One of the main points that FISA memo critics are wielding against it was undone by the author of the memo, Trey Gowdy.
Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) said in a new interview that the surveillance warrants for a former aide to President Trump’s campaign would not have been obtained without the controversial dossier compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele.
And…
“Would it have been authorized were it not for that dossier?” Host Margaret Brenna asked Gowdy
“No. It would not have been,” Gowdy, a former prosecutor, replied.Gowdy’s interview comes after the release of a controversial GOP memo that accuses the Justice Department of abusing its surveillance powers.
“It was not the exclusive information relied upon by the FISA court,” Gowdy said in the CBS interview, referring to the dossier.
But he admits that it wasn’t the sole reason it was granted. Is this a subjective opinion or is it fact? Given our track record, I would bet we won’t know for many months after daily unsubstantiated accusations and exaggerated hyper-rhetoric.
On the other hand, Gowdy completely undermines Trump saying he was “completely vindicated” by the memo.
Here he says there was going to be a Russia probe regardless of the Trump dossier:
That sounds like Gowdy isn’t convinced Trump is completely innocent – or it could mean he just thinks Trump hasn’t persuasively defended himself against the charges….