Rep. Chris Stewart said on Fox News Sunday the memo authored by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes does not exonerate President Donald Trump, but it does raise questions about possible bias in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.
Stewart claims the Steele dossier, which was part of the evidence to secure a federal warrant to surveil former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, reads like a “two dollar novel.”
“It’s just political garbage,” Stewart said of the memo. “It’s no more credible than a two-dollar novel.”
The memo charges the dossier was compiled by ex-British spy Christopher Steele and financed by the Democratic National Committee and the campaign of Trump’s 2016 rival, Hillary Clinton. The memo asserts that ex-FBI official Andrew McCabe told the committee the warrant was dependent on the dossier, and it further states that the FBI did not divulge to the court critical information regarding its dubious provenance.
Democrats have countered that the memo is misleading and was made public to undermine Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into possible collusion.
However, Stewart says Mueller’s probe into possible Russian meddling in the 2016 election should continue.
“It doesn’t end that need at all,” said Stewart.
President Donald Trump tweeted on Saturday that the memo “totally vindicated” him. Stewart disagreed.
“The memo has nothing to do at all with the special counsel. I hope the special counsel completes his work and reports it to the people,” said Stewart.
