2017 Mar 22^nd

I’m sure you remember the hilarious “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Ferris skips school hoodwinking school officials so he can also spring his girlfriend, he takes his buddies’ dad’s sports car, and the buddy, and the three of them go on a delightful toot. Taking the day off was of considerable benefit to Ferris.

President Trump could benefit from using Ferris as a model. He might also take a day off, although I think more than a day might be required for the country to recover from Trump’s continually shooting himself in the foot. His most recent self-mutilization occurred during Judge Gorsuch’s confirmation hearing. Gorsuch was asked about remarks critical of the judiciary, particularly those claiming that some federal judge’s rulings were politically biased. (Who would say such a thing?) Gorsuch said he found such criticisms by anyone both “demoralizing and disheartening.” He was then asked, specifically, if that referred to criticisms by President Trump. His response was unequivocal, “Anyone is anyone.” Poor Trump; his flack, Spicer, was asked about that and Spicer claimed that Gorsuch had not mentioned the president. He didn’t mention the president because he didn’t need to mention the president.

Congressional intelligence committee’s chairman Nunes held a news conference insisting that he just had to immediately brief the president that some Trump associates might have been identified when they were just part of incidental surveillance by the FBI. Keep in mind that Nunes is a devoted Trump fan who was part of Trump’s transition team. This incidental collection means that if you call the Russian ambassador your name will be part of the data collected by the FBI. They will certainly be surveilling that phone. However, whether or not you are part of the investigation, you should not be publically identified. But there will be leaks, and stopping these leaks for Chairman Nunes is more important than whether or not Trump, or any of his favorites were helping the Russians. Hey, the man has his priorities.

His dash to inform Trump about this information has a downside. He did this without consulting any other members of his committee. Adam Schiff, the ranking member knew nothing about this before they saw Nunes holding his press conference outside the White House. This committee is supposed to be investigating whether there were any inappropriate ties between the Trump’s people and the Russians. Chairman Nunes has just made it clear that he is Trump’s agent and thus has rendered his committee impotent in any such investigation. These investigations are supposed to be politically neutral.

There is no doubt that Nunes did not intend this result, but the result of his rush to tell the White House while cutting the rest of his committee completely out of the loop has insured that an independent committee will have to be appointed.  I’m sure that’s not what Nunes or Trump wanted. Who would pay any attention to the findings of a committee chaired by Nunes?