Reading the Dems’ memo [updated]

As I quickly read the Dems’ memo proclaiming that everything was beautiful in the counterintelligence investigation of Russian election interference, I was struck by its argumentative nature. It is not a trustworthy document. It plays fast and loose with facts and argument. It refutes claims the Nunes memo didn’t make. It liberally trashes Carter Page. It omits the testimony of Andrew McCabe on the critical role played by the Steele Dossier in the FBI’s decision to seek a FISA warrant on Page. It vouches for the credibility of Christopher Steele, when the issue would be the credibility of his (alleged) anonymous alphabetized sources.

Whereas John Milton sought to justify the ways of God to men, the Democrats seek to justify the ways of James Comey to Americans. According to the Dems’ memo, the FBI achieved perfection in the case.

Whatever the FBI did, they somehow overlooked the assistance of the friends of Vladimir Putin to the Clinton campaign via the Perkins Coie law firm, Glenn Simpson/Fusion GPS, and Christopher Steele. And the sleuths of the FBI somehow failed to deduce the source of Michael Isikoff’s September 23, 2016 Yahoo News story about the FBI investigation of Carter Page was their old friend Christopher Steele. This must count as part of the FBI’s perfection in the eyes of the Democrats.

I posted the Democrats’ memo here and the response of Devin Nunes here. Here is additional reading on the Dems’ memo:

• Byron York, Washington Examiner: “Assessing the new Democratic intel memo.”

• Fred Fleitz, FOX News: “Democrats’ new Russia memo is a political attack.”

• Peter Hasson, Daily Caller: “What the Democrats left out of their memo.”

• Mark Wauck, Meaning in History: “The Schiff memo and the scandal of FISAgate.”

I should add once again that we badly need the FISA warrant application and related representations in renewal proceedings redacted and released.

UPDATE: To the readings above I would add this one, posted on Sunday evening:

• Andrew McCarthy, NR: “The Schiff memo harms Democrats more than it helps them.”

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