When it comes to investigating the Trump-Russia connection, the House Intelligence Committee has been successfully driven into the weeds by Devin Nunes. The Senate Intelligence Committee has been slowed to a stop by Richard Burr.
While an investigation continues within the FBI, there are reasons for people at both ends of the political spectrum to worry about the efficacy of that agency. And besides, the investigation into possible links between the Trump campaign and Vladimir Putin’s government is easily the most important political issue since Watergate. In fact, this is the most important political issue in a century—including Watergate. The public deserves to feel that this matter has been investigated both thoroughly and openly, in a way that resolves loose ends and doesn’t leave the impression that the outcome was either foregone or arbitrary.
For that to happen, there is only one avenue remaining.
Nearly three-quarters of Americans say they want an independent, non-partisan commission instead of Congress to investigate Russia's involvement in the 2016 election, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.
A majority of Americans want the congressional investigation to continue, but an overwhelming majority feels that the congressional investigation is not enough on its own. Why an independent commission?
A combined 61 percent of Americans say they have little to no confidence in Congress conducting a fair and impartial investigation into Russia's involvement in the 2016 election.
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The effort by Nunes to sidetrack the House investigation was effective in terms of delaying the committee’s work and driving Republicans into behaving as if some of Nunes’ midnight romps might actually provide credence to the “wiretapp” claims recklessly hurled by Donald Trump. But while the mud flung out from Nunes’ wild ride, including the renewed vilification of Susan Rice by the right, did manage to get the media to mouth the term “unmasking” long enough that many seem to have forgotten the original purpose of the investigation, it also had another effect. It broke any remaining trust the public had in the ability of Nunes, or any other Republican, to chair an impartial investigation.
Only a combined 39 percent say they have "some" or a "great deal" of confidence in Congress conducting a fair and impartial investigation.
On the House side, the dogged push by Adam Schiff has apparently righted the ship Nunes worked so hard to scuttle, and forced Republicans to at least allow hearings to move forward. But no matter the outcome of those hearings, it’s clear only one solution will leave Americans confident that the matter has been investigated as it should be.