Democrats flipped their lid after President Trump announced the declassification of documents related to the Russia investigation on Tuesday, but were calling for total transparency in 2016 while Obama was still president.
Democrat leadership, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (NY), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (NY), ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee Adam Schiff (Calif.), and Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee Mark Warner (Va.) sent a letter to heads of U.S. intelligence agencies begging them to disobey Trump’s declassification orders.
Showdown? In letter, Pelosi/Schumer/Schiff/Warner order intel agencies to ignore presidential order on declassification until consulting with Congress. https://t.co/x7JDUJd4t0 pic.twitter.com/o64PC7EEFQ
— Byron York (@ByronYork) September 19, 2018
Schiff even took to Twitter to warn Trump that he’d crossed a “red line” by declassifying the Russia probe documents.
President Trump has intervened again in a pending investigation by ordering the selective disclosure of classified materials he believes to be helpful to his defense. The DOJ and FBI have previously informed me that release of some of this information would cross a “red line.”
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) September 18, 2018
But here he is in December 2016 calling for Obama to do exactly that, even asserting that Trump would never be transparent if given the chance.
“Pleased Obama Administration undertaking full review of Russian hacking into our elections. They should declassify as much of it as possible,” he tweeted.
Pleased Obama Administration undertaking full review of Russian hacking into our elections. They should declassify as much of it as possible pic.twitter.com/qzf0U8n85P
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 9, 2016
President Obama can and must declassify as much as possible about Russia hacking our elections. Rest assured, Trump won’t. https://t.co/ONM8N0kCMl
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 17, 2016
In fact, Pelosi and Schumer also echoed the same sentiment back in 2016.
“American people deserve to know how & for what purpose #Russia manipulated our free & fair elections. Findings must be public to max extent,” Schumer tweeted.
American people deserve to know how & for what purpose #Russia manipulated our free & fair elections. Findings must be public to max extent.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) December 12, 2016
A month after Trump was sworn in, Pelosi said: “Openness is a quality of a democracy. Secrecy is used by authoritarian regimes. The Trump Administration must make transparency a priority.”
Openness is a quality of a democracy. Secrecy is used by authoritarian regimes. The Trump Administration must make transparency a priority.
— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) February 14, 2017
So why would the Democrats discourage transparency on “Russian collusion” after months of calling for it?
Because it’s believed the un-redacted documents will confirm that the Obama administration and the Deep State abused the FISA process to spy on a Trump campaign official with the aim of influencing the 2016 U.S. election, using the “Steele Dossier” paid for by Hillary Clinton’s campaign as the catalyst.
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