WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement:

“The President’s order conferring new authorities over classified information held by the Intelligence Community is a corrupt escalation of the President’s intention, with the assistance of the Attorney General, to weaponize and politicize the nation’s intelligence and law enforcement entities.



“The clear intent of this abuse of power is to override longstanding rules governing classified information to serve the President’s political interests, advance his ‘deep state’ narrative, and target his political rivals.



“The potential selective release of material that implicates sources and methods will undermine the Intelligence Community’s efforts to gather intelligence, including on future attacks on our elections as well as other key intelligence targets, putting not only sources at risk, but the nation’s security along with them.



“The House Intelligence Committee will conduct vigorous oversight of any steps to selectively reveal and distort classified information, abuse the declassification process, and place at risk sources and methods, thereby weakening our safety and security.”

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