Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee are expected to push for a vote at a Monday committee meeting to release their memo rebutting allegations of FBI surveillance abuses in a memo by their GOP counterparts, a move that could put the issue back on President Donald Trump’s desk this week.
A source with direct knowledge of the matter said Democrats plan to offer a motion at a Monday business meeting to release their memo. If approved, the matter would be sent to Trump, who would have five days to object to its release.
At last week’s meeting, Republicans blocked a Democratic attempt to release their memo at the same time as the memo spearheaded by Chairman Devin Nunes of California, with Republicans saying they had just been presented with a copy of the Democrats’ document.
Republicans have since said they’d vote to release the Democratic memo, drafted by ranking member Adam Schiff of California – a sign that the committee is likely to approve its release.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Sunday called on Trump to support the release of the House Democrats’ memo, calling it “a matter of fundamental fairness” to let the public see both sides of the issue.
If the President refuses to do so, it would only “confirm the American people’s worst fears that the release of Chairman Nunes’ memo was only intended to undermine Special Counsel Bob Mueller’s investigation,” the New York Democrat wrote in a letter to Trump.