t be true because there is an “ONGOING” investigation, he tweeted in all caps.

It’s as if Banks and the GOP are trying to have it both ways. President Donald Trump called the intelligence false and claimed that he wasn’t briefed on the situation because “Intel” didn’t find it “credible.”

However, it was credible enough for the White House and intelligence community to host a briefing for House Republicans on Monday after the reports came out. According to Banks, there’s an “ONGOING” investigation into the bounty, but if the story wasn’t “credible” then why is there a need for an ongoing investigation?

An ongoing investigation by whom? Into whom? If this is true, why has the WH claimed the whole thing is a "hoax"? Also why would this only be shared with Republicans, and not Democrats??

Your attempt to cover for Trump covering for Putin is blowing up in your face https://t.co/SsvoNBFxYv

— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) June 29, 2020

The confusing take wasn’t lost on experts in international policy and who have long monitored or researched Russian aggression against the United States.

University of Texas Law Professor Stephen Vladeck similarly asked the congressman how there could be an investigation if the White House said that the story was fake.

Congressman, if there’s been a secret, months-long investigation into the bounties, why did the White House spend all weekend denying any knowledge of the whole episode?

This new story affirmatively contradicts—and makes even less sense than—the prior (“no one told us”) version. https://t.co/DZ4YhFgfK2

— Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) June 29, 2020

Susan Hennessey, a former attorney in the Office of General Counsel of the National Security Agency similarly asked the congressman how there could be an ongoing investigation into Russian aggression and that Trump was continuing to be tough on Russia, when he just asked Russia to rejoin the G7. She also wondered why Trump and Vice President Mike Pence wouldn’t have been briefed if there was an ongoing investigation.

Banks claims that this was an ongoing investigation which the NYTimes reporting compromised. He suggests that Trump, once the investigation was finished, would continue a "tough on Russia" policy.

Why then, in early June, was Trump suggesting that he'd invite Russia to the G7? https://t.co/Ne08pcK5aC

— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) June 29, 2020

If the administration was looking into extraordinarily serious allegations of Russians putting a bounty on US troops, why wouldn't that have been briefed to the President and Vice President?

— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) June 29, 2020

Former FBI agent Asha Rangappa said that she anticipates instead of the White House focusing on the attacks against American soldiers, Attorney General Bill Barr will launch an investigation into whoever leaked the intelligence to the New York Times.

This is NOT how it works. Intelligence is rarely “verified,” and this is just another canard to protect Trump.

E.g., some assessed the intel placing Bin Ladin in Abbottabad was about a 50-50 proposition. Trump’s predecessor, nevertheless, engaged deeply with it, as I recall. https://t.co/hitWiz7GEB

— Ned Price (@nedprice) June 29, 2020

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