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Nunes memo latest: Controversial intelligence report released by Republicans after Donald Trump gives approval Nunes memo latest: Controversial report released by House Intelligence Committee after Donald Trump gives approval
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A controversial memo alleging wrongdoing by the FBI in its investigation of the Trump campaign has been declassified and released to the public.A controversial memo alleging wrongdoing by the FBI in its investigation of the Trump campaign has been declassified and released to the public.
The memo, written by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, raises concerns about the FBI's interactions with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) that it says "represent a troubling breakdown of legal processes established to protect the American people from abuses related to the FISA process".The memo, written by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, raises concerns about the FBI's interactions with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) that it says "represent a troubling breakdown of legal processes established to protect the American people from abuses related to the FISA process".
President Donald Trump allowed the House Intelligence Committee to release the report to the public on Friday without redactions. President Donald Trump allowed the House Intelligence Committee to release the report to the public on Friday without redactions. The President called the contents of the memo "a disgrace". He to say whether he still had faith in Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general overseeing a investigation into possible Trump campaign ties to Russia.
Discussing the memo with reporters, Mr Trump said: "Congress will do whatever they're going to do. But I think it's a disgrace what's happening in our country ... A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves." Democrats claimed the release of the memo was an attempt to discredit this investigation – one which would set a dangerous precedent that would do "long-term damage" to the US intelligence community.
Much of the memo concerns the process by which the FBI obtained a FISA warrant to surveil then-Trump campaign staffer Carter Page, claiming the warrant application was informed largely by a Democrat-funded opposition research dossier compiled by former MI6 agent Christopher Steele. Much of the memo concerns the process by which the FBI obtained a FISA warrant to surveil former Trump campaign staffer Carter Page, claiming the warrant application was informed largely by a Democrat-funded opposition research dossier compiled by former MI6 agent Christopher Steele.
Mr Page called the memo an example of "brave and assiduous oversight," and said he would be updating his pending legal action against the Justice Department.
The memo also briefly mentions texts between an FBI agent and a lawyer for the bureau who worked on the investigation into possible Trump campaign ties to Russia. The memo claims the texts demonstrate "clear bias" against Mr Trump and in favour of Hillary Clinton.The memo also briefly mentions texts between an FBI agent and a lawyer for the bureau who worked on the investigation into possible Trump campaign ties to Russia. The memo claims the texts demonstrate "clear bias" against Mr Trump and in favour of Hillary Clinton.
"The Committee has discovered serious violations of the public trust, and the American people have a right to know when officials in crucial institutions are abusing their authority for political purposes," Mr Nunes said, adding that he hoped the memo's release would "shine a light on the alarming series of events"."The Committee has discovered serious violations of the public trust, and the American people have a right to know when officials in crucial institutions are abusing their authority for political purposes," Mr Nunes said, adding that he hoped the memo's release would "shine a light on the alarming series of events".
Republicans and Democrats have fiercely debated the release of the memo since last month, when Mr Nunes made it available to members of the House. Republicans claim the memo contains "shocking" allegations that the American public needs to see. Democrats say the memo is an attempt to discredit the Justice Department's Russia investigation. Republicans and Democrats have fiercely debated the release of the memo since last month, when Mr Nunes made it available to members of the House. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, claimed the memo "mischaracterises highly sensitive classified information" in order to suit Republicans' political aims.
Mr Trump declined to say on Friday whether he still had faith in Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who is overseeing the investigation. “Chairman Nunes’ decision ... to publicly release misleading allegations against the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation is a shameful effort to discredit these institutions, undermine the Special Counsel’s ongoing investigation, and undercut congressional probes," Mr Schiff said.
Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, previously called the Republican memo as a “highly misleading” attempt to undermine special counsel Robert Mueller, the attorney leading the investigation. The memo, Mr Schiff said, “seeks to selectively and misleadingly characterise classified information in an effort to protect the President at any cost.” The Representative claimed the FISA warrant to surveil Mr Page had been properly obtained, and was not based entirely on the controversial Steele dossier. He added that Democrats would seek a vote to release their response to the memo, which he claimed pointed out several other factual errors.
The FBI cautioned against releasing the memo in a rare public statement this week, saying they had "grave concerns" about its accuracy. The FBI cautioned against releasing the memo in a rare public statement this week, saying they had "grave concerns" about its accuracy. 
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