Lawmakers: Mueller's Russia probe needs to continue, despite Trump attacks

David Jackson | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Nunes memo: FBI, Justice Department abused surveillance The controversial Nunes memo is out. It claims the FBI and the Justice Department abused their surveillance authority on Trump's 2016 Presidential campaign. Democrats say the memo is misleading.

WASHINGTON – While President Trump claimed vindication from a disputed memo about the Russia investigation, Democrats and some Republicans said Sunday that Robert Mueller's special counsel investigation needs to continue.

Democrats also warned that any attempt by Trump to use the memo to remove Mueller and short-circuit the Russia investigation would trigger a constitutional crisis.

"The goal here is to undermine the FBI, discredit the FBI, discredit the Mueller investigation, do the president’s bidding," said Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, speaking on ABC's This Week.

Congressional Republicans said the newly released memo, authored by intelligence committee chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., raises serious questions about the FBI's handling of the Russia case, particularly a dossier compiled on Trump, his aides and contacts with Russia ahead of the 2016 election.

But some GOP lawmakers on Sunday interview shows said the memo has nothing to do with the ongoing Mueller investigation, which also involves whether the president and his aides sought to obstruct justice.

"There is a Russia investigation without a dossier," said Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., on CBS' Face the Nation.

Republicans and Democrats continued to argue about the significance of the Nunes memo that Trump cleared for release Friday over the objections of the FBI and the intelligence community.

Citing claims in the memo, Republicans said the FBI obtained a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant on a Trump campaign adviser in 2016 based on the dossier compiled by a former British intelligence officer retained by an opposition research firm and financed by Democrats.

Democratic members of Congress described the memo as misleading and incomplete. They said the FBI sought the warrant based on evidence of multiple contacts between the Trump aide, Carter Page, and the Russians.

Schiff and others said the FBI had many reasons to put Page under surveillance and conduct other aspects of an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, and whether Trump or his associates were involved. They are seeking to release a memo of their own making these same points.

Former CIA Director John Brennan told NBC's Meet the Press that the FBI would have been "derelict" not to look into the Russia case.

"The FBI had visibility into a number of things that were going on involving some individuals who may have had some affiliation with the Trump campaign," Brennan told NBC.

More: Republicans release memo alleging FBI, DOJ improperly spied on Trump campaign aide

More: Trump said Nunes memo 'totally vindicates' him in Russia probe

More: Analysis: With Nunes memo release, Trump barrels toward showdown with Mueller

Trump offered his own interpretation of the Nunes memo Saturday on Twitter.

"This memo totally vindicates 'Trump' in probe," the president tweeted Saturday.

But the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on. Their was no Collusion and there was no Obstruction (the word now used because, after one year of looking endlessly and finding NOTHING, collusion is dead). This is an American disgrace!"

Trump's critics said they believe Trump may use the Nunes memo a pretext to dismiss Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein — who appointed Mueller as special counsel —- and ultimately Mueller himself.

This would be "an extreme event," said Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., on CNN's State of the Union, and "could create a constitutional crisis in this country."

Even some Republican lawmakers, however, have said that the memo has no bearing on the Mueller investigation into possible links between the Trump campaign and Russians who sought to influence the 2016 presidential election through hacked emails and fake news; Mueller's obstruction of justice investigation includes Trump's decision to fire FBI Director James Comey back in May.

"I support the Mueller investigation," said Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, also speaking on CNN.

In the wake of the memo's release, Trump has passed up numerous opportunities to endorse Rosenstein, Asked Friday if he still had confidence in his deputy attorney general, Trump said: "You figure that one out."

Administration officials have said that Trump discussed trying to fire Mueller back in June, but attorneys talked him out of it.

In the months since, they said, Trump and his attorneys have worked with Mueller's office, and are confident the president will be exonerated after the investigation.

The memo fight takes place as attorneys for Trump and Mueller negotiate possible testimony from the president.