Democratic lawmaker says Nunes threatened to sue him over criticism

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) said Wednesday that a lawyer for Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) threatened to sue him if he did not apologize for saying last month that the Republican conspired with an associate of Rudy Giuliani. 

Lieu’s comments were made in light of an interview Nunes gave on Fox News claiming he had spoken with Lev Parnas, a Giuliani associate, but that he “didn’t know his name.” 

Nunes’s interview was the same night Parnas sat down for an interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow. Parnas in the interview leveled new accusations against President Trump related to the White House pressure campaign in Ukraine in light of the evidence he had recently supplied the House committees overseeing the impeachment process about the communication with the country.

“Amazing Lev Parnas interview on #Maddow,” Lieu tweeted. “Also, I’m disclosing that the lawyer for @DevinNunes wrote a letter saying Rep Nunes will sue me if I didn’t apologize for saying last month that Nunes conspired with Parnas.”

“Devin, I’m adding to my statement: ‘Your pants are on fire,’” Lieu added. 

Amazing Lev Parnas interview on #Maddow. Also, I’m disclosing that the lawyer for @DevinNunes wrote a letter saying Rep Nunes will sue me if I didn’t apologize for saying last month that Nunes conspired with Parnas.

Devin, I’m adding to my statement: “Your pants are on fire.” https://t.co/2nptREunSk

— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) January 16, 2020

A spokesperson for Nunes was not immediately available for comment when contacted by The Hill Wednesday night. 

Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum reportedly asked Nunes about phone records that show he spoke to Parnas just moments after Parnas told Maddow the president “knew exactly what was going on” with Ukraine. 

Nunes said Parnas “had called my cellphone, I didn’t know his name. I didn’t remember his name.” 

He had previously said he couldn’t “recall” having a conversation with Parnas.