Nunes: I did not read material summarized in the memo

Rep. Devin NunesDevin Gerald NunesNunes sues MSNBC, alleging Rachel Maddow defamed him Sunday shows preview: Bipartisan infrastructure talks drag on; Democrats plow ahead with Jan. 6 probe Lawmakers spend more on personal security in wake of insurrection MORE (R-Calif.) on Friday admitted that did not personally review the applications for surveillance warrants that provide the basis of the classified memo released earlier in the day.

Nunes said he relied on the review of committee member Rep. Trey GowdyTrey GowdyTrey Gowdy sets goal of avoiding ideological echo chamber with Fox News show Fox News signs Trey Gowdy, Dan Bongino for new shows Pompeo rebukes Biden's new foreign policy MORE (R-S.C.). 

“No, I didn’t,” Nunes told Fox News’s Bret Baier, when asked if he saw the applications.

The memo, released earlier in the day by the House Intelligence Committee, alleges that politically motivated material was used to petition the government for a warrant to surveil an American citizen.

Nunes, the chairman of the committee, brushed off news reports that accused him of not seeing the underlying documents as “bogus.”

He explained that the committee set up an agreement with the Justice Department that would allow just one person to review the documents.

Nunes said he thought Gowdy would be the best choice because of his background as a federal prosecutor, and that Gowdy then shared his notes and observations with the rest of the members.

Rep. Adam SchiffAdam Bennett SchiffBiden officials voice support for US assistance to Egypt amid criticisms of human rights Overnight Defense: Biden faces pressure from Democrats to shrink size of Guantánamo Bay House Democrats call on Biden to close Guantánamo 'once and for all' MORE (D-Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, torched Nunes earlier in the week for not reading all the materials involved in creating the document. He acknowledged the agreement Nunes referenced, but blasted the chairman for sending someone else to read the documents.

"The chairman never bothered to go read these underlying materials," Schiff told CNN's Anderson Cooper on Monday. "After months and months of making this argument that the FBI and DOJ are involved in some sort of conspiracy, he didn't even bother to read the materials himself."

Democrats have accused the GOP of cherry-picking facts in a partisan effort to protect President TrumpDonald TrumpWyoming GOP leaders say they no longer recognize Cheney as party member GOP governors divided over response to COVID-19 surge Senate gives Biden big bipartisan win MORE and undercut the Russia investigation.

FBI and Justice Department officials advised against releasing it, saying that it leaves out important context.