US Congress declassifies Trump-endorsed memo claiming FBI abused its power in Russia investigation
The investigation agency had told the US president that the document contained inaccuracies, an objection he ignored.
The United States Congress on Friday released a Republican Party memo alleging abuse of power in investigations into President Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign, AFP reported. The president has accused the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the US Justice Department of bias against him.
House Intelligence Committee chairperson Devin Nunes drafted the document, after Trump gave him the go-ahead. The US president ignored the advice of the FBI, which had said that the memo contained inaccuracies.
“What is happening in our country is a disgrace,” Trump said as he announced the memo. “A lot of people should be ashamed. So I sent it over to Congress. They will do what they are going to do. Whatever they do is fine. It was declassified, and let us see what happens.”
The document claims that the FBI used a research report funded by the Democratic Party to put Trump adviser Carter Page under surveillance. White House counsel Don McGahn wrote in a letter attached to the memo that it was declassified “in light of the significant public interest in the memorandum.”
However, the FBI issued a warning against the document. It said the memo contained “material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo’s accuracy.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Nancy Pelosi, and eight other Democrats issued a statement claiming that the memo was an attempt to sabotage the investigation into Russia’s interference in the US elections. They alleged that the document was a move towards firing Russia inquiry chief Robert Mueller, and warned that this could cause a “constitutional crisis”.
On January 24, Trump had said he was “looking forward” to be interviewed under oath about allegations of Russian meddling. Responding to queries if he thought the interrogation would be fair, Trump said: “We are going to find out.”