Dems Voicing Displeasure As Lawmakers React To GOP Memo Release
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WASHINGTON (CBSMiami) – Members of Congress appeared on Sunday political shows, reacting to the release of a controversial memo written by GOP House staffers.
It alleges the FBI abused its surveillance powers while investigating possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Democrats criticized Friday's release of the controversial four-page memo compiled by republican staffers on the house intelligence committee.
They're calling it an attack on the nation's intelligence and security agencies.
"The interest wasn't oversight," said Rep. Adam Schiff. "The interest was a political hit job on the FBI in the service of the president."
The memo claims that just before the 2016 election, FBI agents sought to surveil trump campaign foreign policy advisor carter page, for possible Russian collusion.
To obtain a warrant to monitor page, the agents presented a dossier compiled by Christopher Steele, a former British spy.
Steele, according to the memo, was being paid $160,000 by the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton's campaign.
"I would argue it's also somewhat unprecedented to rely on political opposition research to instruct and inform an application, and it's really bad precedent and unprecedented to not tell a court that a source has this level of bias," said Rep Trey Gowdy.
Democrats say the American people should note that a corresponding memo written by Democrats was not released in conjunction with the Republican one.
If it were, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says it would become clear that the Republicans are cherry picking facts.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer is calling on the president to back the public release of the Democratic rebuttal to the GOP memo.
Schumer contends the public is getting a one-sided account of the FBI'S role in the investigation.