GOP ‘Secret Memo’ Targets Rod Rosenstein

Rod Rosenstein Image by Getty Images

By Nathan Guttman January 29, 2018

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has long topped the list of Justice Department officials whom President Trump accuses of being responsible for the prolonged probe into his campaign’s possible ties with Russia during the 2016 election campaign.

Now, Rosenstein is also the focus of what is known as the ‘secret memo’ – a document put together by Republican staffers on the House Intelligence Committee in which they claim that the Justice Department did not disclose all needed information when requesting permission from a special intelligence court to surveil Trump campaign officials.

According to The New York Times, the memo singles out Rosenstein for approving the application to continue surveillance of former Trump adviser Carter Page, who is suspected of cooperating with the Russians. The memo implies that Rosenstein’s motion failed to mention to the court that it relies, at least in part, on a private investigation commissioned by Democrats now known as the “Steele dossier.”

While Rosenstein was originally praised for appointing Robert Mueller as special counsel after Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself, Rosenstein has come under increased criticism from the right. Trump has since questioned Rosenstein’s impartiality and is now reportedly frustrated with him, according to the Times.

Contact Nathan Guttman at [email protected] or on Twitter @nathanguttman

Nathan Guttman, staff writer, was the Forward’s Washington bureau chief. He joined the staff in 2006 after serving for five years as Washington correspondent for the Israeli dailies Haaretz and The Jerusalem Post. In Israel, he was the features editor for Ha’aretz and chief editor of Channel 1 TV evening news. He was born in Canada and grew up in Israel. He is a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO