Gowdy: Nunes memo does not discredit Mueller probe in any way

Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) said Friday that the release of a controversial memo by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee does not discredit nor undermine special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

In a series of tweets, Gowdy, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said that the memo, which alleges abuses by Justice Department and FBI officials, was of interest to the public. But he also said that he still has confidence in “the overwhelming majority of the men and women” in federal law enforcement.

It is important for the American public to know if the dossier was paid for by another candidate, used in court pleadings, vetted before it was used, vetted after it was used, and whether all relevant facts were shared with the tribunal approving of the FISA application.

— Trey Gowdy (@TGowdySC) February 2, 2018

While this memo raises serious concerns with the FISA process, I have been and remain confident in the overwhelming majority of the men and women serving at the FBI and DOJ.

— Trey Gowdy (@TGowdySC) February 2, 2018

As I have said repeatedly, I also remain 100 percent confident in Special Counsel Robert Mueller. The contents of this memo do not – in any way – discredit his investigation.

— Trey Gowdy (@TGowdySC) February 2, 2018

Gowdy’s tweets came roughly an hour after the House Intelligence Committee memo was made public, despite concerns from senior FBI and Justice Department officials and Democrats on the intelligence panel.

{mosads}The memo, which was authored by staff members of Republicans on the committee, alleges that FBI and Justice Department officials misused their authority to obtain a secret surveillance order against Carter Page, a former adviser to the Trump campaign.

Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) pushed for the memo’s release.

The memo also takes aim at Christopher Steele, the former British intelligence agent behind a controversial opposition research dossier that formed part of the surveillance warrant application for Page.

Republicans on the committee argued that releasing the memo was necessary, because it shed light on potential abuses by federal law enforcement officials, as well as on the origins of the Russia investigation. 

But Justice Department and FBI officials, as well as Democrats, have argued that it omits key information that would help put the memo in the proper context.

Mueller took over the criminal investigation into Russian election meddling and possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow in May. Some Democrats have voiced concern about the impact the GOP memo could have on Mueller’s probe, because it calls into question the origins of the Russia investigation.