Politics

Gowdy Shoots Down Dem Talking Points After FISA Memo Release

Christian Datoc Senior White House Correspondent
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Congressman Trey Gowdy dismantled a talking point circulated on social media Friday by those seeking to downplay the implications of the just-released House Intelligence Committee memo.

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 03: The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee's Select Committee on Benghazi Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-SC) sports the beginnings of a beard as he questions witnesses about lapses in TSA screening in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill November 3, 2015 in Washington, DC. Leaked to the news media earlier this year, a TSA inspector general's report found that investigators were able to slip through airport security with weapons and phony bombs more than 95 percent of the time at different airports across the country, constituting 'significant breeches,' according to Homeland Security Inspector General John Roth. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 03: The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s Select Committee on Benghazi Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-SC) sports the beginnings of a beard as he questions witnesses about lapses in TSA screening in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill November 3, 2015 in Washington, DC. Leaked to the news media earlier this year, a TSA inspector general’s report found that investigators were able to slip through airport security with weapons and phony bombs more than 95 percent of the time at different airports across the country, constituting ‘significant breeches,’ according to Homeland Security Inspector General John Roth. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Though the FISA memo — compiled by House Intel chair Devin Nunes — makes clear that the infamous Steele dossier was instrumental in securing FISA warrants on former Trump adviser Carter Page, the left quickly began pointing to the memo’s final section.

The memo’s conclusion fingers former Trump foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos as the impetus for the FBI’s monitoring of Trump’s campaign, and the anti-Trump crowd argued this point washes out the rest of the memo’s implications.

Gowdy disagreed.

“It is important for the American public to know if the dossier was paid for by another candidate, used in court pleadings, vetted before it was used, vetted after it was used, and whether all relevant facts were shared with the tribunal approving of the FISA application,” the South Carolina Republican tweeted.

Despite backing the release of Nunes’ memo, Gowdy also stated he remains confident in the integrity of the FBI, Justice Department and special counsel Robert Mueller, an important delineation few on either side of the debate made on Friday.

WATCH:

Gowdy announced that he will not seek re-election at the end of his term. (SLIDESHOW: The Many — MANY — Hairstyles Of Trey Gowdy)

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