Story highlights Rep. Devin Nunes stepped down from the House Intelligence Committee investigation he was leading

Joey Jackson: Nunes does not deserve praise for his decision

He behaved dishonorably and violated the American people's trust, writes Jackson

Joey Jackson is a criminal defense attorney and a legal analyst for CNN and HLN. The views expressed here are solely his.

(CNN) Succumbing to mounting public pressure and common sense, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-California, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, announced that he will no longer be overseeing his committee's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

In doing so, he released a statement noting that "several left-wing activist groups have filed accusations against me with the Office of Congressional Ethics." He then blamed these groups for his exit, saying "the charges are entirely false and politically motivated and are being leveled just as the American people are beginning to learn the truth about the improper unmasking of the identities of U.S. citizens and other abuses of power."

Joey Jackson

Some may believe that his departure from the investigation was the honorable thing to do. And perhaps it was?

After all, there was no legal requirement that he step aside. Allegations of federal law or ethics violations are just that. And no one should be presumed to have engaged in any impropriety, until it has been conclusively established otherwise. In that regard, no one can say whether Nunes did anything wrong before the committee completes its probe.

Further, neither House rules nor congressional precedent legally require that a House member who is merely "under investigation" remove himself from his committee role nor other responsibilities attendant to his service. It would have been Nunes' right to continue with his duties.

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