McClintock: Special Prosecutor Necessary In Russia Probe

Update 8:38 p.m.: A Republican congressman from the  Sacramento-area says there should be an independent special prosecutor to investigate accusations that President Trump colluded with Russia during the 2016 U-S Presidential Election. 

Representative Tom McClintock made the comments earlier today on Insight with Beth Ruyak.

He says, the best way to get to the truth is by having both sides in Congress do their investigations and confront the evidence.

"I don’t know of any other way to do it, other than to remove it from the normal chain of command in the executive branch," McClintock says.  

McClintock joins San Diego Congressman Darrell Issa, who had been the sole California Republican in Congress to publicly call for an independent investigation.

McClintock's district stretches from Roseville and Truckee in the North to rural Sierra Nevada communities east of Fresno in the South.

Senator Dianne Feinstein and Sacramento Congresswoman Doris Matsui are among the many Democrats calling for an independent Russia probe.

Original Post: During an interview Thursday on Insight With Beth Ruyak, Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove) said a special prosecutor should take over the investigation regarding Russia's possible interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. 

"I think the timing of the firing makes it necessary to hand the investigation over to an independent prosecutor, so it’s above reproach," McClintock says.

McClintock goes on to say that an independent prosecutor should also pursue other investigations not conducted by Comey, including, "use of the IRS to intimidate Tea Party leaders, the Clinton email scandal and how much of our Top Secret intelligence was lost to our enemies as a result of that, and the Susan Rice scandal involving the use of the NSA to spy on political opponents."

He says that all those controversies have been so enmeshed in politics that special prosecutors are necessary.

According to the LA Times, McClintock is one of two Republican lawmakers from California who is calling for a special prosecutor. The other is Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista).

A few GOP senators have also made similar statements. 

On Thursday afternoon, McClintock released the following statement:

"I strongly support President Trump’s decision to fire James Comey for gross misconduct during his tenure, and only wish he had done so on January 20th. Because of the highly politicized circumstances involving the Russia inquiry, I think an independent prosecutor would be advisable to place the inquiry above reproach.  I believe it is equally important to appoint an independent prosecutor to purse the investigations that were swept under the rug during the Obama administration, including the use of the IRS to intimidate Tea Party members, the Clinton email scandal and how much top secret intelligence was lost to our enemies, and the unfolding scandal involving use of the NSA to spy on political opponents."

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