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House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., told Fox News on Friday that his investigators have already uncovered evidence of "abuse" in the U.S. government's surveillance practices.
“I believe there's evidence that abuses have occurred," Nunes said in his first interview since the House Ethics Committee dismissed allegations he had wrongly released classified information as part of the panel’s Russia investigation.
"We have had an ongoing investigation into DOJ [Department of Justice] and FBI since mid-summer for both FISA [Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court] abuse and other matters that we can't get into too much. But it is very concerning."
Nunes pointed to the leaked conversation of former national security adviser, Gen. Mike Flynn with the Russian ambassador. The congressman said he is unaware of any leak investigation by the FBI or Justice Department.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif. is pursued by reporters as he arrives for a weekly meeting of the Republican Conference with House Speaker Paul Ryan and the GOP leadership, Tuesday, March 28, 2017, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Nunes is facing growing calls to step away from the panel's Russia investigation as revelations about a secret source meeting on White House grounds raised questions about his and the panel's independence. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
“I hate to use the word corrupt, but they become so dirty that, who is watching the watchmen? Who is investigating these people? There is no one."
Nunes said he will call Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, whose apparent demotion was first reported by Fox's James Rosen, over his contacts with the firm behind the Trump dossier -- to testify. The congressman said he believes the Obama Justice Department – from Attorney General Lynch, to her deputy, Sally Yates, FBI Director Comey as well as FBI agent Peter Strzok who was fired by the Mueller Russia probe over anti-Trump text messages -- may have valuable information.
"It's hard to believe that all of them, there was a very small circle that we’re looking into the Trump dossier overall." Nunes said.