Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

UPI/PA Images

'Serious violation of public trust': Controversial memo alleges FBI abuse of power against Trump

The four-page memo reveals alleged abuse at the FBI and Justice Department.

Updated 10.08pm

THE US CONGRESS released a Republican memo today alleging abuse of power in investigations of Donald Trump’s election campaign, after the president accused his own Justice Department and FBI of bias against him.

In authorizing the explosive move, Trump set up an extraordinary confrontation with America’s top law enforcement authorities.

Ignoring the advice of the FBI itself, which warned that the four-page document painted an inaccurate picture, the president gave his green light to declassify the memo drafted by the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, former Trump transition team official Devin Nunes.

“What’s happening in our country is a disgrace,” Trump said, announcing that he had declassified the memo.

“A lot of people should be ashamed,” added Trump, who earlier today accused the leaders of the Justice Department and FBI of politicising their investigation in favor of the Democrats.

So I sent it over to Congress. They will do what they’re going to do. Whatever they do is fine. It was declassified, and let’s see what happens.

The move set up an extraordinary confrontation with the country’s top law enforcement authorities, and triggered speculation that FBI Director Christopher Wray would step down just six months into the job.

Trump’s critics allege the memo is designed to undercut special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of his campaign’s ties with Russia, which US intelligence agencies unanimously agree tried to tilt the election in his favor.

part of fbi memo

Based on classified materials, the four-page document claims that the FBI used an unsubstantiated, Democratic-funded research report to obtain a warrant in 2016 to surveil Trump advisor Carter Page, who had extensive Russian contacts.

The FBI had warned that the memo, crafted by Nunes as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, contained “material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo’s accuracy”.

But Trump lashed out hard at the leaders of the FBI and Justice Department as he prepared to declassify the document.

“The top leadership and investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicised the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans,” he tweeted.

The president called the alleged bias “something which would have been unthinkable just a short time ago. Rank & File are great people!”

White House counsel Don McGahn wrote in a letter attached to the memo that Trump had authorised its declassification “in light of the significant public interest in the memorandum”.

“The committee has discovered serious violations of the public trust, and the American people have a right to know when officials in crucial institutions are abusing their authority for political purposes,” Nunes said in a statement.

Key findings

Based on classified materials, the four-page memo claims that the FBI and DOJ in 2016 used an unsubstantiated, Democratic-funded research report to obtain a FISA national security warrant to surveil Trump advisor Carter Page, who had extensive Russian contacts.

Several former and current top FBI and DOJ officials, it said, signed off on the FISA application and three renewals, in what the memo’s authors says amounted to accepting an unacceptably weak basis for a warrant.

The findings of the report “raise concerns with the legitimacy and legality of certain DOJ and FBI interactions” with the court that issued the warrant, said the memo, produced by the Republican leadership of the House Intelligence Committee.

They “represent a troubling breakdown of legal processes established to protect the American people from abuses,” it said.

Memo’s release

The document, which has circulated among many members of Congress, was based on the highly classified, much larger record of the application to obtain a so-called FISA national security warrant in 2016 to surveil Page.

Democrats have sought approval for the release of their own counter-memo that argues Nunes simplified and “cherry-picks” facts to distort what happened.

Directly in the firing line were Wray, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, all chosen last year for their jobs by Trump.

Sessions has stayed out of the fray, but Rosenstein, who directly oversees Mueller’s Russia investigation, and Wray have battled Nunes and the White House over the memo since the beginning of the year.

Democrats allege that the ultimate target is Rosenstein, the sole person able to fire Mueller.

Rosenstein and Wray this week lobbied Trump’s chief of staff John Kelly, and Paul Ryan, the top Republican in the House of Representatives, against the release.

On Tuesday the FBI issued an extraordinary public warning that it had “grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo’s accuracy.”

On Thursday, however, Ryan backed Nunes, characterising the release as an act of transparency and a defense of American civil liberties.

“This memo is not an indictment of the FBI or the Department of Justice,” Ryan said.

Republican senators uneasy over fight

Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee and the author of the still-secret counter-memo, rejected Ryan’s explanation, citing the president’s own Friday tweet.

Speaking to CBS Friday morning, Schiff said the president’s tweet made plain that the memo’s release was “designed to impugn the credibility of the FBI — to undermine the investigation; to give the president additional fodder to attack the investigation.”

“It’s a tremendous disservice to the American people, who are going to be misled by this — by the selective use of classified information.”

Not all Republicans were on board, however. Four senior Republican senators, including John Thune, Lindsey Graham, Susan Collins and Jeff Flake, expressed their unease about Nunes’ use of intelligence in a political battle.

“The president’s apparent willingness to release this memo risks undermining US intelligence-gathering efforts, politicising Congress’ oversight role, and eroding confidence in our institutions of government,” Flake said in a joint statement with Democratic Senator Chris Coons.

© AFP 2018

Read: Trump set to okay release of explosive memo alleging abuse of power in the FBI

Read: FBI has ‘grave concerns’ over Trump plan to release controversial memo

Author
View 211 comments
Close
211 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fiona K
    Favourite Fiona K
    Report
    Feb 8th 2015, 9:31 AM

    Skellig chocolate is so good!

    My pet peeve is the guaranteed Irish symbol ‘disappearing’ on the special offer packs of Galtee and Denny rashers. It’s very misleading to sell Irish meat only some of time.

    130
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tom
    Favourite Tom
    Report
    Feb 8th 2015, 10:16 AM

    Just on the subject of Bacon.
    I never really thought there was that much purpose to the farm traceability on meats such as in Aldi where the farmers name and location is marked on packs of chicken until that was I read the story this week about Rory O’Brien and the horrible conditions at his piggery where pigs were eating each other.

    http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/cork-pig-farmer-pleads-guilty-to-cruelty-and-neglect-310743.html
    http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/farmer-admits-to-cruelty-after-pig-is-eaten-alive-30966037.html

    If every pack of bacon was marked with the producers name then I would certainly never buy from him again. And I would probably entirely boycott the brand which sourced from him.

