The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee said the FBI is being too heavy-handed in redacting information included in a memo that Democrats compiled to offer a point-by-point rebuttal of a GOP memo released earlier this month.

Rep. Adam Schiff Adam Bennett SchiffTop Democrats call for DOJ watchdog to probe Barr over possible 2020 election influence Overnight Defense: Top admiral says 'no condition' where US should conduct nuclear test 'at this time' | Intelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings Overnight Defense: House to vote on military justice bill spurred by Vanessa Guillén death | Biden courts veterans after Trump's military controversies MORE (D-Calif.) suggested the FBI is using too much red ink to try to block any new information in the memo from being made public.

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"The FBI has identified in the memo, in our response, essentially everything that isn't already a matter of public record that wasn't already declassified," Schiff told reporters during a breakfast sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor.

He argued that since the Republican memo was released to the public, as drafted by the staff of committee Chairman Devin Nunes Devin Gerald NunesSunday shows preview: With less than two months to go, race for the White House heats up Sunday shows preview: Republicans gear up for national convention, USPS debate continues in Washington Sunday shows preview: White House, congressional Democrats unable to breach stalemate over coronavirus relief MORE (R-Calif.), as a four-page document with completely new information, the Democrats' countermemo should also be able to include new information.

"The GOP memo was all classified before it was declassified. There is a great deal in the Democratic response that has already been declassified. I think the question ought to be, ‘Is there anything that can’t be declassified in the public interest because of sources and methods for investigating ventures?'" he continued.

Schiff said he is making headway with the FBI as they continue to go through what information can be made public. The memo involves the process by which Justice Department officials applied for a surveillance warrant of a former Trump campaign aide in 2016. Republicans claim that officials relied on biased or politically motivated information as part of their argument in favor of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant application.

"We hope to have it resolved soon so that we can make sure that we redact anything that legitimately concerns the source or method [used in the FISA application], but to meet the public interest as well as the will of the committee that as much of this can be released as possible," Schiff added.

Schiff claimed the excessive redactions by the bureau could be a result of pressure from the White House on the FBI, suggesting that President Trump Donald John TrumpObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE doesn't want their memo to see the light of day for political purposes.

Trump has claimed the information in the GOP-drafted memo vindicates him in the Russia probe.

Meanwhile, Schiff and other Democrats say the GOP memo is misleading and a set of cherry-picked facts.

"What it appears the FBI did, and I assume this was at the request of the White House, is identify anything in our memo that wasn’t already public," Schiff told reporters.

The White House on Friday indicated it is open to releasing the countermemo if certain information is redacted.