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Former CIA Director John Brennan
John Owen BrennanOvernight Defense: Capitol Police may ask National Guard to stay | Biden's Pentagon policy nominee faces criticism | Naval Academy midshipmen moved to hotels Republicans blast Pentagon policy nominee over tweets, Iran nuclear deal Online and frighteningly real: 'A Taste of Armageddon' MORE on Thursday accused House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes
Devin Gerald NunesRepublican rips GOP lawmakers for voting by proxy from CPAC What good are the intelligence committees? CPAC, all-in for Trump, is not what it used to be MORE (R-Calif.) and his Republican colleagues of “reckless partisan behavior” regarding the release of a controversial classified memo.


“I had many fights with Congressional Dems over the years on national security matters,” Brennan tweeted. “But I have never witnessed the type of reckless partisan behavior I am now seeing from Nunes and House Republicans. Absence of moral and ethical leadership in [White House] is fueling this government crisis.”
I had many fights with Congressional Dems over the years on national security matters. But I never witnessed the type of reckless partisan behavior I am now seeing from Nunes and House Republicans. Absence of moral and ethical leadership in WH is fueling this government crisis. https://t.co/KEUrsgtqhp
— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) February 1, 2018
Brennan’s tweet linked to a Washington Post opinion piece written by Rep. Adam Schiff
Adam Bennett SchiffHouse Democrats want to silence opposing views, not 'fake news' White House defends not sanctioning Saudi crown prince over Khashoggi What good are the intelligence committees? MORE (Calif.), the top Democrat on the Intel committee, that warns Nunes crossed a “dangerous line” and is increasing “the risk of a constitutional crisis" and another Saturday Night Massacre.

Schiff, on Twitter, accused Nunes of violating committee protocol and giving Trump a “secretly altered” version of the memo.
President Trump
Donald TrumpTrump State Department appointee arrested in connection with Capitol riot Intelligence community investigating links between lawmakers, Capitol rioters Michelle Obama slams 'partisan actions' to 'curtail access to ballot box' MORE reportedly agreed to release the memo after redactions at the FBI’s request. If the Intelligence panel decides, the memo would be made public.

The FBI took the unusual step Wednesday of publicly voicing “grave concerns” about the memo being released, raising flags about inaccuracies. The memo purports to show surveillance abuses committed by the FBI.
Brennan served in the CIA under both the Bush and Obama administrations and has defended the FBI against attacks from Trump before.