GOP Rep. Dent: ‘Russia investigation speaks to our transparency’

Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) said Friday that the various investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election speak to the GOP’s “transparency” despite weeks of attacks on FBI agents’ credibility from Republican lawmakers.

Dent told CNN’s “New Day” that the investigations, including Robert Mueller’s special counsel investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, should be allowed to conclude unhindered before Americans jump to conclusions.

“I believe the Russia investigation speaks to our transparency, in many ways,” Dent said Friday. “The fact is, the Russians meddled in the election, we all know that. They didn’t only meddle here, they meddled throughout the world, and it’s important this be investigated both by Congress and by [former FBI] Director Mueller.”

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“I think Director Mueller, he’s a man of integrity, he’s been fair, and we ought to let him do his work, see what he finds, before we all jump to conclusions,” Dent added.

Prompted by CNN’s Alisyn Camerota, Dent also responded to his Republican colleague Rep. Francis Rooney (R-Fla.), who on Wednesday called for a “purge” of the FBI. Rooney warned of a “deep state” Wednesday on MSNBC before walking his comments back slightly later.

“I don’t want to discredit them. I would like to see the directors of those agencies purge it,” Rooney said.

“And say, look, we’ve got a lot of great agents, a lot of great lawyers here, those are the people that I want the American people to see and know the good works being done, not these people who are kind of the deep state.”

Dent said he disagreed with the comments, before rebuking Republicans for seemingly walking away from the GOP’s traditional place as the party of law enforcement.

“Well first, let me say I do think Congressman Rooney did walk back the ‘purge’ statement, which I certainly disagreed with that statement, but on the broader issue of the FBI, I believe it’s important as Republicans that we have traditionally been the party of law enforcement, not just the federal level but state and local level as well.”

“So I don’t think it’s helpful for Republicans to stand up and say things that could potentially undermine the capability of the FBI to operate as they should,” he added.

Dent announced in September that he will not seek another term when his current term in the House is up in 2018. He is co-chairman of the Tuesday Group, a caucus of moderate House Republicans.