russia investigation
House Intelligence Committee Republicans conclude that the Trump campaign did not collude with Russia
House Intelligence Committee Republicans on Friday released a report that found "no evidence" of collusion between President Trump's campaign and Russian government officials, The Washington Post reports.
The report details information from a year-long Republican-led committee investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election. The committee's Democrats refused to endorse the report, saying that the investigation sought to absolve Trump without thoroughly and fairly reviewing relevant facts, the Post reports.
"While the committee found no evidence that the Trump campaign colluded, coordinated, or conspired with the Russian government, the investigation did find poor judgment and ill-considered actions by the Trump and Clinton campaigns," the report concludes.
Some of that "poor judgment" included a meeting at Trump Tower in June 2016 between top Trump campaign staffers and a Russian lawyer who promised to provide damaging information on opponent Hillary Clinton.
While the report acknowledges that Russia interfered in the election, it blames the FBI and the previous administration for failing to respond appropriately. It found no evidence that Trump's past business dealings in Russia set the stage for collusion leading up to the election, and says that information in the dossier compiled by British ex-spy Christopher Steele was "second- and third-hand."
Trump immediately took to Twitter to share the news: "Clinton Campaign paid for Opposition Research obtained from Russia," he tweeted. "A total Witch Hunt! MUST END NOW!" Read more at The Washington Post.