Dem lawmaker tells MSNBC that White House 'lit up' Nunes after Comey revealed Trump under investigation

A Connecticut Democrat blamed the White House for corrupting Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee charged with investigating election interference by Russia.

Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) appeared Friday on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," where he discussed the memos written by former FBI director and released by the Department of Justice under pressure by House Republicans loyal to President Donald Trump.

"I want to ask you a question that I think is on a lot of people's minds in Washington," said Josh Earnest, the former White House press secretary, "which is simply, what's the deal with Devin Nunes?"

The former Obama administration official blamed Nunes for violating established norms on the committee and allowed its legislative duties to be corrupted by partisan politics.

"The question is, is he aware of those norms?" Earnest said. "Is he overly pliable? Is he eager to please Donald Trump? What is the deal with that guy?"

Himes echoed comments by a former Democratic staffer on the House committee, who said Nunes had been pressured by the White House to slow the investigation into Trump campaign ties to Russia.

"I think this is what happens, and this is a little speculative on my part," Himes said. "But we have that open hearing, I think it's March of last year, where Jim Comey says there actually is an investigation. This is the president's worst nightmare. The president, of course, is close to Devin Nunes."

"Speculative on my part, but my guess is the White House after Comey announced the investigation, lit him up like you wouldn't believe," he added. "Devin spent a lot of time and energy since then trying to make it up and defend the president. Of course, that's sad, because that's not the job of the investigative committee."