GOP Rep. Defends Devin Nunes By Claiming 'He Works For The President'

A GOP congressman on Thursday offered a strange defense for Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) and his questionable handling of the investigation into President Donald Trump s administration and its ties to Russia .

When MSNBC host Craig Melvin asked Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) if it was appropriate for Nunes, the House Intelligence Committee chairman, to meet with a source on White House grounds the day before announcing he had reason to believe the Trump team was subject to incidental surveillance, Yoho insisted it was fine because Nunes works for the president.

Youve got to keep in mind who he works for, Yoho said. He works for the president. He answers to the president.

This exchange.

YOHO: \"[Nunes] answers to the president\".
MELVIN: Does he? Or does he work for constituents?
YOHO: \"Well, you do both.\" pic.twitter.com/rbeeBiqNFa

Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 30, 2017","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Kyle Griffin","author_url":"https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1","cache_age":86400,"description":"This exchange.YOHO: "[Nunes] answers to the president".MELVIN: Does he? Or does he work for constituents?YOHO: "Well, you do both." pic.twitter.com/rbeeBiqNFa— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 30, 2017\n","provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Kyle Griffin on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/847488975375802374","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"58dd24b8e4b05eae031dad44","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/devin-nunes-ted-yoho-trump_n_58dd24b8e4b05eae031dad44","entryTagsList":"donald-trump,us-news,republican-politics,russia,house-intelligence-committee,devin-nunes,ted-yoho,@genassign,@health_ibs,@health_models","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":6},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"58dd24b8e4b05eae031dad44","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/donald-trump","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/donald-trump"},{"name":"U.S. News","slug":"us-news","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/us-news","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/us-news","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/us-news"},"relegenceSubjectId":981465,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"World News","slug":"world-news"},"topic":{"title":"United States","slug":"united-states","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/united-states"},{"name":"Republican Politics","slug":"republican-politics","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/republican-politics","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/republican-politics","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/republican-politics"},"relegenceSubjectId":4944927,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Republican Party","slug":"republican-party","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/republican-party"},{"name":"Russia","slug":"russia","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/russia","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/russia","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/russia"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"World News","slug":"world-news"},"topic":{"title":"Russia","slug":"russia","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/russia"},{"name":"house intelligence committee","slug":"house-intelligence-committee","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/house-intelligence-committee","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/house-intelligence-committee","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/house-intelligence-committee"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/house-intelligence-committee"},{"name":"devin nunes","slug":"devin-nunes","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/devin-nunes","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/devin-nunes","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/devin-nunes"},"relegenceId":3607524,"url":"https://action.news/topic/devin-nunes"},{"name":"ted yoho","slug":"ted-yoho","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/ted-yoho","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/ted-yoho","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/ted-yoho"},"relegenceId":6253056,"url":"https://action.news/topic/ted-yoho"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

This exchange.

YOHO: "[Nunes] answers to the president".
MELVIN: Does he? Or does he work for constituents?
YOHO: "Well, you do both." pic.twitter.com/rbeeBiqNFa
Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 30, 2017

But Nunes, as a congressman, should actually be working for his constituents. When Melvin asked Yoho to clarify, Yoho claimed that Nunes does both, as chairman of the committee.

You do both. When youre in that capacity, if youve got information, Im OK with what he did, he said.

Yohos spokesman later clarified that he misspoke.

He knows that every member is here because of the people that voted them into office, spokesman Brian Kaveney told Talking Points Memo. Members work for their constituents, whether they are rank and file or if they have the honor of serving as a committee chairman. The congressman stated that he works for his constituents and not for the President. The same reasoning is applied to all members. As I said before, the congressman misspoke plain and simple.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

Nunes, who served on Trumps transition team, is increasingly facing questions about his credibility and transparency and whether he can conduct an independent investigation . Earlier this week, Nunes insisted he would not reveal his source, even to members of his own committee.

Many Democratic lawmakers, including committee members, have called for him to recuse himself from the investigation or even step down as chair.

A spokesman for Nunes did not return a request for comment.