Quigley is lone Illinoisan on committee investigating Russian ties
The stakes are high and so is the pushback, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley said Thursday as the House Intelligence Committee embarks on an investigation into whether Russia tampered with the 2016 presidential election.
Quigley is the lone Illinoisan on the committee, which will scrutinize whether links existed between Russia and political campaigns, how to prevent future cyber attacks and who was responsible for media leaks. A Chicago Democrat, Quigley's district extends west to include parts of Des Plaines, Bensenville, Oak Brook and Elmhurst.
Partisan divides are expected on the committee as Republicans bristle at Democratic allegations of collusion between Russian officials and some of President Donald Trump's advisers, which the White House has denied.
Quigley said he's concerned investigators could be hamstrung by poor funding and lukewarm GOP committee members. The committee will need to subpoena some witnesses and if "they want to stymie the investigation, they have the votes to do that," Quigley said.
But Republican Chairman Devin Nunes promised in a statement that he is committed to examining Russian interference in the election. "On a bipartisan basis, we will fully investigate all the evidence we collect and follow that evidence wherever it leads," Nunes said.
Fresh out of a session Thursday with FBI Director James Comey, Quigley was dissatisfied with the responses.
Comey's limited "testimony raises the question of FBI willingness to cooperate," he said.