Rep. Elise Stefanik, a newly appointed member of the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, stated that she “certainly believes[ that] crimes were committed.”
“Look at most recently the bombshell news report of FBI head of counter-intelligence in New York State — part of the Mueller special investigation — he was taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from Russia,” the upstate Republican told The Post days after Speaker Kevin McCarthy named her to the prestigious panel.
“There are crimes, thus, yes.”
She was alluding to former fed Charles McGonigal, who was exposed this week for working for Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.
The new House investigation would have the authority to make criminal referrals, just like the Jan. 6 investigation. The congresswoman wavered on whether the committee would take such a step, claiming that the full GOP conference should decide the issue.
Stefanik expressed optimism that the panel, which was established soon after the FBI searched former president Trump’s estate Mar-A-Lago, would result in “transparency and accountability” for the agencies.
She predicted that legislation will be introduced as a result of this oversight. “That is not a partisan objective. These government organizations must serve the American people, not the other way around.
Stefanik and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the subcommittee’s chairman, have all but ruled out cooperating with the Democratic members who will serve alongside them.