Following a second briefing with Justice Department and FBI officials Thursday, Sen. Mark Warner said Democrats stand by their previous conclusion that there is “no evidence” to support President Trump’s allegation that the FBI or any intelligence agency placed a “spy” in his campaign.
“None of our conclusions have changed,” said Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee.
“Unlike some, we actually respect the requirements of confidentiality around [the] Gang of Eight,” said Warner, taking a jab at his Republican colleagues.
Thursday’s briefing was a follow-up to one given in late May on classified intelligence information related to the Russia investigation.
A Justice Department official told the Washington Examiner that the briefing Thursday was a way for lawmakers to get answers to the questions they asked in May.
“The Department and FBI believes it can provide information that is directly responsive to congressional inquiries in a manner that is consistent with its national security and law enforcement responsibilities, and is pleased to do so,” a senior Justice Department official said last week in announcing the forthcoming briefing.
The information was originally sought by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and House Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., and pertains to classified documents and information about the Russia investigation.
Nunes and Gowdy were part of both May 24 briefings — the first which took place early afternoon at the Justice Department with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats. House Speaker Paul Ryan also attended the first meeting because of a scheduling conflict.
Nunes and Gowdy then joined in on the second briefing with the same officials and the Gang of Eight members on Capitol Hill later that afternoon.
At the conclusion of both briefings, top Democrats announced there is “no evidence” of a spy in the 2016 Trump campaign.
“Nothing we heard today has changed our view that there is no evidence to support any allegation that the FBI or any intelligence agency placed a spy in the Trump campaign or otherwise failed to show appropriate procedures and protocols,” House Intelligence Committee ranking member Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Senate Intelligence Committee ranking member Mark Warner, D-Va., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in a joint statement at the time.
Gowdy said in May after the first briefing that he was not presented with any evidence of spying on the Trump campaign, and he believes the FBI did “exactly” what it should have done by using a confidential informant.
Ryan then told reporters a news conference that he agreed with Gowdy’s initial assessment, “but we have some more digging to do. We’re waiting for some more document requests.”
The Gang of Eight are the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate, as well as chairman and ranking member of both the House and Senate Intelligence committees.
