House Speaker Paul Ryan backed the release of a contentious memo that accuses the FBI and Justice Department of improperly investigating the Trump campaign
House Speaker Paul Ryan backed the release of a contentious memo that accuses the FBI and Justice Department of improperly investigating the Trump campaign.
“I think we should disclose all this stuff,” Ryan told reporters Tuesday morning, adding it was important to protect classified sources.
But, he said, releasing the GOP document is “the best disinfectant” and could root out what “may have been malfeasance at the FBI by certain individuals.”
“That helps us clean up any problems we have with [the Justice Department] and FBI,” Ryan said of unveiling the memo.
The House Intelligence Committee, which is investigating Russian election meddling, voted along party lines Monday night to release the controversial document.
It was penned by the staff of Intelligence Chair Devin Nunes, R-Calif., who’s come under fire for his handling of the panel’s probe.
Chief among their concerns was a surveillance warrant, approved by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein not long after he was sworn in last spring, to monitor former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.
The memo argues the DOJ and FBI didn’t show enough cause when bringing the warrant to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, the New York Times reported.
Ryan also tried to clarify to his fellow House Republicans they should draw a distinction between the charges in the memo and the separate investigation undertaken by special counsel Robert Mueller.
“I think because of all the loose political rhetoric floating around here, we need to make sure we explain that there is a separation between these things,” Ryan said.
Ryan’s comments come a day after FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe resigned amid longrunning pressure from President Trump. The veteran lawman was reportedly pressured to step down ahead of the memo’s release as well as an inspector general’s report on his possible conflicts of interest.
The commander-in-chief has long accused McCabe of being unfair against him, while biased for Hillary Clinton, because of his wife’s political affiliations.
The White House is reviewing the memo, and has five days to decide if it could be released to the public. The president is “very likely” to give it the green light, a source told CNN.
Democrats have argued the GOP memo’s release should be halted until the committee can approve the release of their own memo. House members on the panel voted Monday night against releasing the Democratic document.
Ryan, speaking Tuesday, said the House shouldn’t hold off until that contradicting report is released.
