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| Trump Says F.B.I. and Justice Dept. Have ‘Politicized’ Investigative Process | Trump Says F.B.I. and Justice Dept. Have ‘Politicized’ Investigative Process |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| WASHINGTON — Top officials and investigators at the F.B.I. and Justice Department have “politicized the sacred investigative process,” President Trump said on Friday, hours before the White House is expected to clear the way for Congress to release a controversial memo that is said to describe a bias among senior law enforcement officials. | WASHINGTON — Top officials and investigators at the F.B.I. and Justice Department have “politicized the sacred investigative process,” President Trump said on Friday, hours before the White House is expected to clear the way for Congress to release a controversial memo that is said to describe a bias among senior law enforcement officials. |
| The early-morning Twitter post reinforced reports that Mr. Trump, in allowing the Republican memo to be released, is seeking to clean house in the upper ranks of the F.B.I. and the Justice Department, even at the risk of losing his own F.B.I. director, Christopher A. Wray. Earlier this week, Mr. Wray made an unusual public plea not to release the document, which could reveal classified sources and methods. | The early-morning Twitter post reinforced reports that Mr. Trump, in allowing the Republican memo to be released, is seeking to clean house in the upper ranks of the F.B.I. and the Justice Department, even at the risk of losing his own F.B.I. director, Christopher A. Wray. Earlier this week, Mr. Wray made an unusual public plea not to release the document, which could reveal classified sources and methods. |
| Blaming senior government officials for favoring Democratics over Republicans is among the main themes in the memo, according to people who have seen it. The memo is said to accuse federal law enforcement officials of abusing their authorities when they sought permission to surveil former Trump campaign adviser, Carter Page. | Blaming senior government officials for favoring Democratics over Republicans is among the main themes in the memo, according to people who have seen it. The memo is said to accuse federal law enforcement officials of abusing their authorities when they sought permission to surveil former Trump campaign adviser, Carter Page. |
| Mr. Trump had an opportunity to block the memo, which his own top national security officials have requested because of national security concerns. But a senior administration official said that the president was expected to tell Congress on Friday that the memo could be released without redactions. The document was written by aides to Representative Devin Nunes of California, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee who has been an avid supporter of Mr. Trump. | Mr. Trump had an opportunity to block the memo, which his own top national security officials have requested because of national security concerns. But a senior administration official said that the president was expected to tell Congress on Friday that the memo could be released without redactions. The document was written by aides to Representative Devin Nunes of California, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee who has been an avid supporter of Mr. Trump. |
| The House was scheduled to hold a brief session with no votes at 4:30 on Friday afternoon, which could provide Mr. Nunes the necessary venue to make the memo public if Mr. Trump has consented to its release. | |
| Democrats who have seen the memo say it is a Republican attempt to push a narrative that would undercut the investigation into Russia’s 2016 election meddling and possible coordination with the Trump campaign. | Democrats who have seen the memo say it is a Republican attempt to push a narrative that would undercut the investigation into Russia’s 2016 election meddling and possible coordination with the Trump campaign. |
| In response to Mr. Trump’s Twitter post on Friday, Representative Adam B. Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said it is unthinkable that the top elected official in the United States would release classified information to attack the F.B.I. | In response to Mr. Trump’s Twitter post on Friday, Representative Adam B. Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said it is unthinkable that the top elected official in the United States would release classified information to attack the F.B.I. |
| Mr. Schiff and other Democrats on the Intelligence Committee drafted their own memo, a rebuttal which they say adds context to the Republican document. Republicans on the committee voted not to release the Democratic memo, but did support a motion that all lawmakers be allowed to review it. | Mr. Schiff and other Democrats on the Intelligence Committee drafted their own memo, a rebuttal which they say adds context to the Republican document. Republicans on the committee voted not to release the Democratic memo, but did support a motion that all lawmakers be allowed to review it. |
| House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, of Wisconsin, supports the release of that second memo “in favor of greater transparency,” Mr. Ryan’s spokeswoman AshLee Strong said on Friday. “If it is scrubbed to ensure it does not reveal sources and methods of our intelligence gathering, the speaker supports the release of the Democrats’ memo,” Ms. Strong said. | House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, of Wisconsin, supports the release of that second memo “in favor of greater transparency,” Mr. Ryan’s spokeswoman AshLee Strong said on Friday. “If it is scrubbed to ensure it does not reveal sources and methods of our intelligence gathering, the speaker supports the release of the Democrats’ memo,” Ms. Strong said. |
| Mr. Trump has consistently criticized the F.B.I. and the Justice Department while asking senior officials for loyalty. The president has also denounced the Russian investigation and called it a hoax and a witch hunt. | Mr. Trump has consistently criticized the F.B.I. and the Justice Department while asking senior officials for loyalty. The president has also denounced the Russian investigation and called it a hoax and a witch hunt. |
| Mr. Ryan told reporters on Thursday that the memo was not an attempt to undercut the Russia investigation. Instead, he described it as Congress carrying out its oversight role. | Mr. Ryan told reporters on Thursday that the memo was not an attempt to undercut the Russia investigation. Instead, he described it as Congress carrying out its oversight role. |
| “This memo is not an indictment of the F.B.I., of the Department of Justice. It does not impugn the Mueller investigation or the deputy attorney general,” he said, referring to Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel investigating the Russian election meddling and whether Mr. Trump obstructed justice. | “This memo is not an indictment of the F.B.I., of the Department of Justice. It does not impugn the Mueller investigation or the deputy attorney general,” he said, referring to Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel investigating the Russian election meddling and whether Mr. Trump obstructed justice. |
| Republicans who have seen the three-and-a-half page memo say it described a political bias that influenced a key decision in the early stages of the Russia investigation. | Republicans who have seen the three-and-a-half page memo say it described a political bias that influenced a key decision in the early stages of the Russia investigation. |
| Mr. Page was on the radar of intelligence agencies for years when Mr. Trump named him to be one of his foreign policy advisers in 2016. He had visited Moscow in July 2016 and was preparing to return there that December when investigators obtained the warrant. White House officials have described Mr. Page as a gadfly who had been “put on notice” by the campaign and whom Mr. Trump did not know. | Mr. Page was on the radar of intelligence agencies for years when Mr. Trump named him to be one of his foreign policy advisers in 2016. He had visited Moscow in July 2016 and was preparing to return there that December when investigators obtained the warrant. White House officials have described Mr. Page as a gadfly who had been “put on notice” by the campaign and whom Mr. Trump did not know. |