JUDY WOODRUFF: We return now to the memo released today by the U.S. House Intelligence Committee.
I spoke earlier with two of the members of that committee, starting with Republican Will
Hurd of Texas.
I asked what information was so explosive to warrant releasing the document, despite
calls by the intelligence community to keep it classified.
REP.
WILL HURD (R), Texas: Well, I don't know if I would describe it with the adjective explosive,
but what the information in the memo questioned, asked is, should federal law enforcement be
allowed to use unverified information, circular reporting and rumors in a Title III court
to request a FISA warrant?
And, for me, this is about making sure that Congress is actually providing good oversight
of our federal law enforcement.
This is not, in my opinion, about the Mueller investigation.
I believe Bob Mueller should be allowed to turn over every rock, pursue every lead to
ensure that we know what the Russians tried to do in our elections.
But this is Congress' responsibility to the American people to provide oversight and ensure
that our civil liberties are being protected.
JUDY WOODRUFF: I'm sure you know those who are defending the FBI here say that it did
follow procedure very carefully and it relied on more than that controversial Steele dossier,
so-called, to make its case.
REP.
WILL HURD: And, again, I expect them to make their case and to defend their actions.
Whether or not other information was used is immaterial.
The former director of the FBI himself said that some of the material that was used was
salacious and unverified.
And then another piece of information, the Yahoo News article, relied on that same information,
which is circular reporting, and it was being used as confirmation of the original source,
and then, third, rumors from another host government, another government.
So whether or not more information was used or not, to me, is not the question.
It's, why was that kind of information used?
And, to me, as a professional intelligence officer, Judy, as you know, I spent almost
as a decade as undercover officer in the CIA, protecting sources and methods, gathering
information.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Right.
REP.
WILL HURD: My job was to determine the difference between information and intelligence.
And I was comfortable releasing this information because, as you look, none of this damages
national security.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Well, that is the argument Democrats are making, that this damages the
intelligence community, it serves -- does long-term damage to the agencies at do this
fundamental work day in and day out.
REP.
WILL HURD: And I would disagree with that.
This is not a criticism of rank and file members of the FBI.
I have had the honor of serving side by side with them.
This is about making sure the political leadership of these organizations are crossing every
T and dotting every I.
We give a lot of responsibility and authority to the Department of Justice and FBI, and
that authority every single time should be used appropriately.
And I think this is a case where I'm firmly in opposition of using unverified information
in a FISA court.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Do you believe that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein or any other
top official at DOJ or the FBI should lose their job over this?
REP.
WILL HURD: No.
I think this is part of oversight, making sure that we are ensuring that our agencies
are operating the way that they're supposed to.
There's currently a Department of Justice inspector general that is doing a review.
And, apparently, I think a draft report has been produced.
I think that's also another tool in order for us to look at our agencies.
It's just unfortunate, I think, that all this information is going to be used by partisans
to promote their partisan position.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Very quickly, will you vote to release the Democratic memo in your committee?
REP.
WILL HURD: Of course, as long as it doesn't have direct revelations of existing ongoing
intelligence, which I think we can take out, but of course I would support that.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Representative Will Hurd of the House Intelligence Committee, thank you
very much.
REP.
WILL HURD: Thank you.