Schumer: If Memo Isn't Released, Americans Will Wonder What Trump's Hiding

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday urged President Donald Trump to release the Democratic counter-memo that rebuts the GOP memo released by the House Intelligence Committee, saying if he refuses, "the American people will be forced to wonder: what is he trying to hide?"

The Schiff memo is based on the same underlying docs as the partisan #NunesMemo, so there should be no question as to whether or not @realDonaldTrump will approve the new memo’s release. If he refuses, the American people will be forced to wonder: what is he trying to hide?

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 5, 2018

The GOP memo, written by Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and released last Friday, alleges the FBI and the Justice Department abused their authority to obtain a warrant to spy on a former Trump campaign adviser suspected of being an agent of Russia.

The House Intelligence Committee voted Monday to release the Democratic counter memo, produced by Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California, but Trump has five days to review the document and decide whether to approve its declassification or reject its release over national security concerns.

"The vote was unanimous to release this," Schiff said. "I think the Republican members understood that after calling for full transparency, they were getting hammered over the course of the week for trying to hide the minority response."

The counter memo is a point-by-point rebuttal of the GOP memo.

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