Primary author of GOP memo tried to arrange Steele meeting outside official channels: report

[Judi Lynn]

Source: The Hill


BY JOSH DELK - 02/03/18 02:22 PM EST

The primary author of the House Intelligence memo released Friday reportedly tried to meet outside official channels with the researcher behind a controversial dossier.

Kashyap Patel, a senior staffer for House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), sought a meeting in London with Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence agent commissioned by the Democratic National Committee to research the Trump campaign's ties to Russia, according to The New York Times.

Nunes reportedly sent Patel and another Republican staffer on the committee during the summer of 2016 to meet with Steele at his London office to establish contact with the former agent's lawyers, but showed up unannounced and were denied the meeting, a senior committee official told The Times.

The move was unknown to Democrats and the American embassy in London, and did not go by the standard protocol of arranging the meeting through attorneys.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/house/372168-primary-author-of-gop-memo-tried-to-arrange-steele-meeting-outside-official

[still_one]

1. More reason why Nunes should be kicked off the committee

[Eliot Rosewater]

6. He is a general in an army that has declared war on America

He has millions of soldiers, we call them deplorable.

[htuttle]

2. Summer of 2016? Hmm

Before or after the meeting at Trump Tower?

Before or after Trump was nominated in July?

[winstars]

3. Summer of 2016 sounds wrong. Before the election? I am confused.

[dchill]

8. It was definitely the summer of 2017.

[lamp_shade]

10. See Post #9

[bucolic_frolic]

4. Loose cannon

Now they must expend time and resources chasing down this escapade and try to determine the cause.

[onetexan]

12. Yeap, Nancy Pelosi and Dems need to keep up demanding he be kicked off the Senate Intel Committee

[PJMcK]

5. Amateurs

Nunes' flunkies flew to London and showed up at Christopher Steele's office without an appointment?! Who does something like that except amateurs and idiots.

Oh, that's right. They work for Nunes.

[PoorMonger]

7. Think the dating on this is incorrect

And that they tried to meet him in 2017 - not 2016. I remember hearing about it because I believe it was shortly after Nunes supposedly recused himself from the committee investigation. It was while congress was just starting their summer recess and at the time people in both parties were trying to get Steele to talk to them.

Conaway had taken over for Nunes and had acted surprised when it was reported Nunes staffers had gone to London - but because they were apparently denied the meeting everyone let it go.

[lamp_shade]

11. See Post #9

[lamp_shade]

9. They corrected the date...

"Nunes last summer reportedly sent Patel and another Republican..."