House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA) made several bad calls last week before and after his Wednesday press conference revealing information about the panel's investigation into President Trump's wiretap claims. In his announcement, Nunes said Trump had not been wiretapped, but he found reason to believe Trump's transition was monitored by intelligence officials. He said he would be briefing Trump on the intel personally.
Nunes faced immediate backlash for his public announcement, most loudly from his fellow committee members, who fumed that he did not share the information with them first. Democrats on the committee accused him of jeopardizing the panel's integrity, while Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) suggested Nunes's press conference had been orchestrated by the White House. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) also predicted the White House had something to do with Nunes' decision to cancel the next scheduling public hearing into their investigation because the administration was reeling from Monday's unflattering FBI hearing.
New information has come to light on Monday that will only embolden these Democrats' claims. Nunes's office confirmed the committee chairman was on the White House grounds the day before addressing the public. Nunes's spokesman explained he was only there to meet with a source.
“Chairman Nunes met with his source at the White House grounds in order to have proximity to a secure location where he could view the information provided by the source,” Nunes spokesman Jack Langer said in a statement Monday. “The chairman is extremely concerned by the possible improper unmasking of names of U.S. citizens, and he began looking into this issue even before President Trump tweeted his assertion that Trump Tower had been wiretapped.”
Will this latest revelation give even more ammunition to lawmakers demanding Nunes resign or at least be investigated? Democrats are already calling it "more than suspicious."
At Monday’s White House press briefing, Press Secretary Sean Spicer said there was no concern as to whether there was an executive branch leak to Nunes.
This post has been updated.