January 10, 2018

Trump Blasts “Sneaky” Dianne Feinstein for Posting Fusion GPS Testimony

He also sparked alarm with his demand Republicans “take control” of the Russia probe.

Tom Williams/ZUMA

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President Donald Trump on Wednesday took aim at “sneaky” Sen. Dianne Feinstein, one day after the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee released the committee’s interview with Glenn Simpson, the founder of Fusion GPS, whose political research firm authored the Steele dossier.

Feinstein’s decision to make the transcript public came under fire from top Republican leaders, including Sen. Chuck Grassley, who had previously refused to release the contents of the interview. 

“Feinstein’s unilateral decision was made as the committee is still trying to secure testimony from other witnesses, including Jared Kushner,” Grassley spokesman Taylor Foy said in a statement shortly after the transcript was released. “Her action undermines the integrity of the committee’s oversight work and jeopardizes its ability to secure candid voluntary testimony relating to the independent recollections of future witnesses.”

Trump on Wednesday went further, branding Feinstein’s move as “underhanded” and potentially illegal. He also misleadingly claimed that Feinstein had already concluded there was no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. (In interviews, the California Democrat has previously said that she had not seen evidence of collusion “so far.”)

Trump followed up his attack on Feinstein by urging Republicans to “take control” of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into his presidential campaign and Russia. It’s unclear what exactly the president was appealing to—Mueller is a Republican,  and the party controls Congress—but it’s unlikely to halt growing concern that Republicans are attempting to discredit Mueller and the investigation.

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