
How to deal with the White House’s constant distractions
Washington, D.C. — The president of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Monday accused the White, House and Senate Democratic leadership of using a secretive and unelected executive branch to push a partisan agenda.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein Dianne Emiel FeinsteinGrassley to Trump: Stop pressuring me on Russia probe Feinstein calls for probe into ‘unprecedented bias’ in Kavanaugh investigation MORE (D-Calif.) said she believes the Senate leadership has a “deep and ongoing” conflict of interest because of the White’s role in the probe into Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 election.
Senators were told by the White that the President of the United States will be present at a committee meeting at which he is asked to speak, Feinstein said on ABC’s “This Week.”
Feinstein’s comments came after Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse Sheldon WhiteHouse Dems blast GOP for ‘disloyalty’ to Trump over Russia investigation Senate Dems fire back at GOP on Russian probe MORE (R-R.I.) said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellHow Flake came to dominate the GOP: He won’t back down on Kavanaugh The Memo: GOP risks disaster with Kavanaugh, midterms The Hill’s 12:30 Report — Sponsored by Delta Air Lines — Senate panel to vote on Kavanaugh today | Dems walk out in protest | Senators weigh in on Kavanaugh MORE (Ky.) has instructed members of the committee to “make sure the President is there.”
McConnell and Sen. Chris Murphy Christopher (Chris) Scott MurphyNew Hampshire Gov.
Maggie Hassan HassanNew Hampshire Senate races in play Senate Dems walk back comments on Russia investigation MORE, D-Conn., have been pushing for a Senate Intelligence report on the Russian meddling into the 2016 presidential election and the Trump administration’s response to it.
Both Democrats and Republicans have been frustrated by the slow pace of a full Senate Intelligence Report due to the Trump White House and Republican leadership refusing to provide it with copies of classified information.
A senior Democratic official said Tuesday that Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr Richard Mauze BurrSenate Dems fireback at GOP for loyalty to Trump after Senate probe finds ‘no evidence’ of coordination between Trump and Russia Senate Dems vote to confirm Trump ambassador to Ukraine MORE (N.C.) and Minority Whip Dick Durbin Richard (Dick) Joseph DurbINN, DFL: Trump ‘not going to be the president I promised’: Dem senator calls on White House to declassify key memosSenate Dems vote on Gorsuch confirmation MORE (Ill.) have also been frustrated with the slow-moving committee’s progress.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday morning that the president will attend the Senate panel, adding that he hopes the two leaders can work together to find solutions to the bipartisan Russia probe.
Trump has repeatedly blamed Democrats for the “unpreparedness” of the House intelligence panel, which he said “did not do enough to investigate” Russia’s election interference.