Cummings and Nadler Issue Statement After President’s Latest Attempt to Politicize Classified Information

Sep 17, 2018
Press Release

Cummings and Nadler Issue Statement After

President’s Latest Attempt to Politicize Classified Information

 

Washington, D.C. (Sept. 17, 2018)—Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, the Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Rep. Jerrold Nadler, the Ranking Member of the Committee on the Judiciary, issued the following statement in response to an announcement that President Donald Trump has directed the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Justice to immediately declassify materials related to the Russia investigation:

 

“President Trump’s actions today are a direct and frantic response to the dramatic events that unfolded last Friday, when his campaign chairman pleaded guilty to all criminal charges against him—including conspiracy against the United States—and then agreed to fully cooperate with Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation.

 

“With the walls clearly closing in on him, President Trump is lashing out with this extraordinarily reckless and irresponsible release of classified information in a desperate attempt to distract from the seven guilty pleas and the mounting evidence of multiple criminal enterprises among his closest advisors.

 

“For the past year, Republicans in Congress have been running interference for President Trump, promoting baseless conspiracy theories, mischaracterizing numerous documents, and attacking our law enforcement and intelligence officials.  This effort has been devoid of facts, but it has been incredibly destructive to our democracy.”

115th Congress