The ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee said Sunday the GOP memo alleging surveillance abuses by the FBI is “impeaching” the bureau, and undermines Americans’ confidence in the intelligence community.
In an interview on ABC News’ “This Week,” Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said the release of the contentious memo charging abuses of the federal Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act by the bureau and Department of Justice ultimately will make the country “less safe.”
"It is impeaching the FBI,” Schiff said, adding, “ Sources are going to dry up because of what the Republicans are doing.”
“There's a compact between our community and the intelligence community,” Schiff continued. “We will hold them in good confidence and won't abuse them.
They're going to share a lot less with us and others are going to decide not to share with the FBI because they can't rely on our committee not to be partisan in the handling of that information.”
He also suggested House Intelligence Committee head Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., “worked with the White House” on the memo.
“I think it's very possible his staff worked with the White House and coordinated the whole effort with the White House,” he said, comparing it to Nunes’s trip to the White House in March 2017 to review intelligence reports involving associates of President Donald Trump caught in “incidental” surveillance.
“It looks so much like this earlier effort we know was run by the White House…”