U.S.

Even Democratic Senator Wants Fusion GPS To Testify Publically

Published

9 years ago

January 5, 2018

(Via The Daily Caller)

The top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee dismissed a complaint made this week by Fusion GPS, the opposition research firm behind the infamous Trump dossier.

In an op-ed at The New York Times, two of Fusion’s co-founders called on three congressional committees to release transcripts of 21 hours of testimony that members of the firm have provided as part of the ongoing Russia investigations.

“Republicans have refused to release full transcripts of our firm’s testimony, even as they selectively leak details to media outlets on the far right. It’s time to share what our company told investigators,” wrote Glenn Simpson and Peter Fritsch, two of Fusion’s partners.

But Virginia Sen. Mark Warner suggested on Wednesday that releasing transcripts is not a feasible idea.

“We don’t normally release prior testimony because it may further impugn witnesses from coming forward,” Warner told CNN’s Anderson Cooper.

Instead, Warner suggested an alternative: call Fusion GPS partners back to testify in public.

“What may even be a better option is to bring back the Fusion GPS folks and let them testify in public and lay out to the American public what they believe happened,” the Democrat said earlier in the day during an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.

Warner’s comments echo those of Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

In response to the Fusion op-ed, Grassley’s office released a scathing statement asserting that Fusion had already declined an “opportunity for transparency.”

Taylor Foy, a spokesman for Grassley, said that “despite his public statements, Mr. Simpson and his attorney demanded during the interview that the transcript be kept confidential.”

Foy also said that the committee did not want to release a transcript of Simpson’s testimony in order to avoid “tainting the memory of other witnesses.

Simpson was interviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Aug. 22. He was interviewed by the House Intelligence Committee on Nov. 14. Fritsch and another Fusion GPS partner, Thomas Catan, met with the House panel on Oct. 18 but pleaded the fifth.

In his statement, Foy also noted that Simpson invoked the fifth when facing a subpoena from the Judiciary panel. As Warner did on CNN, Foy reiterated the committee’s invitation to Simpson to testify publicly.

“The Committee’s invitation for Mr. Simpson to testify at a public hearing remains on the table,” he said.

In response to Grassley’s statement, Fusion GPS lawyer Josh Levy issued a statement reiterating the call to release the interview transcript.

“Having had the opportunity to review the transcript, Fusion GPS wants it released,” Levy said.

He did not commit to Fusion partners testifying publicly. Instead, Levy questioned why former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Donald Trump Jr. have not been pressed to testify in an open hearing.

Iowa

“Despite What You All Think”: Nearly $150 Million in New Water Commitments Follow Reynolds’ Defense of Iowa’s Record

Published

3 days ago

July 18, 2026

Pepe Jones

Gov. Kim Reynolds defended Iowa’s water-quality efforts and the stewardship of farmers during a May 1 press conference. In the weeks that followed, the state and federal governments committed approximately $148.3 million in clearly identifiable new water funding and financing.

During a May 1, 2026, press conference announcing Iowa’s “Farm to Faucet” proposal, Gov. Kim Reynolds pushed back when reporters questioned the condition of Iowa’s water.

“Despite what you all think,” Reynolds told the group of reporters before defending Iowa’s investments and arguing that farmers care about protecting their land because they intend to pass it down to their children.

The governor’s defense came as Iowa continued confronting concerns involving nitrates, lead pipes, PFAS contamination, aging treatment facilities and rural water infrastructure. Reynolds announced what her administration promoted as a nearly $320 million water-quality package spanning 12 years. The proposal was signed into law on June 1 and took effect July 1.

How Much of the $320 Million Is Actually New?

The nearly $320 million headline does not represent $320 million in entirely new state spending.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture’s own announcement states that the legislation works partly by “re-directing existing dollars.” Approximately $76 million can be clearly identified as new or additional state funding:

$52 million over 12 years for conservation practices in the Greater Des Moines watershed.
$6 million over 12 years for additional water-quality monitoring, based on an additional $500,000 annually.
$8 million as a one-time investment in drinking-water and wastewater treatment grants.
$10 million to establish the Rural Iowa Infrastructure Bank, which will provide low-interest loans for smaller communities.

That equals approximately $76 million in clearly new state commitments—about 24% of the administration’s advertised $320 million package.

Another $25 million is designated for Central Iowa Water Works to expand nitrate-removal capacity. However, the state says that money will come from the existing balance of an underused program, meaning it is redirected funding rather than an entirely new appropriation. Other portions of the $320 million package similarly involve restructuring existing water-excise-tax revenue and moving money between programs.

More Than $72 Million in Federal Support Followed

Separate from Reynolds’ state package, federal agencies announced approximately $72.3 million in water-related funding and financing for Iowa after her May 1 comments.

The documented federal commitments include:

$46.116 million announced by the Environmental Protection Agency on May 20 for identifying and replacing lead service lines.
$9.457 million announced by the EPA on May 19 for PFAS testing, planning and treatment projects in small or disadvantaged Iowa communities.
$344,000 announced on June 26 for small and rural drinking-water systems.
$16.373 million announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for rural Iowa water infrastructure, including new wells, a treatment plant, a water tower and pipelines. Of that amount, approximately $15.5 million consists of loans and $874,000 consists of grants.

The federal money addresses several different problems, including lead exposure, PFAS, insufficient rural water supplies and aging infrastructure. It should not be presented as though every dollar directly addresses agricultural nitrate runoff.

The Combined Total

Since Reynolds’ May 1 remarks, the clearly identifiable commitments are:

New state funding: approximately $76 million
Federal funding and financing: approximately $72.3 million
Combined total: approximately $148.3 million

These numbers represent appropriations, allotments, grants, loan funds and financing commitments. They do not mean that all $148.3 million has already been spent or that the projects have been completed.

The state portion is also spread across as many as 12 years, while several federal awards will flow through state or local programs before construction begins.

Still, the scale and timing of the investments matter. Reynolds told reporters, “Despite what you all think,” while defending Iowa’s water record. Yet within weeks, her administration signed a major water package and federal agencies committed tens of millions more to Iowa’s lead pipes, PFAS contamination, nitrate-treatment capacity and struggling rural water systems.

Investment is welcome, but the funding itself demonstrates that Iowa faces real and costly water challenges. The final measure of success will not be the size of a press-release headline. It will be whether nitrate levels decline, unsafe pipes are removed, rural systems become reliable and Iowa residents can trust the water flowing from their faucets.