assume it's all indeed a bunch of hyperbolized conspiracy theory BS designed to be "a weapon of mass distraction" as the left has claimed from the start, Shep is saying here, and we've seen Warner and others say isn't substantiated by the facts they've seen. And I'm certainly not discounting that possibility and have been a bit skeptical from the start.

But if that's indeed the case, WTH is he thinking? He has to know he'll be exposed eventually if it's all BS, and he'll be looked at as a complete laughingstock that can't be trusted (even by those that don't already claim he is that). That would seem like a death blow in D.C. to me. I can even understand some of the Freedom Caucus minions no one knows that have been sent out a la Goetze(?) and Goodlatte that's announced he's done thinking it won't make any difference in their careers, but why would Nunes (and other big name pols pushing the narrative) trash his career like that? Has he announced he's not running again?