On Sunday, Republican South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy asserted that recently declassified documents related to the Mueller probe aren’t likely to change perspectives on the investigation.
According to the chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, “99.9 percent” of the data has no relation to Trump.
The congressman told CBS’s Face the Nation that he’s all for declassification so long as the country isn’t unduly harmed:
“I generally am on the side of transparency, with the caveat, ‘Do nothing that jeopardizes national security or impacts our relationship with our allies.'”
Last Monday, the Commander-in-Chief directed the DoJ and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to release Russia inquiry information “at the request of a number of committees of Congress and for reasons of transparency.”
However, Trump delayed the measure due to concerns by “key allies.”
As relayed by Trump via Twitter, the Justice Department agreed to make public the documents, despite worries over impact on the Russia review.
“I met with the DOJ concerning the declassification of various UNREDACTED documents. They agreed to release them but stated that so doing may have a perceived negative impact on the Russia probe. Also, key Allies’ called to ask not to release. Therefore, the Inspector General has been asked to review these documents on an expedited basis. I believe he will move quickly on this (and hopefully other things which he is looking at). In the end I can always declassify if it proves necessary. Speed is very important to me – and everyone!”
I met with the DOJ concerning the declassification of various UNREDACTED documents. They agreed to release them but stated that so doing may have a perceived negative impact on the Russia probe. Also, key Allies’ called to ask not to release. Therefore, the Inspector General…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018
….has been asked to review these documents on an expedited basis. I believe he will move quickly on this (and hopefully other things which he is looking at). In the end I can always declassify if it proves necessary. Speed is very important to me – and everyone!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018
The release included text messages sent by former FBI Director James Comey and other officials, many of whom have been lambasted by Republicans for their bias against the administration.
As for all the animosity between the President and the DoJ, Gowdy lamented the “heartbreaking” and “sad” state of affairs.
Though he proposed the documents are powerless to change anyone’s minds concerning the investigation, the congressman Gowdy did make one concession:
“I’ve seen all of it, and with the exception of one document, I don’t think anybody’s mind is going to be changed when they read this stuff.”
It certainly won’t change the minds of many on the Left — they’ve sustained their outrage as other issues have fallen to the wayside (as covered here), protesting the evils of Trump’s Kremlin criminality by way of meddlesome mariachi music (see here). Most spookily of all, they’ve shouted the horrors of the coming Russian Revolution, of which you, dear reader, are likely a Moscow-minded part.
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