Nunes said in a statement Friday that he hopes the release will “shine a light on this alarming series of events so we can make reforms that allow the American people to have full faith and confidence in their governing institutions.”
The memo suggests that a dossier assembled by former British spy Christopher Steele — which included salacious allegations about Trump’s dealings with Russia — was used as evidence for an application to extend surveillance against former Trump advisor Carter Page. One former high-ranking law-enforcement official, however, told CNBC that it’s “just not credible” that the Steele dossier served as the only source for the extension as “these applications always cite multiple reasons for surveillance.”
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Friday afternoon that he would forward the information from the memo to “appropriate” components of the Justice Department, although he offered some words of encouragement to his staff.
“I have great confidence in the men and women of this Department,” said Sessions, whom Trump has criticized for recusing himself form the Russia probe. “But no Department is perfect.”
FBI Director Christopher Wray and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversees special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe, had appealed to the White House not to declassify the memo. The FBI has said it has “grave concerns” about the accuracy of the document.
The FBI Agents Association on Friday said in a statement that agents “have not, and will not, allow partisan politics to distract us from our solemn commitment to our mission.”
The men and women of the FBI put their lives on the line every day in the fight against terrorists and criminals because of their dedication to our country and the Constitution. The American people should know that they continue to be well-served by the world’s preeminent law enforcement agency. FBI Special Agents have not, and will not, allow partisan politics to distract us from our solemn commitment to our mission.
Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who is a frequent critic of Trump’s, also weighed in Friday, saying attacks on the FBI and the Justice Department “serve no American interests – no party’s, no president’s, only Putin’s.”
Trump has repeatedly denied accusations of collusion with Russia during the campaign.
The president, in a Friday morning tweet, continued his assault on the nation’s top law-enforcement officials, accusing leadership in the FBI and Justice Department of politicizing “the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans.”
—CNBC’s Eamon Javers and Kevin Breuninger contributed to this report.
