Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., wants to keep the narrative going about collusion of President Donald Trump and Russia to make a "political point," even though the House Intelligence Committee has ruled there was no evidence of collusion, Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., said Thursday.
"Adam Schiff is wanting to do continue to make a political point and political statement about the president without really focusing on anything of fact," Collins told Fox News' "Happening Now." "He Is he looking at innuendo, possibilities . . . this is a narrative spun by them from day one. They don't want the issue solved. They want the issue for the election cycle."
Collins pointed out Russia has always been a "disruptive agent" in worldwide elections and other events, and President Vladimir Putin is a "classic cold warrior," so the idea of Russia meddling is nothing new.
"[Putin] comes from that mentality," Collins said. "He wants to be a disruptive agent . . . none of us are saying this didn't happen. The sanctions initiated by the Treasury Department are directed at what they did during elections and what they are doing overseas."
He said he also agrees with U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley's opinion the United States needs to stand with the United Kingdom after a nerve gas attack was waged after a former Russian spy.
"Again, as you look at it from overall perspective, we need to make sure our elections are hardened and we understand what's going on," Collins said. "Our intelligence community has always been about that."
He also said he believes the sanctions imposed against Russia on Thursday are a "step forward" in dealing with the country's actions.
"This is a decision in a complicated process, in which Russia has decided to play in elections and also play in internal politics just as they have always wanted to be relevant," he said. "It's not an American phenomenon. I have been traveling in eastern Europe. You see it in the Middle East. You see it with Russia Today propaganda network. They do this to try to continue to paint a picture of Russia that is not reality. I think this is just Putin being Putin."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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