Leaked recording: Nunes speaks at Rep. McMorris Rodgers fundraiser

Joe Scarborough blasted Devin Nunes on Thursday over the congressman's newly-revealed statements about doing everything he can to protect President Trump from the ongoing investigations into Russian Federation.

In the wake of leaked audio of House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA) admitting that the House has to keep its Republican majority to block Donald Trump's impeachment, CNN counterintelligence analyst Phil Mudd exploded with criticism of the California Republican.

In response to what Nunes is heard saying on the tapes, Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) said the comments should be disqualifying for an elected member of Congress. He called this a "classic Catch-22 situation", appearing to confuse a "tough spot" - also his words - with a situation in which contradictory conditions make escape impossible.

"I mean, we have to keep all these seats". Which is really the danger.

"It's a matter of timing", Nunes said.

Asked about the the impeachment plans, Nunes told a questioner that "it's a bit complicated" because "we only have so many months left".

Remember, while it's Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein who has the power the fire Mueller right now, Trump also has the constitutional power to direct repeal of a regulation that the attorney general alone may fire a special counsel.

Democratic lawmakers and pundits quickly condemned the remarks, saying they indicated Nunes was attempting to obstruct justice by suggesting Rosenstein's investigation, headed by special counsel Robert Mueller, should be quashed. "And then take the risk of not getting Kavanaugh confirmed", Nunes said.

He added: "We have to keep the majority".

"So if we actually vote to impeach, OK, what that does is that triggers the Senate then has to take it up", he said, explaining that it could take away from other priorities of Congress. "But ultimately let's say the Portuguese came and brought her some stolen emails, and she chose to release those".

In the 40-minute recording, Nunes gives his candid thoughts on a variety of issues, from the Mueller investigation and the president's tweets, to why he thinks efforts to impeach Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein should be tabled until after the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Nunes, along with Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), introduced articles of impeachment against Rosenstein last week. "Well, if that's the case, then that's criminal". "I don't think you're gonna get any argument from most of our colleagues".

"You have to decide what you want right now because the Senate only has so much time". Since Jeff Sessions is recused on the matter of the Russian Federation probe, the responsibility of deciding whether or not to fire Mueller, if Trump were to ask for this, falls to Rosenstein.