Disturbing reports have begun to emerge that, as ranking Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Devin Nunes is not merely the chief defender of Donald Trump in the impeachment inquiry that he has portrayed himself to be.

No, rather, this news indicates that Nunes had been right in the middle of the Ukraine scandal, as a player digging up dirt on former vice president Joe Biden and his son Hunter, while also helping spread debunked conspiracy theories about them both.

The reports also find Nunes connected to Trump attorney Rudolph Giuliani and Giuliani associate Lev Parnas, who are both under criminal investigation.

All of this raises serious and profoundly disturbing questions about Nunes.

And this is not the first time that Nunes had found himself in a deeply compromised position.

Please recall that at the height of the House Intelligence Committee’s probe into Russian interference into the 2016 presidential election and potential Trump campaign involvement, Nunes–then chairman of the panel, when he should have been a dispassionate investigator–was found to be shuttling over to the White House to brief Trump on the investigation.

It was utterly bizarre and inappropriate behavior then, and this apparent involvement now is even moreso.

As unprecedented and uncomfortable as it may be, it’s time for House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif) to compel his colleague Nunes to move from his spot off of the dais and out to the witness table.

Nunes must be sworn in and asked probing questions under oath and get to the truth.

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