Lawmakers: Mueller probe should continue, despite Trump tweets
President says memo ‘ totally vindicates’ him
WASHINGTON – While President Trump claimed vindication from a disputed memo about the Russia investigation, Democrats and some Republicans said Sunday that Robert Mueller’s special counsel investigation needs to continue.
Democrats also warned that any attempt by Trump to use the memo to remove Mueller and short- circuit the Russia investigation would trigger a constitutional crisis.
“The goal here is to undermine the FBI, discredit the FBI, discredit the Mueller investigation, do the president’s bidding,” Rep. Adam Schiff, D- Calif., the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said on ABC’s This Week.
Congressional Republicans said the newly released memo, by intelligence committee chairman Devin Nunes, R- Calif., raises serious questions about the FBI’s handling of the Russia case, particularly a dossier compiled on Trump, his aides and contacts with Russia ahead of the 2016 election.
But some GOP lawmakers on Sunday shows said the memo has nothing to do with the Mueller investigation.
“There is a Russia investigation without a dossier,” said Rep. Trey Gowdy, R- S. C., on CBS’ Face the Nation.
Republicans and Democrats continued to argue about the significance of the memo.
Citing claims in the memo, Republicans said the FBI obtained a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act ( FISA) warrant on a Trump campaign adviser in 2016 based on the dossier compiled by a former British intelligence officer retained by an opposition research firm and financed by Democrats.
Democratic members of Congress described the memo as misleading and incomplete. They said the FBI sought the warrant based on evidence of multiple contacts between the Trump aide, Carter Page, and the Russians.
Schiff and others said the FBI had many reasons to put Page under surveillance and conduct other aspects of an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, and whether Trump or his associates were involved. They are seeking to release their own memo making these same points.
Former CIA Director John Brennan told NBC’s Meet the Press that the FBI would have been “derelict” not to look into the Russia case.
Trump offered his interpretation of the Nunes memo Saturday on Twitter. “This memo totally vindicates ‘ Trump’ in probe,” he tweeted.
Even some GOP lawmakers have said that the memo has no bearing on the Mueller investigation. “I support the Mueller investigation,” said Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R- Ohio, speaking on CNN.