House Intelligence Committee ranking member Devin Nunes (R-CA) and his eight Republican colleagues on the committee skipped a meeting on Wednesday in protest of committee chair Adam Schiff (D-CA).
The GOP lawmakers sent Schiff a letter informing him that they would not attend a Strategic Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) subcommittee meeting scheduled for Wednesday morning, claiming that the committee as a whole “has strayed far from its mandate of overseeing the Intelligence Community” under his leadership.
The Republicans complained that Schiff had not adequately addressed the issues outlined in the Justice Department inspector general’s report on the FBI’s Russia-Trump campaign probe, particularly the agency’s process of obtaining a FISA to monitor Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. The FISA issue has been political catnip for President Donald Trump’s allies, who claim the probe was a “deep state” conspiracy against Trump.
“Until the Committee prioritizes oversight activities related to urgent and critical concerns, Republican Members cannot support distractions from our core responsibilities,” the House Intel Republicans wrote in their letter.
Schiff didn’t seem too shaken by the stunt.
“Republicans boycotted the oversight hearing protesting the lack of *checks notes* oversight hearings,” the Democrat tweeted after the meeting, noting that his committee had held many oversight sessions.
“We’ll keep doing our job,” he added.
Read the letter, obtained by CNN reporter Jeremy Herb, below:
House Intel Republicans are boycotting a public intel subcommittee hearing this morning, protesting the committee's focus on "publicity events."
It's the latest in a string of fights in the committee over Russia, Ukraine and impeachment. Here's the letter Nunes sent Schiff: pic.twitter.com/F9Su6XZRyI
— Jeremy Herb (@jeremyherb) February 12, 2020
