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White House 'to release' secret memo on FBI | White House 'to release' secret memo on FBI |
(35 minutes later) | |
A Republican-drafted memo alleging FBI bias against US President Donald Trump will be released on Friday, a senior White House official says. | A Republican-drafted memo alleging FBI bias against US President Donald Trump will be released on Friday, a senior White House official says. |
Mr Trump is expected to declassify the document and send it to Congress for release, according to US media. | Mr Trump is expected to declassify the document and send it to Congress for release, according to US media. |
The FBI has voiced "grave concerns" about the release of the memo, which is expected to have redactions. | The FBI has voiced "grave concerns" about the release of the memo, which is expected to have redactions. |
It reportedly says the FBI misled an intelligence court to obtain a warrant to spy on the Trump election campaign. | It reportedly says the FBI misled an intelligence court to obtain a warrant to spy on the Trump election campaign. |
Democrats say the memo is a ruse to discredit a federal inquiry into links between President Trump's presidential campaign and Russia. | Democrats say the memo is a ruse to discredit a federal inquiry into links between President Trump's presidential campaign and Russia. |
The four-page document was compiled by aides for House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes, a member of Mr Trump's Republican party. | |
What does the memo say? | What does the memo say? |
It reportedly accuses the FBI and justice department of misleading a judge in March last year while seeking to extend a surveillance warrant against Carter Page, who was a foreign policy adviser to the 2016 Trump election campaign. | It reportedly accuses the FBI and justice department of misleading a judge in March last year while seeking to extend a surveillance warrant against Carter Page, who was a foreign policy adviser to the 2016 Trump election campaign. |
The memo is said to argue that the FBI and justice department did not tell the judge that some of their justification for the warrant relied on a much-disputed Trump-Russia dossier. | The memo is said to argue that the FBI and justice department did not tell the judge that some of their justification for the warrant relied on a much-disputed Trump-Russia dossier. |
Compiled by former a British intelligence agent, that dossier was financed in part through the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to dig up dirt on Mr Trump. | |
Unnamed sources told Reuters news agency the Republican memo is misleading because all the dossier excerpts used in the FBI warrant application were independently confirmed by US intelligence. | Unnamed sources told Reuters news agency the Republican memo is misleading because all the dossier excerpts used in the FBI warrant application were independently confirmed by US intelligence. |
Mr Page, the former Trump adviser, testified before a congressional committee last November that he met Russian government officials during a trip to Moscow in July 2016. | Mr Page, the former Trump adviser, testified before a congressional committee last November that he met Russian government officials during a trip to Moscow in July 2016. |
What are Democrats' objections? | What are Democrats' objections? |
Congressional Democratic leaders called on Thursday for Mr Nunes' immediate removal as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. | Congressional Democratic leaders called on Thursday for Mr Nunes' immediate removal as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. |
They accuse him of seeking to undermine inquiries into whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin or obstructed US investigators. | They accuse him of seeking to undermine inquiries into whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin or obstructed US investigators. |
The US House Intelligence Committee's top Democrat, Adam Schiff, says Republicans have also amended the memo. | The US House Intelligence Committee's top Democrat, Adam Schiff, says Republicans have also amended the memo. |
Mr Schiff said Republicans changed the text after the Republicans who control the panel voted on Monday to release the document. | Mr Schiff said Republicans changed the text after the Republicans who control the panel voted on Monday to release the document. |
He said Mr Nunes sent the White House a version of the memo that had been "materially altered". | He said Mr Nunes sent the White House a version of the memo that had been "materially altered". |
But an unnamed Republican aide said the amendments were grammatical changes and "minor edits", including two tweaks requested by the FBI and by Democrats. | But an unnamed Republican aide said the amendments were grammatical changes and "minor edits", including two tweaks requested by the FBI and by Democrats. |
The aide accused Democrats of an "increasingly strange attempt to thwart publication". | The aide accused Democrats of an "increasingly strange attempt to thwart publication". |
Why is the Department of Justice objecting? | Why is the Department of Justice objecting? |
The president's declassification of the memo could pit him against his own Department of Justice. | The president's declassification of the memo could pit him against his own Department of Justice. |
The agency, which oversees the FBI, has warned that the memo's release could jeopardise underlying intelligence used to draft it. | The agency, which oversees the FBI, has warned that the memo's release could jeopardise underlying intelligence used to draft it. |
FBI Director Christopher Wray, who was appointed by President Trump, said on Thursday he will issue a rebuttal if the document is released. | FBI Director Christopher Wray, who was appointed by President Trump, said on Thursday he will issue a rebuttal if the document is released. |
The FBI issued a rare rebuke on Wednesday to the president and his fellow Republicans in Congress. | The FBI issued a rare rebuke on Wednesday to the president and his fellow Republicans in Congress. |
The law enforcement bureau voiced "grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo's accuracy". | The law enforcement bureau voiced "grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo's accuracy". |