Rep. Lowey Slams Republicans for Releasing Controversial Memo

Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY17/Rockland-Westchester), Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Committee, criticized House Republicans on Friday after they released a controversial memo about the Trump-Russia investigation and the FBI. Known as the "Nunes memo," the four-page document from House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes and his committee staff distorted classified information to allege the FBI and Department of Justice abused their surveillance authority to target the Trump campaign.

"Over the objections of the intelligence community, House Republicans - with the support of President Trump - recklessly and dangerously released a highly misleading, purely partisan memo that distorts classified information in an obvious attempt to discredit the accelerating Russia investigation," said Congresswoman Lowey. "President Trump has repeatedly tried to impede and undercut this investigation into Russian election sabotage and his own Russian ties, and the release of this memo is a glaring testimony of the willingness of congressional Republicans to aid the president in obstructing justice."

"President Trump has shown a complete lack of respect for the constitution and a willingness to abuse the powers of his office," added Congresswoman Lowey. "Congressman Devin Nunes, who, along with the Republican staff of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, prepared and altered the memo before sending it to the White House, has done the same. He should immediately be removed as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee."

The Department of Justice warned that the public release of the Nunes memo would be an “unprecedented action” and “extraordinarily reckless.” The FBI expressed “grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo’s accuracy.”