Rep. Devin Nunes' memo alleging surveillance abuses by the FBI doesn't vindicate President Donald Trump when it comes to collusion with Russians, despite the president's claims over the weekend, Sen. Chris Coons said Monday.
"I've got the memo right here, and frankly, if folks haven't read it, they should," the Delaware Democrat told MSNBC's "Morning Joe." "It doesn't provide the vindication President Trump is claiming."
Instead, he said, the memo makes it clear that the investigation already was under way before British spy Christopher Steele's dossier was brought forward.
"It points to [George] Papadopoulos, another Trump campaign aide who pled guilty and is cooperating as the source of the initial intelligence," said Coons.
Coons added that he is encouraged that Republicans are coming forward and saying the memo has nothing to do with undermining or derailing special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling.
The senator also Monday called for a Democratic memo on the FBI's surveillance methods to be released, once it is properly vetted by the FBI and the Justice Department, as it is "rooted in the intelligence" materials in a way that Nunes' memo was not.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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