As the Senate Judiciary Committee waits for FBI Director James Comey to confirm whether or not there is a criminal investigation into the Trump campaign's ties to Russia, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., said Wednesday, that no evidence has been presented to his committee supporting Donald Trump's assertion that former President Barack Obama wiretapped Trump Tower during the 2016 presidential election.
"I don't think there was an actual tap of Trump Tower," Nunes told reporters.
The California representative reiterated his committee's request that the Justice Department provide any related information by its March 20 meeting, where Comey is among those who will take the stand to testify about Russia's alleged meddling in the election and potential ties to those in the president's orbit. Trump's early morning Twitter blast March 4, accusing his predecessor of wiretapping him, and the subsequent Intelligence committee request for supporting evidence, sent Justice scrambling.
Nunes and his fellow lawmakers originally gave the Justice Department until March 13 to produce any evidence it might have, but at the 11th hour the agency asked for an extension.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has faced similar delays as entreaties for Comey to confirm or deny a criminal investigation have gone unanswered, prompting Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., to threaten to subpoena to the FBI and delay confirmation of the White House's deputy attorney general pick, Ron J. Rosenstein, unless Comey complies with a written request he and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., sent last week, Reuters reported. The FBI director is expected to offer that information by a Wednesday afternoon committee meeting, Whitehouse told CNN. Graham sounded less convinced, telling a CNN reporter that he had “no idea” if Comey would provide an answer when he meets with the committee later today.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the Tuesday at a press briefing that Trump believes his allegations will be vindicated by the results of the Congressional investigations.
