Trump Clears the Way for Release of Secret Republican Memo<br />Mr. Flake, in a joint statement with Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware, said releasing the memo “risks undermining U. S. intelligence-gathering efforts, politicizing Congress’ oversight role<br />and eroding confidence in our institutions of government.”<br />Mr. Thune said he thought that the Senate Intelligence Committee<br />and its Republican chairman, Senator Richard M. Burr of North Carolina, should be allowed to see the document before its release.<br />Republicans and Democrats on the Intelligence Committee spent the day arguing over charges by Democrats<br />that the Republicans had made “material changes” to the memo after the committee voted to release it but before it was transmitted to the White House for review.<br />WASHINGTON — The White House signaled on Thursday that President Trump would allow a secret memo written by Republican congressional<br />aides to be made public, despite fears from some in the West Wing that it could prompt the resignation of the F. B.I.<br />The memo says the officials relied in part on information handed over by a former British intelligence officer, Christopher Steele, without adequately explaining to the judge<br />that the research was paid for by the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, according to people who have read the document.
