Nunes threatens impeachment, and deputy AG hands over Russia investigation document

One day after Rep. Devin Nunes threatened to impeach two of the nation's top law enforcement officials, saying they were holding back evidence about the FBI's investigation of the Trump campaign's possible connections with Russia, the Tulare Republican got what he was seeking.

Nunes, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, issued a statement Wednesday evening from Washington:

"After numerous unfulfilled requests for an Electronic Communication (EC) related to the opening of the FBI's Russia counterintelligence probe, (House Oversight Committee) Chairman Trey Gowdy and I met this afternoon with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. During the meeting, we were finally given access to a version of the EC that contained the information necessary to advance the Committee's ongoing investigation of the Department of Justice and FBI. Although the subpoenas issued by this Committee in August 2017 remain in effect, I'd like to thank Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein for his cooperation today."

Appearing Tuesday night on Fox New host Laura Ingraham's show, Nunes said the FBI and Department of Justice were stonewalling attempts to obtain a two-page document the FBI reportedly used as the initial reason to begin its investigation of Trump campaign links to Russia contacts.

"Just the fact that they're not giving this to us tells me there's something wrong here," Nunes told Ingraham. "I can tell you that we're not just going to hold in contempt, we will have a plan to hold in contempt and to impeach."

Nunes had been trying to acquire an unredacted version of the document, the existence of which was first reported by The New York Times in December. The Times reported that actions by former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos prompted the investigation.

Nunes and other Republicans have argued that the investigation's impetus was a dossier on Trump compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele. The dossier has allegations that critics say the Kremlin could use to blackmail the president.

"We're at a boiling point where we need this two-page document," Nunes told Ingraham.

Earlier Tuesday, Nunes declined to say whether he intended to seek contempt charges against FBI Director Christopher Wray and Rosenstein. Speaking to the media, he told one reporter the questions should be about why he wants the Papadopoulos document.

"I'm just trying to coach you on how to get out of the fake news realm," Nunes said. "I'll answer the question all day long, but you don't ask real questions."

This story was originally published April 11, 2018 at 7:46 AM with the headline "Nunes threatens impeachment, and deputy AG hands over Russia investigation document."