Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., said Tuesday that Democrats may have purposely included classified or sensitive information in their memo countering the one drafted by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and his staff.
“I think the Democrats are politically smart enough to put things in the memo that require either the [FBI] or the Department of Justice to say it needs to be redacted. Therefore, it creates this belief that there’s something being hidden from the American people,” Gowdy, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, told Fox News.
“Unfortunately, we are in an environment where you would include material that you know has to be redacted and you know responsible people are going to redact just so that questions will be asked,” Gowdy continued.
.@TGowdySC: “I think the Democrats are politically smart enough to put things in the memo that require either the [@FBI] or @TheJusticeDept to say it needs to be [redacted]. Therefore, it creates this belief that there’s something being hidden from the American people.” #TheStory pic.twitter.com/3WGoGp7G7J
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 7, 2018
Gowdy, who is not seeking re-election in the 2018 cycle, said the Democratic memo does not “undercut” the document produced by Republicans on the panel that allegedly outlines abuses of power by the FBI under the Obama administration to apply for a warrant to surveil former Trump campaign associate Carter Page.
The report claims the dossier, compiled by ex-British spy Christopher Steele, was integral in the FISA application to renew surveillance on Carter. The memo said while federal officials knew the dossier was partly funded by the Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee. However, Nunes conceded this week that there was a vague “footnote” that did mention the political strings attached to the memo.
“A little bit of it is also just creating so much dust and cloud that people just give up and say, ‘Well you’re saying x and you’re saying y.’ I’m just going to tune out,” Gowdy said of the Democratic memo.
But the South Carolina Republican stopped short of alleging conspiracy by law enforcement agencies to undermine President Trump’s campaign and administration “when simple incompetence will suffice as an explanation.”
.@TGowdySC: “I never allege a conspiracy when simple incompetence will suffice as an explanation. I don’t look for some nefarious motive if incompetence or a lack of protocol will explain it.” #TheStory pic.twitter.com/KTuM89nPec
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 7, 2018
He also suggested that the State Department should be investigated for its role in peddling information to Steele – something which Nunes said his committee is already looking into.
The House Intelligence Committee on Monday unanimously voted to release the Democratic memo after making the GOP one public on Friday.
Trump can block the document’s release within five days of the vote, refusing to declassify its contents in full or in party.
However, Trump’s decision can be overruled via a full House vote on the matter.
