A growing number of Rep. Devin Nunes’ (R-Tulare) constituents want him to know they are not happy with the way he’s doing his job.
And while they’re upset about the way Nunes has handled the House Intelligence Committee’s investigation of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian agents, the unrest goes far deeper and touches on many other issues.
Dressed in Black
Carol Finney, a Visalia teacher who joined about 50 other protesters in front of Nunes’ downtown Visalia office last week, had a laundry list of things she and and the congressman don’t see eye-to-eye on.
“I’m here because I’m not happy with Nunes, but I’m also very upset over the EPA,” she said. “I’m very upset that they’re going to be drilling off the coast of California.”
At 11:30 in the morning on the third Tuesday of each month, members of South Valley Civics gather for their Nunes Watch Rally at the corner of Church and Main streets in downtown Visalia, outside Nunes’ local office. In February, following the death of 17 people during a shooting at a Florida high school, the protesters came dressed in black, and there were more of them than ever before.
There were also many more issues on their minds. They especially want Nunes to know his handling of the Trump-Russia investigation still matters to them.
“This is all about the Trump nonsense,” said Finney. “And it’s about the killing last Wednesday. I think there was a shooting this morning. I haven’t been able to find out because it’s a daily occurrence practically, and I’m tired of hearing that guns are more important than children.”
No Access
Protester Betsy Gaudette-Cross, also a teacher from Visalia, said her main frustration with Nunes is his lack of availability to discuss issues.
“He will not listen to us,” she said. “I called his office. I emailed him, and I have requested a one-on-one.”
A sign posted outside the door to Nunes’ Visalia office tells visitors they will not be admitted to the congressman’s office without a confirmed appointment. Staff simply ignores requests for those appointments, Gaudette-Cross says.
She also wants Nunes to know she’s not a radical, and she takes issue with his treatment of dissenters as a fringe element to be ignored. Previously, Nunes’ staff labeled South Valley Civics as a left-wing extremist organization.
“You know I’m not a mob or I’m not a paid protester or anything,” Gaudette-Cross said. “I just have a lot of concern about the way he is handling things and how he is not representing my views or a lot of people who I know.”
Nunes Sighting
When Nunes made a brief appearance last month at the International Ag Farm Equipment Show in Tulare, local press treated it almost as if Bigfoot had been spotted. I Saw Devin Nunes at World Ag Expo. Did You? read the headline on GV Wire’s story. Nunes, they reported, had breakfast with the VIPs, posed for some photos, said hello to Tulare Mayor Carlton Jones, then left without talking to the members of the press.
However, Nunes isn’t completely unavailable to the press.
Last Sunday, Nunes had plenty of time to sit down for a lengthy interview with Full Measure, a right-leaning weekly news program broadcast to select markets. In the segment, Nunes claimed the House Intel Committee investigation is ending and no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian agents had been found.
“Well, we have a Russian Investigation going on whether or not there was collusion between any campaign and the Russians. That’s coming to a close,” Nunes said. “We’ve never had any evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians.”
Despite that assertion by Nunes, more than a dozen indictments have been issued by Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller, along with evidence that appears to show such collusion did take place.
Prisoner Nunes?
During the Full Measure interview, Nunes also admitted there was no indication members of the Obama administration leaked the names of individuals unmasked in classified intelligence reports.
“We have no evidence, that they leaked this information, OK?” Nunes said.
Nunes has claimed such leaks were facilitated by the FBI and the Department of Justice to aid Democrats. His admission there is no evidence of such illegal cooperation, said former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean, could land Nunes a prison sentence for his attempts to stymie the ongoing investigation by the FBI and Department of Justice.
“The House Intelligence Committee is no longer a functional or reasonable, thoughtful committee,” Dean told MSNBC. “I think the chairman (Nunes) is going to go to jail, actually, eventually.”
Nunes News Network
To counter negative press coverage, Nunes’ office has started its own news service, The California Republican.
The website, which features coverage favorable to Nunes and the GOP is just another way the congressman is attempting to evade talking about issues important to them, his detractors say.
“He’s never here and the only place you can find his opinions are on KMJ and Fox News, and his own new little network,” Finney said.
Even more concerning is Nunes’ use of alternative news outlets to protect his political allies.
“He’s been saying there’s no collusion for a year, and surprise, there is,” she said.
