Pelosi Statement on President Trump's Decision to Release Nunes Memo

Statement

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released this statement after President Trump approved the release of the misleading partisan spin memo authored by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes:

"President Trump has surrendered his constitutional responsibility as Commander-in-Chief by releasing highly classified and distorted intelligence. By not protecting intelligence sources and methods, he just sent his friend Putin a bouquet.

"As the Department of Justice warned, the public release of the memo would be an "unprecedented action' and "extraordinarily reckless.' The FBI also expressed "grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo's accuracy.'

"Nunes' partisan spin memo distorts highly classified intelligence in a cynical attempt to discredit our national intelligence and law enforcement agencies and the Special Counsel investigation. Releasing the memo is a desperate attempt to distract the American people from the truth about the Trump-Russia scandal.

"One year ago, the intelligence community concluded that the Russians interfered in our elections and plan to do so again. Yet, the President refuses to hold Putin accountable, making us all ask: what do the Russians have on Trump, politically, financially and personally?

"As the Speaker and former Vice Presidential candidate, Speaker Ryan knows how dangerous it is to jeopardize our intelligence and national security. Why is he enabling this recklessness and not taking action to remove Chairman Nunes?"

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