Several key GOP lawmakers criticized one of their own Wednesday after the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, led by Republican North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr, issued a subpoena for Donald Trump Jr. to appear.
The subpoena, reportedly the first for one of the president’s children, was issued as a part of the Senate’s ongoing Russia investigation, and is expected to involve questions regarding Trump Jr.’s prior Senate testimony.
Republican California Rep. Devin Nunes, ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, attributed the move to the fact that the Senate’s rules and division of power requires more bipartisan cooperation than the House, where “whoever has the gavel has all the power.”
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“I’m assuming that they believe they can — if you can believe this, they are going to take Cohen’s word. Cohen, who’s in jail, they are going to take his word,” Nunes told Fox News host Tucker Carlson. “I think they want to bring Don Jr. in, from what I can tell, to see if he will keep the same story or admit to whether or not he talked to his father, blah, blah, blah, about the Trump Tower meeting.”
Nunes expressed his frustration that “nobody seems to be getting to the bottom of Fusion GPS’s involvement in the Trump Tower meeting.”
The California congressman was far from alone, as several other lawmakers weighed in as well via Twitter.
“Apparently the Republican chair of the Senate Intel Committee didn’t get the memo from the Majority Leader that this case was closed,” wrote Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, including a link to the original Axios report and referring to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s Tuesday declaration.
Apparently the Republican chair of the Senate Intel Committee didn’t get the memo from the Majority Leader that this case was closed… https://t.co/jvV5PIX266
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) May 8, 2019
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy wrote, “It’s time to move on. It’s time to focus on ISSUES, not investigations.” (RELATED: Donald Trump Jr. Blasts ‘Stupid Logic’ After MSNBC’s Chris Hayes Accuses President Trump Of Endangering Omar’s Life)
.@DonaldJTrumpJr has already spent dozens of hours testifying in front of Congressional committees. Endless investigations—by either party—won’t change the fact that there was NO collusion. It’s time to move on. It’s time to focus on ISSUES, not investigations. https://t.co/fbFH5uMLUz
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) May 8, 2019
Republican New York Rep. Lee Zeldin retweeted McCarthy and called the move “weak & ridiculous.”
Weak & ridiculous for Senate to perpetuate the Russia Collusion Delusion by continuing to harass @DonaldJTrumpJr. They should NOT be taking orders from unhinged resistance Dems. Let’s work together to help POTUS move US forward. https://t.co/wSaHkEpqep
— Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin) May 9, 2019