Congressman Devin Nunes was caught on a secret recording during a private fundraiser for Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers stating that he supports the impeachment of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and that he considers stealing an opponent’s emails a crime.
“Because somebody stole the emails, gave ‘em to Cathy, Cathy released ‘em. Well, if that’s the case, then that’s criminal.”
Nunes’ statement that stealing an opponents’ emails is a crime is in direct conflict with the Trump administration.
In regards to Rosenstein, Nunes said, “I’ve said publicly Rosenstein deserves to be impeached. I mean, so, I don’t think you’re gonna get any argument from most of our colleagues.”
According to Fox News, House Speaker Paul Ryan publicly opposed the conservative-led bid to impeach Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, saying their accusations don’t rise to the necessary level of “high crimes and misdemeanors.”
“I don’t think we should be cavalier with this process,” said Ryan.
Nunes also emphasized the importance of the Republicans’ holding on to Congress in November in order to protect President Trump.
“If Sessions won’t unrecuse and Mueller won’t clear the president, we’re the only ones…we have to keep all these seats,” he continued. “We have to keep the majority. If we do not keep the majority, all of this goes away.”
Nunes, who has been criticized for not being accessible to his own constituents, made himself available to the constituents of Washington State’s Congressional District 5 July 30 during a private fundraiser for Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers.
McMorris Rodgers, who represents a solid Republican district, endured a tough primary Tuesday night, barely squeaking out a first place finish by less than one point against her Democrat opponent.
Nunes was in McMorris Rodgers’ district last Monday night campaigning and fundraising for the embattled Republican.
The following are excerpts from a recording made by a member of the progressive group Fuse Washington. The member paid to attend the fundraiser and provided the audio to MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show.
Clip #1:
REP. NUNES (R-CA): “So therein lies, so it’s like your classic Catch-22 situation where we were at a – this puts us in such a tough spot. If Sessions won’t unrecuse and Mueller won’t clear the president, we’re the only ones. Which is really the danger. That’s why I keep, and thank you for saying it by the way, I mean we have to keep all these seats. We have to keep the majority. If we do not keep the majority, all of this goes away.”
Clip #2:
REP. NUNES (R-CA): “They know it’s ridiculous to go after the president for obstruction of justice. But if they tell a lie often enough and they put it out there and they say, ‘Oh, we’re looking at the tweets,’ cause you know you’ve got a mixed bag on the tweets, right? Like sometimes you love the president’s tweets, sometimes we cringe on the president’s tweets. But they’re trying to make a political, this is all political as to why that story ran in the New York Times on the tweets.”
Clip #3:
REP. NUNES (R-CA): “Now if somebody thinks that my campaign or Cathy’s campaign is colluding with the Chinese, or you name the country, hey, could happen, it would be a very bad thing if Cathy was getting secrets from the Portuguese, let’s say, just because I’m Portuguese, my family was. So Cathy was getting secret information from the Portuguese. You know, may or may not be unusual. But ultimately let’s say the Portuguese came and brought her some stolen emails. And she decided to release those. Okay, now we have a problem, right? Because somebody stole the emails, gave ‘em to Cathy, Cathy released ‘em. Well, if that’s the case, then that’s criminal.”
Clip #4:
AUDIENCE MEMBER: “But also, on things that came up in the House on Rosenstein impeachment thing. And it appears from an outsider that the Republicans were not supported.”
REP. NUNES (R-CA): “Yeah, well, so it’s a bit complicated, right? And I say that because you have to, so we only have so many months left, right? So if we actually vote to impeach, okay, what that does is that triggers the Senate then has to take it up. Well, and you have to decide what you want right now because the Senate only has so much time. Do you want them to drop everything and not confirm the Supreme Court justice, the new Supreme Court justice? So that’s part of why, I don’t think you have, you’re not getting from, and I’ve said publicly Rosenstein deserves to be impeached. I mean, so, I don’t think you’re gonna get any argument from most of our colleagues. The question is the timing of it right before the election.”
REP. MCMORRIS RODGERS (R-WA): “Also, the Senate has to start –”
REP. NUNES (R-CA): “The Senate would have to start, the Senate would have to drop everything they’re doing and start to, and start with impeachment on Rosenstein. And then take the risk of not getting Kavanaugh confirmed. So it’s not a matter that any of us like Rosenstein. It’s a matter of, it’s a matter of timing.”