Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Trump: FBI should be ashamed..
They abused power in probe, says memo
DONALD Trump said “a lot of people should be ashamed” after Congress released a classified memo accusing the FBI of abusing its power in probing his White House bid.
The document, written by
Republicans, alleges a Trump campaign adviser was spied on because of a dossier compiled by a British agent hired by his political rivals.
The Justice Department applied to tap the phone of Carter
Page after ex-mi6 man Christopher Steele wildly claimed Trump ordered prostitutes to perform a lewd act on a bed once used by the Obamas in Moscow.
Steele’s dossier also alleged there was conspiring between Trump advisers and the Russians.
But when asking to put
Page under surveillance, the
FBI failed to point out Steele’s research was funded by Hillary
Clinton’s Democrats.
They also did not mention that Steele told Deputy Attorney General Bruce Ohr he was “desperate” Trump should not be elected. Ohr’s wife worked for the firm that hired Steele. Yesterday the President reviewed the memo with advisers and released it to the House Intelligence Panel. They immediately issued it. Before its release, the FBI put out a rare statement saying it should stay classified.
But Trump said: “It was sent to Congress. It was declassified. Congress will do whatever they’re going to do but I think it’s a disgrace what’s happening in our country.
“A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves – and much worse than that.”
He also suggested heads in his own administration should roll over the memo. Asked if he still had confidence in deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, he replied: “You figure that one out.”
Rosenstein supervises Robert Mueller, who is leading the probe into claimed collusion between Trump’s team and Moscow. The memo raises concerns about how warrants were obtained on Page.