At GOP retreat, McMorris Rodgers says she backs public release of memo

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. VA – U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers waded into the debate over the controversial “Nunes Memo” Thursday, backing the document’s release despite FBI claims that its contents are misleading.

Kicking off a Republican Party retreat in West Virginia, McMorris Rodgers, R-Spokane, said the memo – authored by Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and concerning the FBI’s handling of the Russia investigation – should be made available to the American people.

“I did have the chance to read the memo,” said McMorris Rodgers. “I walked away very concerned from what I’ve read, and I do believe it should be made public.”

Nunes and other Republicans say the memo shows the FBI abused its power in obtaining a warrant to investigate members of President Donald Trump’s campaign regarding the Russia investigation.

The Democratic Party and the FBI say the facts in the memo have been cherry-picked by Nunes, who served on Trump’s transition team, and are taken out of context.

Although McMorris Rodgers supports the memo’s release, she insisted in an interview that she still has confidence in the nation’s top law enforcement agency.

“It is very important that we all have the highest confidence in the FBI,” she said. “And that’s why I believe it’s important to see if there was an abuse of FISA” – the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act – “and how it may have been used inappropriately.”

McMorris Rodgers also noted that special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian collusion with members of Trump’s campaign is separate from the FBI and not addressed in Nunes’ memo. She stated she still has full confidence in Mueller.

Members of the FBI had previously approached the White House and the Department of Justice in attempts to stop the memo from being published, stating they have “grave concerns” over the accuracy of the information in the memo.

The topic was one of many addressed by McMorris Rodgers at the news conference, which provided an overview for the Republican Retreat agenda as well as discussing general GOP strategy and policy ideas.

McMorris Rodgers started the conference by saying that the prayers of the Republican Party are with those affected by the collision on Wednesday between a garbage truck and a train carrying members of the party traveling to the retreat. None of the lawmakers or their families were seriously injured, but one person aboard the truck was killed and another critically injured.

She quickly transitioned to praising the recent tax cuts. “Thousands of dollars may be crumbs to some,” said McMorris Rodgers. “But hard-working men and women, who’ve been waiting way too long for this, will now have a reason to dream.”

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., joined McMorris Rodgers behind the podium at the press conference.

“We are here to discuss 2018 and what we can do,” Thune said.

McMorris Rodgers and Thune both praised what they described as GOP successes and discussed general congressional plans.

“We want to stay focused on the priorities that the people want us to be focused on,” said McMorris Rodgers. “And I believe that’s jobs and the economy, and infrastructure is part of that.”

McMorris Rodgers is in her seventh term as a U.S. representative, and her third term as GOP conference chair.

The Republican Retreat is being held at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Jim Justice, the Republican governor of West Virginia, owns the resort.

Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to fix Devin Nunes’ name.