WH Overrules Intel Officials, Grants Access To Classified FBI Informant Files

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 13:  FBI Director nominee Christopher Wray waits in a hallway prior to his meeting with U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) on Capitol Hill July 13, 2017 in Washington, DC. If confirmed, Wray will fill the position that has been left behind by former director James Comey who was fired by President Donald Trump about two months ago.  (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 13: FBI Director nominee Christopher Wray waits in a hallway prior to his meeting with U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) on Capitol Hill July 13, 2017 in Washington, DC. If confirmed, Wray will fill... WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 13: FBI Director nominee Christopher Wray waits in a hallway prior to his meeting with U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) on Capitol Hill July 13, 2017 in Washington, DC. If confirmed, Wray will fill the position that has been left behind by former director James Comey who was fired by President Donald Trump about two months ago. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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Despite the protestations of preeminent intelligence officials, the White House has ordered that classified information about the FBI informant who infiltrated the Trump campaign be made available to all members of the Senate and House Intelligence Committees.

According to a Thursday New York Times report, it is unknown if President Donald Trump or another White House official issued the command. The classified documents will center on the FBI informant’s interactions with campaign aides Carter Page and George Papadopoulos in the informant’s attempt to gain knowledge about their Russian contacts.

Intelligence officers—including FBI Director Christopher Wray and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats—warned that releasing the classified information would put both the informant and agency’s sources and methods at risk. The Trump administration steamrolled those concerns, bolstered by Trump’s fury that the FBI “spied” on his campaign, which he considers the “all time biggest political scandal.”

Congressional leaders have already received two briefings on the informant. Even staunch Trump ally Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) came out of the briefing agreeing that the FBI had had enough evidence to warrant the use and actions of the informant.

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Notable Replies

  1. House Intelligent Committee, that’s a oxymoron right?

  2. We are shocked, shocked that Donald Trump and his Clown Car of Congressional Committee Allies, who just got done making fools of themselves yesterday, are willing to disclose this information. It will give them hundreds of tidbits to continue to stoke their inbred conspiracy theorizations. And, it is part of Donald Trump’s generalized campaign to obstruct justice on the investigation of himself.

  3. In normal times, the intelligence community should do its job absolutely under the direction of the executive branch, and not strike out on its own as an independent authority center it was never meant to be. But these are not normal times, and if for the good of the nation they want to do what they can to undermine a rogue, dangerous administration, this is one knee-jerk liberal who says go for it, gang. Ultimately it strengthens the rule of law.

  4. These guys really ARE clowns. WTF are they doing?
    Hope they all go down in flames.

  5. Chum for Fox news and the base.

    Elected Republicans will crow about the info and how bad it is.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

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