Rep. Pete King: Dems' Memo Could Come Out This Week

A Democratic memo on Russian meddling, which President Donald Trump would not release almost two weeks ago, could be made public if Democrats on the House Committee and the FBI agree on what should be deleted from it, Rep. Pete King said Wednesday.

"Originally there were some sources," said the New York Republican on Fox News' "America's Newsroom."

"Nothing flagrant, [but] I can see why the FBI was concerned. We were careful with ours, and they said there were no sources or risk to national security."

Democrats, though, put a few extra things in the memo "almost so it would be rejected and they could blame it on the White House," said King. "It was the FBI and the Justice Department, not the White House that objected to it."

King said that he wants the memo to be released, and that the White House will do that once the changes are made.

King also raised questions about the anti-Trump, Russia dossier, as investigation into it is entering a new phase with House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes sending a letter with a string of questions about it to the Justice Department.

"We have not had a straight answer on that," said King. "[Former CIA Director John] Brennan acts like he was barely aware of the dossier. During the whole fall I can tell you Jim Comey, nobody told us about the dossier and now it turns out that seems to be a main asset they relied on. It was paid for by Democrats and Hillary Clinton, a very supposed fact we can track down turns out to be untrue."

There are also complaints voiced from many people, including Trump, that former President Barack Obama was not tough enough on Russia meddling when he had the chance, and King said he agrees.

"For several years the Obama administration was lax on Russia," said King. "From what I understand all the president did was tell Vladimir Putin in September of 2016 to knock it off. He didn't. That was the extent of it. I'm not aware of any counter measures the administration took. Getting back to the Steele dossier. The significance is were our intelligence agencies relying on that document? "

The dossier is important, said King, because it was used in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant allowing the FBI to spy on former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

"The fact they relied on it for that means it had to be influencing them," said King. "Also Comey showed it to President Trump when they met Jan. 6. Took him aside to show it to him because it was so important."

• Dems Taking Another Run at Blocked Memo on Russia Probe
• Trump: Democrats Knew Memo Would Have To Be 'Heavily Redacted'