Posted on 02/14/2018 10:07:50 AM PST by jazusamo
The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee said the FBI is being too heavy handed in redacting information included in a memo that Democrats compiled to offer a point-by-point rebuttal of a GOP memo released earlier this month.
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) suggested the FBI is using too much red ink to try to block any new information in the memo from being made public.
"The FBI has identified in the memo, in our response, essentially everything that isn't already a matter of public record that wasn't already declassified," Schiff told reporters during a breakfast sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor.
He argued that since the Republican memo was released to the public, as drafted by the staff of committee chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) - a four-page document with completely new information, the Democrats' countermemo should also be able to include new information.
"The GOP memo was all classified before it was declassified. There is a great deal in the Democratic response that has already been declassified. I think the question ought to be, Is there anything that cant be declassified in the public interest because of sources and methods for investigating ventures,'" he continued.
Schiff said he is making headway with the FBI as they continue to go through what information can be made public. The memo involves the process by which Justice Department officials applied for a surveillance warrant of a former Trump campaign aide in 2016. Republicans claim that officials relied on biased or politically-motivated information as part of their argument in favor of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act application.
"We hope to have it resolved soon so that we can make sure that we redact anything that legitimately concerns the source or method [used in the FISA application], but to meet the public interest as well as the will of the committee that as much of this can be released as possible," Schiff added.
Schiff claimed the excessive redactions by the bureau could be a result of pressure from the White House on the FBI, suggesting that President Trump doesn't want their memo to see the light of day for political purposes.
Trump has claimed the information in the earlier, Nunes memo vindicates him in the Russia probe.
Meanwhile, Schiff and other Democrats say the GOP memo is misleading and a set of cherry-picked facts.
"What it appears the FBI did, and I assume this was at the request of the White House, is identify anything in our memo that wasnt already public," Schiff told reporters.
The White House on Friday indicated it is open to releasing the countermemo if certain information is redacted.
The administration stands ready to work with Congress to accommodate oversight requests consistent with applicable standards, including the need to protect intelligence sources and methods, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in reference to Schiff's memo.
Schiff has repeatedly emphasized that the FBI has not dismissed their memo as inaccurate, while the bureau publicly voiced "grave concerns" over the Nunes memo.
"The FBI has as far as I can tell taken no issue with the accuracy of what we have written. So unlike the Republican memo, the Nunes memo, which they considered to be misleading and inaccurate, there is no issue on the accuracy of what weve written largely because weve taken the material facts from the FISA application," Schiff said.
Since when do we have partisan counter memos?
Does this mean that Democrats are anti-law-enforcement?
Wait until it’s ultimately released. It does not refute one thing Nunes memo contains. The dim memo contains accusations against Gowdy and Nunes and says how wonderful Chris Steele is.
Its OK for Dems to criticize the FBI but treasonous when Trump does it.
They mean well.
Sometimes it seems that Dems blind hatred of Trump is leading them off a cliff.
FBI BAD. FBI GOOD. FBI BAD
Schiff should make up his mind.
roflstomped....Schiff loser
Adam, with a conspiracy theory, in front of the cameras. /Clue
Shifty Schiff, has $hitt for brains. It’s fun to watch him tilting at windmills.
“we have taken the material facts from the FISA application”.
Hmmm...has Schiff seen the FISA applications?
You know, the ones that haven’t been released by the FISA court ?
Below is a un-redacted copy of Shiffless' FISA Memo:!
Yep, their childlike tantrums regarding President Trump are driven by their hatred of him and people are more than a little tired of it.
Didn’t he insist that the Republican memo have the same sort of review and redaction process? He’s so special...
The FBI is creating the exact public impression Schiff was hoping for: redactions are being done to protect the Administration. Schiff is ecstatic, not upset.
Support Free Republic, Folks!
If he’s unhappy, why doesn’t he just take some cold medicine and leak the memo?
Democrats are attacking the FBI.
Sniff, sniff. I smell bullschiff.
Schiff for brains will never let the memo be released. There is nothing in the memo to refute the Nunes memo.
It was loaded with national security information so it could not be released without heavy redaction.
Schiff did not want the memo released. He just wanted talking points.
C’mon, Libs.
Love the FBI
Hate the FBI
Love the FBI
Hate the FBI....
Which is it? Will ya make up your damned minds??
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.