That one's going to leave a mark.

In a scathing letter, House Intelligence Committee ranking member Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) told committee chairman Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) that he is "in need of rehabilitation" after the Department of Justice inspector general report on the FBI's Russia investigation directly contradicted several of Schiff's previous assertions.

"After publishing false conclusions of such enormity on a topic directly within this committee's oversight responsibilities, it is clear you are in need of rehabilitation, and I hope this letter will serve as the first step in that vital process," Nunes wrote before pointing out a series of false statements by Schiff.

'Your rehabilitation will be a long, arduous process'

Nunes went on to praise Schiff for acknowledging the FBI committed errors in its FISA warrant process, but noted he "dramatically" downplayed "the scale of the abuse the IG uncovered." Still, Nunes said it was "a valuable first step—a baby step, but a step nonetheless—in your rehabilitation."

The California Republican then cited Schiff's criticisms of Attorney General Bill Bar and U.S. Attorney John Durham expressing concern over the IG report as evidence that his "rehabilitation will be a long, arduous process."

Nunes added that "when the IG identified gross abuses in [Schiff's] jurisdiction," the Democrat "expressed full faith" in the agencies he was supposed to be "vigilantly monitoring" and "rejected any oversight whatsoever of their supposed clean-up efforts."

Schiff is 'hijacking the Intelligence Committee for political purposes'

Nunes also wrote that if the agencies with "a documented, severe abuse problem" are to be trusted to police themselves, it's fair to ask why this committee even exists" aside from "being exploited by [Schiff] as a launching pad to impeach the president for issues" outside of his jurisdiction.

"As part of your rehabilitation," Nunes added, "it's crucial that you admit you have a problem—you are hijacking the Intelligence Committee for political purposes while excusing and covering up intelligence agency abuses."

Nunes invited Schiff to work with him on his rehabilitation and asked that he schedule a committee hearing with Inspector General Horowitz in the near future:



I understand taking action on this issue will be difficult for you, as it will be an implicit acknowledgment that you were wrong to deny these abuses and that you were complicit in the violation of an American's civil liberties. I also understand that such an acknowledgment is made even more difficult by the fact that you've already been discredited by your years-long false claim that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to hack the 2016 presidential election.



Nevertheless, I refuse to believe you are beyond redemption. I invite you to work closely with me on your rehabilitation program, and look forward to your scheduling a committee hearing with IG Horowitz at the nearest opportunity.