WASHINGTON — House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will not comment on remarks made by former acting CIA Director and Hillary Clinton supporter Michael Morell that discounted claims Donald Trump and his associates colluded with Russia.
Pelosi said Thursday she was not aware of comments made by Morell, stating, “I’ll have to see what he said, but I’ll say this, we need an investigation. We need an investigation-an independent outside investigation because there are plenty of indicators that there is a connection and until we can have an investigation, what are the Republicans afraid of?”
The Daily Caller later followed up with Pelosi Chief of Staff Drew Hamill and sent Morell’s remarks but did not receive a response.
Pelosi has previously avoided discussing another Obama era intelligence professional, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who also stated he had seen no evidence of the Trump campaign conspiring with Russia.
Morell, who was expected to be tapped for CIA director if Clinton won the election, said during an event Wednesday he had seen no evidence that Trump nor his associates plotted with the Russians.
Additionally, he appeared skeptical about the dossier that was drafted by a former British intelligence officer that alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
“On the question of the Trump campaign conspiring with the Russians here, there is smoke, but there is no fire, at all,” Morell said.
He went on to say,” There’s no little campfire, there’s no little candle, there’s no spark. And there’s a lot of people looking for it.”
Morell also pointed to comments made by former DNI director Clapper, who said on “Meet the Press” March 5 that he had not seen any evidence of cooperation between the Trump campaign and the Russians.
“That’s a pretty strong statement by General Clapper,” Morell said.
Leader Pelosi was previously asked about Clapper’s remarks last Thursday as well and responded similarly only saying, “We haven’t had the investigation that we need to have, and that’s what we’re saying is follow the facts, follow the facts.”
Morell also criticized the dossier by former British intelligent agent Chris Steele “doesn’t take you anywhere, I don’t think.”
“Unless you know the sources, and unless you know how a particular source acquired a particular piece of information, you can’t judge the information — you just can’t,” Morell said.