by WorldTribune Staff, September 21, 2018
There are likely no game-changers in the documents declassified by President Donald Trump this week, but many former officials stand to be highly embarrassed by the content, especially ex-CIA chief John Brennan, according to Rep. Trey Gowdy.
Brennan and other former and current officials have contended the documents should not be declassified due to threats to national security.
“I don’t think it’s going to change anyone’s mind, but I’ve seen nothing in it that is going to jeopardize the national security interest of this country,” said Gowdy, a member of the House Intelligence Committee and chairman of the oversight panel.
“Some of it is embarrassing for the Department of Justice; some of it is embarrassing for the FBI. Embarrassment is not the reason to classify something,” Gowdy told Fox News on Sept. 20.
“A lot of it should be embarrassing to John Brennan and maybe therein lies why he is so adamant that this information not be released.”
Brennan, who some observers say is still fuming after having his security clearance revoked by Trump, said he hopes “individuals of conscience” work to block the president’s declassification order.
“A number of individuals are trying to protect Mr. Trump and abusing their authorities and their powers, whether it be in Congress or within the executive branch,” Brennan said during an interview with MSNBC on Sept. 18.
“And this is something that I am hoping that individuals of conscience are going to stop and prevent because I am concerned that this is just one indication that Mr. Trump is going to increasingly look for steps to take in order to further try to subvert the Mueller investigation,” Brennan said.
Trump on Sept. 17 instructed the Justice Department, the FBI, and the director of national intelligence to declassify documents related to the FISA warrant process seeking the authority to spy on Trump campaign associate Carter Page.
Trump’s order also covered documents on FBI interviews with DOJ official Bruce Ohr, who had ties to Trump dossier author Christopher Steele, and Russia-related text messages from officials who are known Trump critics, including ex-FBI Director James Comey, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, Ohr, and former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page.
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Gowdy: Documents declassified by Trump ‘should be embarrassing to John Brennan’ added by World Tribune on
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