House Intelligence Committee plans Monday vote on releasing Dems’ FISA rebuttal memo

By Dan Boylan and Sally Persons - The Washington Times - Monday, February 5, 2018

Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee are pushing to vote Monday to release a rebuttal to a controversial GOP document declassified last Friday that alleges the FBI committed surveillance abuses against the Trump campaign during the 2016 presidential election.

A meeting to consider declassifying the Democrats’ version of events is scheduled for 5 p.m., according to congressional sources.

Last week, committee members, along a party line vote, rejected releasing the Democrats’ memo, saying it needed to be vetted prior to release.

The panel now appears likely to agree on making it public, with at least three Republican members, Rep. Trey Gowdy, Rep. Pete King and Rep. Mike Turner, having expressed a willingness to do so.

If approved, the document would be sent to Mr. Trump, who has until Friday to sanction or object to its release.

The highly anticipated GOP memo — which dominated national headlines all weekend — was written by Rep. Devin Nunes, California Republican and committee chairman. It argues that at least one questionable surveillance warrant during the 2016 campaign was partly justified by the anti-Trump dossier funded by Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the Democratic Party — and hence injected political bias into the FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) process.

Democrats counter that the GOP memo distorts classified data in an effort to undermine the credibility of the FBI and special counsel Robert Mueller’s overall investigation of President Trump and Russian election meddling.

The partisan din over the issue has been especially intense and exploded again Monday morning, with Mr. Trump accusing Rep. Adam Schiff, the committee’s top Democrat and lead force behind releasing his party’s memo — of leaking classified information after committee meetings. Mr, Trump also called the Californian one of “the biggest liars and leakers in Washington.”

“Little Adam Schiff, who is desperate to run for higher office, is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper! Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped!” Mr. Trump tweeted.

Mr. Nunes said Monday that Democratic criticism actually helps the Republican efforts in highlighting the issues in government institutions.

“We actually enjoy the criticism. Because when you’re being criticized like this by all the major networks, and when you’re being attacked by the left, we know that we’re getting close to the truth,” Mr. Nunes said on Fox News.

Democrats were active over the weekend trying to promote their side as Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer sent Mr. Trump a letter the lawmaker then published on Twitter Sunday morning.

“I believe it is a matter of fundamental fairness that the American people be allowed to see both sides of the argument and make their own judgments,” Mr. Schumer wrote.

On Monday morning — just after Mr. Trump took to Twitter to blast him — Mr. Schiff responded with his comeback.

“Mr. President, I see you’ve had a busy morning of ’Executive Time.’ Instead of tweeting false smears, the American people would appreciate it if you turned off the TV and helped solve the funding crisis, protected Dreamers or…really anything else,” Mr. Schiff said.