With this latest internecine insult, Nunes has lost whatever remaining shred of credibility he could claim qualified him to lead the House Intelligence Committee. And that’s why it’s now on Speaker Paul Ryan to assert his principled independence by replacing Nunes as Chairman. In some ways, it’s a shame because Nunes had a decent reputation before assuming chairmanship of the House Intelligence Committee. But this position seems to have made him more of a hack instead of elevating his game.

The once and future dairy farmer should know when he’s shoveling manure. And Speaker Ryan should recognize that the integrity of the institution he leads requires that he admit the problem and correct it quickly before Trump’s contagion further compromises the co-equal branch of government.