Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) slammed President Trump’s decision Monday to order that certain documents related to the Russia investigation be declassified. Schiff called the release an “abuse of power,” arguing that it compromises the FBI’s sources and methods.
President Trump ordered the release of all text messages, without redaction, related to the Russia investigation from fired FBI Director James Comey, fired Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe, fired FBI agent Peter Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page.
He also ordered the release of reports of interviews with Bruce Ohr and the FISA surveillance warrant application related to his former campaign advisor Carter Page.
“President Trump, in a clear abuse of power, has decided to intervene in a pending law enforcement investigation by ordering the selective release of materials he believes are helpful to his defense team and thinks will advance a false narrative,” Rep. Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement.
“With respect to some of these materials, I have been previously informed by the FBI and Justice Department that they would consider their release a red line that must not be crossed as they may compromise sources and methods,” he claimed. “This is evidently of no consequence to a President who cares about nothing about the country and everything about his narrow self-interest.”
Republicans praised the move, arguing that it would create more transparency around the investigation.
Transparency wins. This is absolutely the right call from @POTUS.
— Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) September 17, 2018
It's time to get the full truth on the table so the American people can decide for themselves on what happened at the highest levels of their FBI and Justice Department. https://t.co/1IJTHvWaF5