Intel chairman sees no evidence of Trump Tower wiretap

WASHINGTON — With threats of subpoenas and efforts to block a top Justice nominee, congressional leaders are ramping up pressure on the Justice Department and FBI to acknowledge whether there is any information to support President Trump's widely disputed claim that the Obama administration wiretapped his New York offices in advance of the November election.

The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee told reporters Wednesday he has seen no evidence to support the claim.

“We don't have any evidence that that took place,” Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., said during a news conference at the Capitol. “I don't think there was an actual tap of Trump Tower.”

Nunes said it was obvious that President Obama personally did not personally install listening devices in the building where Trump has offices and an apartment, so he said the committee has had to try to determine what the Trump did mean if his tweet could not be taken literally.

“If the White House or the president want to come out and clarify his statements more, it would probably, probably be helpful,” Nunes said.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, indicated earlier Wednesday that he has bipartisan support to seek subpoenas if FBI Director James Comey does not respond to Trump's wiretap claims and outline the status of the bureau's ongoing investigation into communications between Trump associates and Russian government officials.

"I think the entire country needs to know if there's something there,'' Graham said on NBC's Today show. "Congress is going to flex its muscle.''

President Trump shakes hands with FBI Director James Comey during an Inaugural Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders Reception at the White House on Jan. 22, 2017. (Photo: Andrew Harrer, Pool, Getty Images)

If the request is not satisfied, Graham said there is Judiciary Committee support for issuing subpoenas to compel the information and to block the pending nomination of Rod Rosenstein, who is awaiting confirmation as the deputy attorney general.

Rosenstein's position is especially crucial since Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from overseeing the federal Russia inquiry after it was disclosed that the former Alabama senator — and Trump campaign advisor — had met twice with the Russian ambassador to the United States during the course of the general election campaign. Sessions did not disclose the meetings during his January confirmation hearings.

Earlier this week, the Justice Department, facing a separate deadline from the House Intelligence Committee to turn over information that might support Trump's wiretap claims, asked for additional time to determine whether any information exists.

Source : http://www.usatoday.com