Rep. Mike Conaway addresses Russian investigation

EASTLAND — When U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway was asked last week to lead the federal government's investigation into possible Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election, he was excited. Then, he said, that excitement grew as he recognized the opportunity in front of him.

Conaway, speaking to a town hall gathering of constituents at the Connellee Hotel and Civic Center in Eastland on Thursday, said he sees the chance to reach across the aisle to his Democratic colleagues and get to the bottom of what happened leading up to the November election of President Donald Trump.

To Conaway, it's about finding answers and giving them to the American people. No matter who is affected, the Midland Republican said.

"I've got an opportunity to, or we, (U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-California) and I, have an opportunity to reset that narrative, that we can take those jerseys off and get to the answers," Conaway said after finishing his roughly 90-minute town hall meeting. "Whatever those answers might be, whoever it hurts or whatever. Let's just get those facts and that's kind of where our drive is, is to make that happen. If we can do that on a bipartisan basis, it would be a terrific example to the rest of what we try to do, that every once in a while we can listen to each other and not be so concerned about the jersey I'm wearing as the result we're trying to get to."

Conaway has been thrust into the national spotlight since being tasked with leading the House Intelligence Committee's investigation after the panel's chairman, U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes, R-California, recused himself when questions about secret meetings at the White House came up. Schiff is the ranking Democrat on the panel.

After FBI Director James Comey revealed that some of President Trump's advisers and political allies were under investigation for suspected collusion with Russian intelligence, Nunes reportedly visited the White House twice. It's believed he attended an intelligence briefing the first time and provided a briefing to the president during his second visit.

A seven-term congressman, Conaway is the second-highest ranking Republican member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Although Conaway previously has joked about the allegations of Russian involvement  — comparing the hack of Democratic  operative emails to Mexican entertainers campaigning for Hillary Clinton, and Russian alliances to Big 12 football allegiances — he was serious with constituents Thursday.

He said he isn't concerned about the possibility that this investigation will turn into another Benghazi scenario, in which the answers provided by a bipartisan group are questioned and not believed.

"To be concerned about it means I could do something about it. And I can't," Conaway said. "I've got an investigation, I've got certain tools, I've got a good partner."

During Thursday's town hall, Conaway addressed the GOP's failed attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act — commonly referred to as Obamacare — and discussed tax reform ahead of the 2018 federal budget.

Conaway said a few factors contributed to the failure of the American Health Care Act, supported by House Republicans and the president, which had been intended to replace the Affordable Care Act.

One factor was a feeling by newly elected representatives that they needed to contribute to the discussion concerning what became the final product.

He also said a bunch of individual Republicans came together with different ideas for what the fix needs to be. However, after spending about six years complaining about the current system, combining those ideas was a little difficult.

"There were a variety of plans," Conaway said. "But there was never any event ... to reconcile all of those into one bill."

Questions from those in attendance included thoughts on school choice, equal pay for men and women in the workplace, immigration, Trump's proposed border wall and the president's tax returns.

Conaway addressed the possibility of school choice, including a voucher program previously supported by now-Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, becoming national policy.

He said he is against public funding being used to support private and religious educational institutions, though he did recognize the need for improvement of public schools.

"Vouchers could help incentivize some public schools to perform at a higher level," he said. "But I don't believe tax dollars should support private or religious education."

He said he is in favor of Trump's proposed cuts to the Education Department, though, saying the federal government shouldn't be involved in the schooling of Texas students in Eastland or anywhere else.

"Public schools in Texas have to work because they're the last resort," he said. "It's the responsibility of the people of Eastland and Austin to make sure the schools are succeeding."

Several of the morning session's attendees were pleased with Conaway's interest in speaking and listening to them. Corrie Crowley, of Eastland, prefaced her comments and questions to the congressman by saying the two of them don't agree on anything.

But having a congressman who cares enough to have the conversation with her is important, disagreements or not.

"I appreciate him coming and being willing to listen to us," she said. "That's important."