Adam Schiff discussed DOJ review of Russia investigation with Dan Coats

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said he spoke directly with Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats about the Justice Department's review of the origins of the Russia investigation. After the White House instructed several agencies to cooperate with Attorney General William Barr's inquiry, including the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Schiff expressed deep concern about a possible effort to "weaponize" law enforcement and intelligence against political rivals. The California Democrat demanded Coats keep him apprised of the intelligence community's activities, and it appears he may have gotten an answer. “I have discussed personally with the Director of National Intelligence Coats my profound concern about what [Attorney General] Bill Barr is doing in particular,” Schiff said Wednesday at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. “This desire to provide cover to the president by investigating the investigators. This desire to give amplification to the counteractive." Trump, who said the review of the federal investigation into possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia is "not payback," delegated Barr the authority to declassify relevant information. Barr tasked U.S. Attorney John Durham to lead the review, which along with an inspector general investigation into potential surveillance abuses, could lead to criminal charges.

In a letter late last month to Coats, Schiff wrote that Trump's memo "perniciously" seeks the intelligence community's help to "politicize the [intelligence community] and law enforcement, to delegitimize the well-founded investigation into the president, and to attack the president's political enemies." Schiff demanded Coats keep him apprised of the intelligence community's activities, including "any declassification that has been or will be made over [intelligence community] objection," and set a deadline of June 6 to hear back. Despite Coats' apparent cooperation, Schiff said overall he knows very little about the Justice Department's broad look into the actions of federal officials stemming back to the 2016 campaign. Schiff said the FBI has “started to provide some answers," but there has been “very little visibility."

Coats has spoken out about Trump's order, explaining the limited scope of what can be made available to the public because of national security concerns. "Much like we have with other investigations and reviews, the Intelligence Community will provide the Department of Justice all of the appropriate information for its review of intelligence activities related to Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election," Coats said in a statement last month. "As part of that process, I am confident that the attorney general will work with the [intelligence community] in accordance with the long-established standards to protect highly-classified information that, if publicly released, would put our national security at risk." Schiff predicted Coats and CIA Director Gina Haspel will resist Trump's move to declassify intelligence related to the Russia investigation. Should pressure from Trump become too great, Schiff suggested this pair of intelligence leaders follow the example of former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and resign.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/adam-schiff-discussed-doj-review-of-russia-investigation-with-dan-coats

>>6793344

Adam Schiff's letter to Dan Coats 5/31/19

>>6793358

Indeed we got the mutha, kek

Byron York: Now, word of a mysterious third 'scope memo' for Robert Mueller

The 448-page Mueller report has been public for two months, so it might seem strange that the Justice Department's original instructions to special counsel Robert Mueller, outlining what he was assigned to investigate, are still a secret. But they are. And now, it turns out those instructions were more extensive than previously known. Until now, it was widely understood that there had been two "scope memos" from the DOJ to Mueller. Now, it turns out there was a third, as well. When Mueller was first appointed, on May 17, 2017, the appointment document, signed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, authorized Mueller to investigate three areas: "i) any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump; ii) any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation; [and] iii) any other matters within the scope of [obstruction of justice laws]."

That document was made public immediately. It shaped the popular understanding of what Mueller was investigating. It was, however, just for show. On April 3, 2018, news broke that Rosenstein wrote a second scope memo to Mueller. Dated Aug. 2, 2017, just 10 weeks after the original appointing document, the second scope memo came to light as a result of court proceedings for the trial of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort. But most of it was blacked out. Still, the public could see that Rosenstein wrote that the original May 17, 2017, scope memo "was worded categorically in order to permit its public release without confirming specific investigations involving specific individuals. This [Aug. 2] memorandum provides a more specific description of your authority."

Rosenstein apparently went on to list several assignments, but only one was not blacked out. In that section, Rosenstein authorized Mueller to investigate allegations that Manafort "committed a crime or crimes by colluding with Russian government officials with respect to the Russian government's efforts to interfere with the 2016 election for President of the United States, in violation of United States law," as well as allegations that Manafort "committed a crime or crimes arising out of payments he received from the Ukrainian government before and during the tenure of President Viktor Yanukovych." Whatever else Rosenstein told Mueller remains secret to this day.

Now there is more. The Justice Department has recently allowed members of some congressional committees to view the scope memos, and out of that has come the news that there was a third scope memo to Mueller. Dated Oct. 20, 2017, its contents remain a secret. But its very existence suggests something was going on behind the scenes in the relationship of Mueller and his supervisors at the Justice Department. Was Mueller heading off in new directions, with Rosenstein belatedly giving him authorization to proceed? Was Mueller proposing to investigate people or events not known when he was originally appointed? Was there something else?

At the moment, the third scope memo, like most of the second scope memo, remains a secret. It is unclear whether all that secrecy is warranted. Perhaps the memos concern matters that are still ongoing that need to remain under wraps. On the other hand, Mueller announced that his investigation into conspiracy and coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign — the core area of his jurisdiction — was over and done. "The office has concluded its investigation into links and coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump campaign," the Mueller report said. It seems safe to say the memos will one day be released, but it is not at all clear when that will be. The public needs to know the story, not only of the Trump-Russia issue but of the Trump-Russia investigation.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/byron-york-now-word-of-a-mysterious-third-scope-memo-for-robert-mueller

>>6793626

>>6793671

They were afraid they made the scope of the investigation to narrow to begin with, so they widened the scope, to justify the length of Mueller's investigation. My prediction would be the 3rd scope was to include entire POTUS family members.

>>6793718

Let's not forget POTUS siblings, and Inlaws.

>>6793786

Who??? Kek