Nunes’ reluctance to examine the behavior Trump and his associates is not shared by all members of his party. Senate Intel Chair Richard Burr has made efforts to publicly distance himself from Nunes. Burr has said the, “unmasking thing was all created by Devin Nunes,” and he’s avoided being associated with the Nunes Memo.
“It’s Devin’s memo, so you need to ask him what it means,” Burr told CNN.
Pressure Mounting
With local protests continuing to grow in size, the political pressure against Nunes is also growing.
At its state convention in San Diego last month, the California Democratic Party voted to back the campaign of Andrew Janz. The move means financial and logistical support for the campaign, something the state party has long been reluctant to provide in a district seen as a GOP stronghold.
“The only way we can protect the integrity of the Mueller investigation is to take back the House of Representatives, and that fight runs through California and right through my district,” Janz told KQED during the convention.
Following the release of the Nunes Memo, the Janz campaign had its best fundraising day yet, gathering $164,000.
This piece is either journalistic malpractice, or simply a highly biased editorial. 158,755 people voted for Devin Nunes in 2016. Just because 50 extreme leftists show up in front of his office does not in any way who opposition is “gaining ground”, and you have presented zero evidence of any such claim. The purpose of your article is to create the illusion that Janz has even a chance, hoping to pull non-voting Democrats and undecideds into the action.
Janz’ fundraising is pretty good evidence.
If Devin Nunes had the kind of support that he wants people to believe he has, then he would be holding constituent events left and right, mugging for the cameras with all of his supporters, and crowing about all of his alleged accomplishments. But he is not doing that. Instead he is hiding. Probably because he knows that his long tenure in the House is due more to apathy, mindless party-line voting, and the lack of any significant challengers.
*who = show
Nunes is as worthless as teats on a bull. He has replaced Bachmann as the biggest airhead in the House, which is saying a lot. That “unmasking” incident that the White House tricked him into was breathtaking in its stupidity.
The Valley voice is and always has been run by progressive liberals. There are more constituents behind Congressman Nunes than this slanted piece reads. #MAGA #DevinWeHaveYourBack
Nunes has my support.
This article is unbelievable. Too many false statements to list them all. If anyone reading this article wants to learn more about the subjects mentioned, keep looking.
Surely you have the time to identify three of these “many false statements.” Two? Just one?
Nunes has my full support. Please publish my Letter to the Editor that I submitted last week in regards to the issue.
We were pressed for space, but we’ll try to print it for the issue of the 15th. That said, and having read your letter, could you please elaborate on Nunes’ accomplishments? It would bolster your support of him and strengthen that position.
Is that right, John?
Perhaps if Mr. Nunes would speak to his constituents and members of the local press, he wouldn’t have this problem. Those protests just keep getting bigger, and more people keep approaching me about him.
Maybe he’d like to explain why he took $5,400 from the man who paid for the Steele Dossier?
Perhaps he’d like to tell us why the staff member who he met at the White House the night all this started is now working at Oracle, which is now sending Nunes huge checks?
Maybe he’d like to tell us why he’s spent more time trying to get a giant DoD facility built in the Azores instead of focusing on why we don’t have our own needs met right here in Tulare County?
Maybe he has good reasons for all of that, but he’s not talking to his voters about it. Why not?
Oldenbourg and Co are hair on fire far left liberals. Air heads like Pelosi and Schumer. Keep up the wishful thinking.
Please get your facts right.
https://bak.ourvalleyvoice.com/2017/01/01/congressman-devin-nunes-puts-tulare-county-map/
https://bak.ourvalleyvoice.com/2016/09/15/congressman-nunes-hosts-water-forum-tulare/
FRESNO, Calif. — Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump told California voters Friday that he can solve their water crisis, declaring that: “There is no drought.”
Speaking at a rally in Fresno, Calif., Trump accused state officials of denying water to Central Valley farmers so they can send it out to sea “to protect a certain kind of three-inch fish.”
“We’re going to solve your water problem. You have a water problem that is so insane. It is so ridiculous where they’re taking the water and shoving it out to sea,” Trump said to cheers at a rally that drew thousands.
Trump said he spent 30 minutes before the rally meeting with more than 50 farmers who complained to him about their struggles.
“They don’t understand — nobody understands it,” he said, adding that, “There is no drought.”
So- Has Trump solved your water problem? Or has he played hundreds of rounds of golf with paid security at your expense?
