An inside view of the House Russia probe
An inside view of the House Russia probe
The former top Democratic aide on the House Intelligence Committee details his experience on the frequently-beleaguered investigation.
By AUSTIN WRIGHT and MARTIN MATISHAK 07/01/2017 07:55 AM EDT
It was late March, and Michael Bahar was being blocked from entering the White House, the latest in a series of surreal moments that month for the then-Democratic staff director of the House Intelligence Committee.
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Bahar has had an unparalleled view of the secretive House Intelligence Committee’s investigation into Russia’s election meddling, including the bickering between Schiff and House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) that captured the nation’s attention and almost derailed the panel’s efforts.
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He stayed with the committee for an extra six months, he said, to ensure the Russia probe “got off its feet” to its next phase — conducting witness interviews and depositions.
Those extra six months were both rewarding and at times sad, he said, especially for longtime staffers who take pride in the committee’s reputation for bipartisanship. The breakdown in relations between Schiff and Nunes, who had previously worked together to pass major legislation, left both the majority and minority staffs — who share office space and have forged strong ties over many years — feeling shaken, according to Bahar.
“For those people that had been around the longest, I think there was — I would describe it as sadness through this, because this is not what we're used to,” Bahar said.
But Bahar, who previously spent nearly a decade on active duty as a Navy lawyer and was a deputy legal advisor to the National Security Council in the Obama administration before first joining the House Intelligence Committee in 2012 as general counsel, said he is optimistic about the investigation going forward. He praised Rep. Mike Conaway (R-Texas), who’s now leading the probe following Nunes’ decision to step aside, as someone who’s “truly trying to follow the facts wherever they may lead.”
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http://www.politico.com/story/2017/07/01/inside-house-russia-probe-240051
