Schiff Accuses Nunes of Making Secret ‘Material Changes’ to Memo Sent to White House

Says Memo Cannot Be Released Until New Vote Taken

Republican House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes altered the memo he wrote on supposed FISA breaches committed by the FBI, according to a letter Ranking Member Adam Schiff released late Wednesday night. It is a significant accusation. If Nunes changed the memo which is the Intelligence Committee voted to release to the public after the vote took place, the changes effectively nullify the vote and they must vote again on the altered version, Schiff says.

Congressman Schiff says in his letter that the memo “is not, in fact, the same document” Republicans voted to release to the public.

“The White House,” Schiff states, has been “reviewing a document sinceÂ Monday nightÂ that the Committee never approved for public release.”

The FBI and the Justice Dept., alongÂ with Democrats, do not want the memo to be released to the public, citing ongoing investigations it would compromise, and because it would reveal classified information. The FBI accused Nunes earlier Wednesday of “material omissions of fact” in his memo â€“ effectively saying Nunes made false statements in the memo or is intentionally attempting to deceive.

Meanwhile, Republicans and the Trump White House want the memo released, pitting Trump and the Republicans against the FBI, DOJ, and Democrats.

Perhaps most at issue is Chairman Nunes himself, who was so compromised after accusing the FBI and Obama administration of illegal unmasking that he was forced to recuse himself from the Russia investigation, which he later claimed he never did.

President Trump had five days to authorize the release of the memo to the public. If he takes no action it will be released after the five day waiting period.