Devin Nunes Can't Resist Answering One More Question

For the House intelligence chairman, the pull of the microphones is simply too great.
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The Washington press corps works itself into a jabbering frenzy whenever a prominent official says the dreaded words “Last question.” But when it comes to Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), members of the press have nothing to worry about.

Seeing as he’s made bombshell revelations in recent days, Nunes can’t bring himself to walk away from reporters’ questions just now.

On Wednesday, Nunes, who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, paid an unusual visit to the White House to inform President Donald Trump that members of his team had been mentioned in U.S. intelligence reports during the last days of the Obama administration. Nunes then held a stunning press conference on the matter, which gave Trump political cover for his unproven claim that former President Barack Obama had “wiretapped” him.

After making statements that all but upended a congressional inquiry into the Trump team’s potential ties to Russia, Nunes said he would take a few questions from members of the press. As the video above makes clear, the California Republican just couldn’t pull himself away from the microphones. “One more” quickly became five more.

At one point Nunes even swore, apologetically, that he had get over to Capitol Hill. Then he answered a bunch more questions.

Earlier that day, in a separate encounter with the press, the congressman was just as accommodating. Buttonholed by a gaggle of reporters at the Capitol, Nunes announced that he really had to get going ― “I’ve gotta run to a vote,” he pleaded ― just before answering another three questions.

And he wasn’t done there.

“All right, guys, I gotta get ―” he stammered, cut off by another question that he dutifully answered.

Still, at a moment when some Washington officials are rarely giving pressers at all ― or only granting access to handpicked, ideologically friendly media ― there’s something refreshing about Nunes’ willingness to let the press conference stretch on indefinitely, whatever his motivations.

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