Trump, who spent this morning on Twitter escalating his feud with the FBI and the Justice Department, made an incredibly inappropriate and distressing statement, upon the announcement of the declassification.
Pres. Trump says GOP memo has been declassified: "Congress will do whatever they're going to do. But I think it's a disgrace what's happening in our country...A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves." https://t.co/OfR9pu29Wo pic.twitter.com/wJHEptrGrk
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) February 2, 2018
The memo was sent to Congress; it was declassified. Congress will do whatever they're going to do. But I think it's a disgrace what's happening in our country. And when you look at that, and you see that, and so many other things, what's going on— [nods and mumbles] A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves, and much worse than that.Reporters asked if Trump still had confidence in Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, which he refused to answer. He was then asked if the memo makes it more likely that he will fire Rosenstein.
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.
But a lotta people should be ashamed. Thank you very much.
"You figure that one out," replies @POTUS to question about whether #NunesMemo makes it more likely he'll fire Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein.
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) February 2, 2018
Congressional Republicans wasted no time in publishing the memo [pdf], of course.
And, as expected, it alleges that senior government and law enforcement officials abused their authority by favoring Democrats over Republicans during the election, based on cherry-picked and/or misrepresented information.
In the simplest terms: the memo is a Republican's claim that the FBI was wrong to use information from a former top spy in applying for a warrant, because the former top spy didn't like Trump, was kind of a leaker, and was working (eventually) for Democrats.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) February 2, 2018
In addition to being dishonest, the memo is also just self-evidently stupid. As stupid as it is dangerous, because countless people who don't know better — and many people who should know better — are going to believe its mendacious contents.
The biggest scam in the memo is misrepresenting as partisanship what was actually a profound and justified distrust of Donald Trump.
— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) February 2, 2018
Trust in federal law enforcement and the Justice Department will erode even further, despite the fact that any sensible person should be asking themselves why the Republican Party has a vested interest in undermining public trust in institutions that hold corrupt federal officials accountable.
We were already mired in a constitutional crisis, and now it will get even worse.
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