    It sounds like he won’t have much trouble paying the fine that’s for sure.

    68
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute poisonivy
    Favourite poisonivy
    Report
    Feb 8th 2015, 11:10 AM

    Jesus, he’s one evil looking f*#ker. Scary to think that the likes of him could be providing us with food. I doubt any decent store or butcher will be buying from him again.

    42
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Little Diddy No
    Favourite Little Diddy No
    Report
    Feb 9th 2015, 7:54 PM

    The honest truth is that, unless you buy free range bacon (and even then check how much they are allowed out in the day, eg is it just a small concrete yard for a short time) then you are supporting the very horrible conditions that are the reality of more or less all Irish pig farming. Pigs are smart and social animals but their lives indoors in Irish intensive rearing systems is truly unacceptable. Ask questions before you buy.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Little Diddy No
    Favourite Little Diddy No
    Report
    Feb 9th 2015, 8:07 PM

    http://www.ciwf.ie/farminfo/farmfacts_pigs.html
    Here’s what Compassion in World Farming say about pig farming in Ireland. The truth is that unless you buy free range you are supporting a very cruel and horrible system that is the norm in Ireland.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tom
    Favourite Tom
    Report
    Feb 8th 2015, 10:37 AM

    I’ll keep an eye out for one of their Easter eggs.
    Where are they sold?

    Also just looked at the trip advisor reviews for the factory tour and they are very complimentary.
    Congratulations as that can’t be easy.

    65
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sheila Larkin
    Favourite Sheila Larkin
    Report
    Feb 8th 2015, 10:50 AM

    Their factory is excellent. Lots of samples and a really bright, clean setup. I love how they’ve even thought of having steps at some of the tasting counters especially for kids.

    I’ve bought their brittle flat flavoured choc in Tesco.

    36
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dennis Collins
    Favourite Dennis Collins
    Report
    Feb 8th 2015, 10:51 AM

    When I was doing my training for primary teaching, I had to do my three weeks of the Gaeltacht in Ballinskelligs a few years ago in July. While the fact that the locals couldn’t even say “Conas atá tú?” is a whole other story in itself and made being in the “Gaeltacht” quite pointless, I have to say that you could travel the length and breadth of this world and you will not find anywhere as breathtakingly beautiful as that part of Ireland. And best of all, it was sunny almost all of the time while we were there. As we all know, Ireland in the sun, no matter where, is breathtaking. But Ballinskelligs in the sun is just a whole other level.

    Of course the chocolate is going to be amazing when the people who make it get to see that place in all it’s beauty every day of the year. Best of luck for the future!

    44
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute davedunne
    Favourite davedunne
    Report
    Feb 8th 2015, 9:24 AM

    I really couldn’t be arsed buying Irish. Usually just twice as dear. I buy most items of amazon. Usually works out around 30% cheaper than this kip of a country.

    33
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Justin McNulty
    Favourite Justin McNulty
    Report
    Feb 8th 2015, 10:32 AM

    Would the milk not be gone off by the time they deliver it?

    140
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute TheLoneHurler
    Favourite TheLoneHurler
    Report
    Feb 8th 2015, 10:58 AM

    Do Amazon supply you with your dole too? €188 vs STG£65 is hardly a great exchange rate now is it?

    91
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Catherine Mayock
    Favourite Catherine Mayock
    Report
    Feb 8th 2015, 7:10 PM

    @Dave. This country certainly dont need you calling it names and not supporting it. This is not a hip of a country. This is a beautiful country and to keep it that way we must all support local. If you want to eat cheap sh#te out of Lidl aldi thats fine. But maybe you would be better off living in the countries whos supermarkets and produce you buy. You dont support ireland

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Vince Delahunt
    Favourite Vince Delahunt
    Report
    Feb 9th 2015, 9:26 AM

    Ah the old Naysayers trolls – pity you can’t do basic sums, otherwise you would know that Ireland is now CEAPER than UK for most items – Shops in Dundalk & Sligfo are havign a boomtime with shoppers from NI crossign the border.

    btw exchange rate is 1.37 inthe banks, so £10 sterling = €13.70. Bet you didn’t know that! TROLL

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute von
    Favourite von
    Report
    Feb 8th 2015, 9:28 AM

    Why are you still here so. Ireland doesn’t people like you

    28
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Enda Elvery
    Favourite Enda Elvery
    Report
    Feb 8th 2015, 7:10 PM

    Lidl milk, made in Ireland. What do they they not say made in NORTHERN IRELAND. Irish Republic has NDC logo on it.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kieran Woods
    Favourite Kieran Woods
    Report
    Feb 9th 2015, 12:20 PM

    Ah yes, buy cheap stuff from abroad and fill our shopping centres with foreign retailers but expect teachers for our kids, cops on the streets and jobs for us all. You won’t find too many Dunne Stores or Supervalu( or any other non German retailers) in Germany, Sweden or Finland, the shoppers would shun them.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Little Diddy No
    Favourite Little Diddy No
    Report
    Feb 9th 2015, 8:04 PM

    It’s annoying trying to get supermarkets to confirm whether or not items bearing their own symbol for made in Ireland really ARE made in Ireland (ie most of Cully and Sully stuff now made in the UK, many supermarkets we consider Irish have their own brand ready meals that you would think are made in Ireland, but often they are not). I want to buy Irish. Best thing is to look at the label for a tiny symbol that has a black oval with black lettering in it that will say, for example, UK and EC. That tells you where it is made.

    4
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
      Next upNext up:
      News in 60 seconds