I’ve read about farmers actually turning cow manure into so-called clean drinking water and I initially thought that sounded just gross if not actually crazy. But could it be that these Tulare County Republicans have been drinking that crap by the gallons all along? To support someone who is colluding to help Trump/Putin and the Russians degrade and destroy our democracy is most definitely a person who has s##t for brains!
The Valley Voice is just another platform for liberals to spread their propaganda. They don’t like the fact, that Devin Nunes is exposing corruption and possible criminal behavior to defraud the American of their choice for President. The left is in meltdown mode and disconnected with reality.
Nunes used to be an ineffective but quiet back-bencher. But now he has some seniority and he is an ineffective fat-mouth culture war moron. He has done exactly nothing for water availability in the San Joaquin. I will vote for his strongest challenger until he is gone
This new Trump Republican Party (led by Ryan/McConnell/Nunes) believes that their main mandate is to protect Trump at all costs even though they are all well aware of just how unfit, dirty, and unhinged he is. Is it that their lust for power is so great that they are gladly putting their party politics over country? I used to have a greater respect for Republicans, in fact I voted for many of them. I used to not vote strictly by party lines, I voted for the person. I no longer have that luxury as this current Republican Party no longer represents anything recognizable in regards to respecting our country and its citizens or even the desire to govern and serve the citizens of these United States. How sad it is to see people accept this current downfall of our government and in some cases advocate for it. If a Democrat is unfit for office I have a responsibility in calling for her/his departure. If a Republican is unfit for office I have a responsibility in calling for her/his departure. If an Independent is unfit for office I have a responsibility in calling for her/his departure. Once we the people wanted to better our country for citizens…….now it seems that there are those who reject the idea of “some” not being worthy enough to even live in this country. I never thought I would see the day that a sitting President and those in his political party including those who serve in Sacramento and Washington would protect Russia for its meddling in our elections.
Sorry…. I meant to say “reject the idea of some being worthy enough to even live in this country”.
Forget about Russia. Forget about Trump. Forget about Nunes never meeting with his constituents. Please tell me what, EXACTLY, he has done in the way of introducing legislation and winning jobs and dollars for the PEOPLE of his district? Please be specific. I have examined the record, and I can’t find anything. I would like to know what others have found. Thanks.
” Forget about Nunes never meeting with his constituents.”?
In all candor, meeting with your constituents is something I am not willing to forego in a Representative. That’s pretty much what a Representative needs to do.
Someone who only meets with those who donate enough money is a prostitute.
You already know the answer to your question. Nunes was NOT hired by Tulare County’s rich cartel farmers to find jobs for local constituents or to bring legislation to the floor that just might enrich and help the lives of the local constituents. They put him in to be their own personal lobbyist to do their bidding. Can’t say that they got their monies worth. In the end he has failed them just as he has failed all who voted for him and all of his constituents. They are now finding out that the havoc a Congressman can sow on the national stage has a wide ripple effect and damages not just the county he is supposed to represent but the entire country as a whole. Once someone gets into national office they no longer just represent your county, they are in a position to influence the entire country. So you really should not forget about Russia, Trump, or even Nunes refusing to meet with his constituents. Tulare County is not an isolated island, last time I checked we are still part of the United States. We are also part of the global world for that matter. While we may be just a small but mighty little county what our locally elected congressman does can indeed impact our country’s wellbeing and sovereignty. Nunes and his cohorts in this current Trump Republican Party has gone rogue. The question for you is….. Do you vote to help keep our country safe from tyranny or are you going to help these Trump Republicans continue in the degradation of this great country?
Oh I love reading these posts. Mostly from Never Trumpers and democrats and Visalia dwellers, oops same thing. I will continue to support Devin with time and money. I agree with everything he’s done so far. He said in an interview last week that he’s learned to identify when he’s on target by the way the left turns into crazy pants. That is obvious on this site. I have not enjoyed politics so much in many a year, and I’m 72. Carry on Devin, when they all act like their hair is on fire…you are doing your job.
Well, that’s just weird. I tried to post a comment supporting Devin. A pop up saying I had already said that came on and it won’t post. Kinda explains why there are so few accolades for my congressman. Good job Voice…sarc
Sorry to spoil your paranoia dear Helen but that happened to me as well and I most assuredly do not support “your Devin”! lol
So, Dear Barbara, what was it? If it happened to you and you are anti Devin and it happened to me, a pro Devin. Why did that blurb pop up? Have any ideas…yes that’s what I thought.
That same thing happened to me on Facebook yesterday when I tried to post a comment very similar to one I had posted a few minutes before.