Trump’s Declassifying Of Russia Docs A ‘Clear Abuse Of Power,’ Schiff Says
Rep. Adam Schiff Image by Getty Images
Influential Jewish congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) called President Trump’s plan to declassify documents related to the Russia election-meddling investigation a “clear abuse of power.”
Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, made the statement Monday after the White House ordered the release of materials, including text messages from investigators and information about the surveillance of former Trump aide Carter Page.
“With respect to some of these materials, I have been previously informed by the FBI and Justice Department that they would consider their release a red line that must not be crossed as they may compromise sources and methods,” Schiff said in the statement. “This is evidently of no consequence to a President who cares about nothing about the country and everything about his narrow self-interest.”
The president has called the investigations into his former campaign staff and potential Russian meddling a “witch hunt.”
..This is a terrible situation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now, before it continues to stain our country any further. Bob Mueller is totally conflicted, and his 17 Angry Democrats that are doing his dirty work are a disgrace to USA!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) defended the move as revealing anti-Trump bias by investigators.
“These documents will reveal to the American people some of the systemic corruption and bias that took place at the highest levels of the D.O.J. and F.B.I., including using the tools of our intelligence community for partisan political ends.”
Contact Ben Fractenberg at fractenberg@forward.com or on Twitter, @fractenberg
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