Republican Rep. Devin Nunes of California asserted that the ongoing investigation into President Donald Trump’s alleged connections to Russian leadership was created because Democrats are unable to accept Hillary Clinton’s loss in the 2016 presidential election.

Nunes chairs the House Select Intelligence Committee and stepped down from the committee’s investigation into Russia in April. He spoke at a local fundraising dinner about the investigation on April 7.

“The Democrats don’t want an investigation on Russia. They want an independent commission. Why do they want an independent commission? Because they want to continue the narrative that Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump are best friends, and that’s the reason that he won, because Hillary Clinton would have never lost on her own; it had to be someone else’s fault,” Nunes told the crowd during his introduction of conservative filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza.

“They have tried to destroy this Russia investigation, they’ve never been serious about it, and one of the great things now that I’ve stepped aside from this Russia investigation, I can actually say what I want to say. I know that there’s probably media in here, you can write it but just try to get it right when you do,” Nunes concluded.

The LA Times obtained a recording of the video and reported on Nunes’ statements Tuesday.

Nunes allegedly shared his committee’s findings in the Russian investigation with the Trump administration before he recused himself from the investigation.

The California representative has never been shy about his disdain for the investigation, going so far as saying the effort amounts to “character assassination” from “every left-wing group in America,” according to statements he made on April 30.

He named Reps. Trey Gowdy, Tom Roney, and Mike Conaway to take his place on the investigation.

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