WASHINGTON — (CNN) A Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee blasted its chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes, after he revealed that he visited the White House grounds the night before he revealed that he saw information suggesting that communications of then-President-elect Donald Trump and his advisers may have been swept up in surveillance of other foreign nationals.
A spokesman for Nunes said he “met with his source at the White House grounds in order to have proximity to a secure location where he could view the information provided by the source.”
CNN’s Kate Bolduan asked Rep. Jim Himes, D-Connecticut, if that was typical behavior for a member of Congress.
“I’ve certainly never done that,” Himes said on “At This Hour.” He added that Nunes’ reported behavior — two congressional sources told CNN Nunes was with a staff member Tuesday night when he got a message, got out of the car and got into an Uber, and staff didn’t hear from him again that night — was “bizarre” and “loopy.”
Nunes confirmed to CNN in a phone interview Monday he was on the White House grounds that day — but said he had not visited the actual White House, but an ancillary building because he needed a secure area to view the information. He said he didn’t believe the President nor any of his West Wing team were aware he was there, and the White House said Monday it learned of Nunes’ visit through media reports and directed any questions to the congressman.
Nunes said he was there for additional meetings “to confirm what I already knew,” but said he wouldn’t comment further so as not to “compromise sources and methods.”
The California Republican apologized to Democrats on the Intelligence Committee last week after he didn’t inform them before telling Trump and the media that communications of the President and associates may have been collected by intelligence agencies.
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