Before granting former National Security adviser Michael Flynn's request for immunity in exchange for his testimony on Russia, Rep. Jim Himes said Friday it's important to consider what he has to say and if his testimony will affect other investigations.
"Congress could give him immunity, but if he's in legal jeopardy with the FBI or law enforcement, you want to be really careful that Congress doesn't immunize him against stuff that perhaps the FBI or others are looking at," the Connecticut Democrat and member of the House Intelligence Committee told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program.
Himes noted that Flynn himself had once said that when one asks for immunity, there is usually a reason, and "we have not heard the last of Michael Flynn."
Just before noon, NBC News, citing a senior congressional official with direct knowledge, reported the Senate Intelligence Committee had rejected Flynn's request, telling his attorney that it was "wildly preliminary" and it was "not on the table" at this point.
Himes also spoke out against the Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes, calling once again on him to recuse himself from the committee's investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 election.
"Until last week, we had been pretty constructive," said Himes. "We were working on witness lists together, and we had an open hearing, which was not a pleasant hearing for the White House."
Then the second open hearing ended up being canceled, and Nunes was invited to the White House to look at intelligence concerning incidental collection of Trump staff communications during surveillance activities on Russia.
"Why do you go to the White House, take information from the White House, and then take it to the president?" Himes said of Nunes. "Why, instead of going to the guy that they worked for, the president of the United States, they called a chairman of a totally separate branch of the government."
Himes said he hopes his committee can get back on track, although an outside commission should have been who was examining the Russia matter.
"Other than the Senate, we're the only game in town, so a lot of us Democrats are hesitant to say 'let's just shut this down,' because this investigation needs to move forward," said Himes.
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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