Paul Ryan rejects Trump's 'Spygate' claims

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan agreed with Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) that the FBI acted appropriately in using an informant while investigating the Trump campaign's alleged ties to Russia, The New York Times reported Wednesday.

After a May intelligence briefing regarding the FBI's actions, Gowdy, a former federal prosecutor who led the House investigations into Benghazi and Hillary Clinton's emails, said that the agency did what was right. On Wednesday Ryan agreed, saying that Gowdy's "assessment is accurate."

Trump has dubbed the FBI's investigation "Spygate," making unfounded claims on Twitter that it was a politically motivated conspiracy. The president said that the routine use of an informant to investigate an issue at his request constituted an embedded spy. Ryan said there is "more digging to do" regarding Trump's surveillance claims, but dismissed the accusation of a federal-level conspiracy.

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In another break with the president, Ryan warned Trump that he shouldn't pardon himself, even though Trump said he has the "absolute right" to. "No one is above the law," said Ryan. Read more at The New York Times.