Joy Reid: Nunes and House Republicans' only goal is to shield Donald Trump from the rule of law

Joy Reid appeared on Friday's edition of "Deadline: White House" and said Republicans and Fox News conspiracy theorists who are attacking special counsel Robert Mueller have only one goal, exonerating President Donald Trump, which they will pursue "by any means necessary."

Reid zeroed in on Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) and other House Republicans who have been running a parallel "investigation" of the Steele Dossier using documents provided to them by the federal investigation into possible collusion with Russia by Trump's 2016 electoral campaign.

Host Nicolle Wallace expressed her disgust that House Republicans would go rogue against a committee they already control and are "trying to throw their shiny balls in the air" to distract from legitimate investigations.

"This is the committee to protect the president," Reid said. "I think what you have is Devin Nunes -- who is not recused, who was a part of the campaign and the transition, which is why he ostensibly recused himself -- running a shadow intelligence committee whose goal, let's be honest about it and clear about it, is to exonerate Donald Trump at all costs and by any means necessary."

Watch the video, embedded below: