In Wake of Nunes-Russia Memo Release, White House Should Clear Schiff Memo on Russia Investigation for Release Expeditiously

Statement by Common Cause President Karen Hobert Flynn

Americans deserve the facts about the Russian attack on the 2016 election and the ongoing investigation, and the White House owes the American people answers. The Trump Administration should move quickly to clear the release of the House Intelligence Committee Democratic members’ response to the Nunes memo. The Republican memo has been widely discredited for cherry-picking facts in an attempt to undermine the FBI and Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of the Russian attacks. Americans should be presented with the facts, not conspiracy theories hatched by a member of the Trump transition team.

Americans also deserve to know whether Chairman Nunes coordinated or strategized with members of the Trump Administration in the formulation or drafting of his memo. To date, Nunes has refused to answer that question when raised by members of the Intelligence Committee and reporters.

Standing behind the flimsy Nunes memo while withholding the facts would not reflect well on the White House. Chairman Nunes has repeatedly shown himself more interested in doing the bidding of President Trump than investigating the attack on our democracy by a hostile foreign power. This is not acceptable behavior and Common Cause’s more than 1 million members and activists will continue to urge House Speaker Paul Ryan with phone calls, emails, and rallies to remove Devin Nunes from the Intelligence Committee altogether. If Nunes will not put his country before his party, then the Speaker must.