Despite President Trump’s Monday order for the “immediate declassification” of sensitive materials related to the Russia investigation, “without redaction,”Ā the agencies involved are planning to do so anyway, according toĀ Bloomberg, citing three people familiar with the matter.
A “brazen abuse of power”
Despite President Trump’s Monday order for the “immediate declassification” of sensitive materials related to the Russia investigation, “without redaction,”Ā the agencies involved are planning to do so anyway, according toĀ Bloomberg, citing three people familiar with the matter.
The Justice Department, FBI and Office of the Director of National Intelligence are going through a methodical review and canāt offer a timeline for finishing, said the people, who werenāt authorized to speak publicly about the sensitive matter. –Bloomberg
Trump ordered the DOJ to release the text messages ofĀ former FBI Director James Comey, his deputy Andrew McCabe, now-fired special agentĀ Peter Strzok, former FBI attorneyĀ Lisa Page and twice-demoted DOJ official Bruce Ohr.
Also ordered released areĀ specific pages from the FBI’s FISA surveillance warrant application on former Trump campaign aide Carter Page, as well as interviews with Ohr.
The DOJ and the FBI are expected to submit proposed redactions to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence – which will prepare a package for Trump to sign off on.
“When the president issues such an order, it triggers a declassification review process that is conducted by various agencies within the intelligence community, in conjunction with the White House counsel, to seek to ensure the safety of Americaās national security interests,”Ā a Justice Department spokesman said in a statement. “The department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are already working with the Director of National Intelligence to comply with the presidentās order.”
The agencies are likely to cite national security concerns over revealing classified “sources and methods” pertaining to the Russia investigation – which will put themĀ in direct conflict with Trump’s order.Ā Trump, as president, has the power to override the agencies and declassify material on his own.
Trump’s order to release the documents comes after months of requests from GOP lawmakers, while the DOJ has repeatedly denied their requests for more transparency.
The FBI’s spy…
According toĀ Bloomberg,Ā the DOJ is interpreting Trump’s request to include information about the use of confidential informant (spy) Stephan Halper during the early stages of the Trump-Russia investigation. After taking in over $400,000 from the Obama Pentagon under the auspices of a research contract, Halper befriended and spied on members of the Trump campaign, including aides Carter Page and George Papadopoulos.
Showdown?
Top Congressional Democrats Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Adam Schiff and Mark Warner penned a joint letter to ODNI Director Dan Coates, Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein and FBI Director Christopher WrayĀ demanding that the agencies defy President Trump.
Byron Yorkā@ByronYork
Showdown? In letter, Pelosi/Schumer/Schiff/Warner order intel agencies to ignore presidential order on declassification until consulting with Congress. http://ow.ly/Mplg30lSrYnĀ
In the letter, the lawmakers “express profound alarm” at the decision to “intervene in an ongoing law enforcement investigation that may implicate the President himself or those around him.”
“Any decision by your offices to share this material with the President or his lawyers will violate longstanding Department of Justice polices,Ā as well as assurances you have provided to us.”
The letter then demands that the agencies briefĀ the Gang of Eight before releasing the materialsĀ “to anyone at the White House.”
In short, prepare forĀ fireworks…
