A CNN host asked Democratic Rep. Pete Aguilar of California Monday morning why his caucus is pushing to release a classified intelligence memo while criticizing the Republicans for doing the same.
Aguilar argued that the memo the GOP released Friday, which alleges surveillance abuse at the FBI, was partisan, the Democrats’ rebuttal memo had helpful context that is necessary release to get the whole story.
“How can their release be extremely reckless but you want the Democratic rebuttal released?” host Alisyn Camerota asked. “Isn’t that the same thing? Wouldn’t that be extremely reckless as well?”
“Clearly it’s been said the context of the partisan Republican memo doesn’t capture everything,” Aguilar said in response. “So clearly let’s put the other memo out. Let’s get better context by which decisions were made, and then let the American public decide.”
Aguilar added that should the broader intelligence committee step in to say the Democratic memo shouldn’t be released, they would re-evaluate.
“Clearly we’ll take the lead from the intelligence committee, unlike my colleagues on the other side. If they indicate that they don’t want this released, then we’ll reevaluate,” Aguilar said.
The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence released a declassified memo Friday showing the FBI relied on information from a dossier paid for by the Hillary Clinton campaign to obtain a spying warrant on a member of President Donald Trump’s campaign.
ALSO WATCH:
Trump tweeted Saturday that the memo “totally vindicates Trump,” and that there was no collusion with Russia, and no obstruction of justice on the part of the president.
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