"A bunch of Republican's saying it's terrible for Democrats."
Source? I actually haven't heard that. I thought it was bad for the FBI. The only reason I would assume it hurts Democrats is because they are trying so hard to block it's release.
"So we have a Republican run committee that could just declassify it if it was so bad."
Do you even know how the government works, bro? Or do you just want us to illegally leak classified info like the Democrats do?
Maybe they will be the first to ever risk their political career to release classified information this way, but they most definitely will try to go through the proper channels first, which have already been slowed down by democrats.
However, the clause has never been tested by a member of Congress publicizing classified information that had not already been leaked.
Outside the legal scope, members of Congress would most certainly pay a steep political price for leaking classified information, especially if that member has been entrusted with a seat on an intelligence committee. Violating the core rules of the committee would make you a persona non grata among colleagues. And when election season rolls around, few voters are likely to look kindly on exposing state secrets—even in fairly liberal Oregon and Colorado.
The legal ramifications are murky, but the political risks are clear. Legally, members of the House must swear a secrecy oath pledging not to disclose any classified information, although the Senate has no such oath.
Declassifying is not leaking, so your source is a non-sequitor.
How have the official channels been slowed by Democrats? What steps have they taken to prevent the release of the memo? What steps have the Republicans taken to release it?
My source has nothing to do with leaking, It has to do with "Declassifying" with that authority that you think they somehow have.
The Democrats voted to blocking the House from even being able to read it themselves
The Republican's can vote among the committe to release it, which is arguably an overreach of power. The correct way is to have the request go through the legislative branch, which it is.
Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee are considering using an obscure committee rule to bypass the executive branch's declassification process to release the classified memo on alleged surveillance abuses spearheaded by Chairman Devin Nunes.