Federal officials with sensitive or secret information should be careful about sharing it with Congress, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on Monday.
“[W]e’ve already seen just in the last 72 hours the kind of risk that’s associated with communicating to them sensitive information,” Earnest said, chiding lawmakers who leaked confidential information FBI Director James Comey shared with them about the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of personal email and a private server while secretary of state.
“Congress is indeed independent of the executive branch, but they’re far from impartial. Congress is made up 535 politicians, Democrats and Republicans. And there’s one senior Republican official who … previously endorsed the Republican nominee for president, who let it slip that his party was considering impeaching President Clinton even before she’s been elected, if she’s elected,” Earnest said, referring to remarks from Rep. Bradley Byrne, R-Ala.
“That, I think, is a pretty clear indication that Congress is not at all impartial,” he said.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misidentified the lawmaker Earnest referred to when discussing a potential impeachment. The Washington Examiner regrets the error.
