It would appear that Democrats are starting to stand up against the clear obstruction of justice coming from the White House – the Oval Office to be exact.
Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Representative Adam Schiff of California, and other Democrats are finally tired of screwing around when it comes to obstruction of justice coming from the White House.
It comes as no great surprise that Trump refused to authorize the release of the 10-page memo written by Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.
NBC News reported that: “Citing national security concerns, the White House on Friday formally notified the House intelligence committee that President Donald Trump is “unable” to declassify a memo drafted by Democrats that counters GOP allegations about abuse of government surveillance powers in the FBI’s Russia probe.”
White House counsel Don McGahn said in a letter to the committee that the memo contains “numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages” and asked the intelligence panel to revise the memo with the help of the Justice Department. He said Trump is still “inclined” to release the memo in the interest of transparency if revisions are made.
The hypocrisy in this stance is overwhelming, considering the fact that the Republican memo – otherwise known as the Nunes Memo – was declassified by Trump last week despite objections from the Justice Department.
Senator Dianne Feinstein of California was quick to respond, taking to her Twitter account to blast Trump for his hypocrisy.
“One week after he released the misleading and incomplete Nunes memo, President Trump tonight blocked the release of the Schiff memo that sought to fill in the holes. This is hypocrisy at its worst,” she began, adding: “I have reviewed the classified documents that underpin both memos. I know the Nunes memo is misleading, and I know Congressman Schiff was seeking to provide a factual counterpoint. If the president really believes the Nunes memo vindicates him, as he has said, what is he hiding by blocking the Schiff memo? Any minor redactions should be made as quickly as possible and the memo should be released.”
One week after he released the misleading and incomplete Nunes memo, President Trump tonight blocked the release of the Schiff memo that sought to fill in the holes. This is hypocrisy at its worst. (1/3)
— Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) February 10, 2018
Schiff took to his Twitter account as well, tweeting: “After ignoring urging of FBI & DOJ not to release misleading Nunes memo because it omits material facts, @POTUS now expresses concerns over sharing precisely those facts with public and seeks to send it back to the same Majority that produced the flawed Nunes memo to begin with.”
After ignoring urging of FBI & DOJ not to release misleading Nunes memo because it omits material facts, @POTUS now expresses concerns over sharing precisely those facts with public and seeks to send it back to the same Majority that produced the flawed Nunes memo to begin with: pic.twitter.com/qNVyS99eXs
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) February 10, 2018
He also tweeted a response to Trump’s Saturday morning tweet about the Democratic memo. “The Democrats sent a very political and long response memo which they knew, because of sources and methods (and more), would have to be heavily redacted, whereupon they would blame the White House for lack of transparency. Told them to re-do and send back in proper form!” Trump tweeted.
Schiff responded: “Mr. President, what you call “political” are actually called facts, and your concern for sources and methods would be more convincing if you hadn’t decided to release the GOP memo (“100%”) before reading it and over the objections of the FBI.”
Mr. President, what you call “political” are actually called facts, and your concern for sources and methods would be more convincing if you hadn’t decided to release the GOP memo (“100%”) before reading it and over the objections of the FBI. https://t.co/L48kAQOztL
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) February 10, 2018
Blumenthal weighed in as well, accusing Trump of “obstruction of justice.”
“Trump’s refusal to release Democratic response to #NunesMemo makes a mockery of national security and common sense,” he began.
Continuing, he wrote: “This political ploy reveals the White House’s one-sided transparency. But the public sees through it – the #NunesMemo fell with a deafening thud. Refusal to release Democratic response to #NunesMemo – evidence of obstruction of justice by Donald Trump happening in real time.
Trump’s refusal to release Democratic response to #NunesMemo makes a mockery of national security and common sense. https://t.co/6Gjx25tS8R
— Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) February 10, 2018
While Democrats are making it clear what they think about the Trump White House obstructing justice, it remains to be seen what they are actually willing to do in response – other than crying foul in the media and on their social media accounts.
One thing we can do to help is to make sure to get out and vote in the midterm elections to give Democrats the strength of numbers they will need to remove and/or block Trump and his regressive agenda. In fact, be sure you take at least two friends with you to the polling station.
Let us know your thoughts about Trump holding up the release of the Democratic memo in the comments, below.
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