GOP memo to be released "pretty quick," John Kelly says
White House chief of staff John Kelly said the controversial, classified memo created by Republican staffers on the House Intelligence Committee led by chairman Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., will be released "pretty quick."
The memo contains classified information about alleged abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) by the Department of Justice and FBI around the time of the 2016 presidential campaign. On Tuesday, various intelligence agencies were vetting it, CBS News chief White House correspondent Major Garrett reported. Kelly said he has seen the memo, and national security lawyers in the White House were "slicing and dicing" it.
Kelly made the comments Wednesday morning on Fox News Radio, with time running out for the White House to decide if it wants to try to block the memo's release. The House Intelligence Committee voted along party lines Monday night to release the memo, giving the White House five days to review it.
"It'll be released here pretty quick, I think, and the whole world can see it," Kelly told Fox News Radio.
Kelly's comments came hours after Mr. Trump appeared to joke about the release of the memo as he departed from the chamber after his first State of the Union speech Tuesday night.
"Let's release the memo," Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-South Carolina, told the president after the conclusion of the speech.
"Oh yeah, don't worry, 100 percent," Mr. Trump responded, waving his hand as he did.
Mr. Trump added smilingly, "Can you imagine that?" Then, pointing to another member of Congress, said, "He'd be too angry."
Last week, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said the White House wants "full transparency" with regard to the memo.
Democrats fear Republicans are using the memo to undermine the credibility of the Department of Justice and FBI, the leadership of which Mr. Trump has repeatedly bashed on Twitter. Specifically, Democrats fear Republicans are trying to undermine the credibility of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election meddling and any ties to Trump associates.