We (at least everyone in Washington) is awaiting President Trump's declassification of a memo prepared by the House Intelligence Committee detailing abuses at the FBI during the 2016 presidential election. Republicans have defended its contents and voted for its release. The FBI, however, released a rare public statement Wednesday sharing its "grave concerns" over the validity of the document.
Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) agreed the FBI should be worried - for its own good.
Having read “The Memo,” the FBI is right to have “grave concerns” - as it will shake the organization down to its core - showing Americans just how the agency was weaponized by the Obama officials/DNC/HRC to target political adversaries. #ReleaseTheMemo
— Rep. Jeff Duncan (@RepJeffDuncan) February 1, 2018
Duncan followed up that tweet by noting the memo should absolutely not be redacted, for transparency's sake.
FBI Calling for names to be “redacted” in “The Memo” defeats the purpose of “The Memo” in providing the transparency into the rogue actions of those named! Seems like FBI in total CYA mode after Wray read Memo#Transparency #ReleaseTheMemo #AmericansHaveTheRightToKbow
— Rep. Jeff Duncan (@RepJeffDuncan) February 1, 2018
The memo reportedly exposes that the FBI is guilty of FISA violations, unmasking the identities of private citizens during the general election. On his way to the State of the Union podium Tuesday, President Trump told Duncan that he'd "100 percent" approve release of the memo.
Donald Trump Jr. tweeted that the whole mess was getting "scary."
This is getting scary. So McCabe got fired because of it and no one who has seen it (including FBI) seems to doubt the validity of it but now the people who help unmask private citizens want to mask the perpetrators identities? Do I have that right? Insanity. https://t.co/pBXUF0h7ml
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) February 1, 2018
Democrats have condemned the release of the memo, arguing that it will threaten national security.
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, even accused Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA) of altering the memo without other members' knowledge. That charge resulted in House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's demanding he be removed as chairman. No go, said House Speaker Paul Ryan, who defended Nunes at the GOP retreat Thursday. The chairman is simply trying to keep Americans "safe," Ryan said.
"If American civil liberties were abused," he added, "then that needs to come to light so that does not happen again."
For more on #memogate, read Guy's latest.