国际英语新闻: U.S. House panel issues disputed memo criticizing FBI Russia probe

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. House Intelligence Committee released a disputed classified memo alleging the FBI and Justice Department abused their surveillance powers during the Russia probe following the authorization of President Donald Trump on Friday.

"The Committee has now determined that the release of the Memorandum would be appropriate," said the committee in a statement on its website, citing "significant public interest in disclosure."

The document, prepared by Devin Nunes, the committee's Republican chairman, is said to be part of a bid to prove that the FBI and Justice Department are biased and out to get the president.

Democratic lawmakers have called the memo misleading and part of an effort to undermine special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 elections.

"The top Leadership and Investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicized the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans - something which would have been unthinkable just a short time ago," Trump tweeted Friday morning. He later authorized the publication of the memo.

The Republican-controlled House Intelligence Committee on Monday voted along party lines to approve the release of the four-page memo.

On Wednesday, the FBI, which objects the memo' disclosure, said in a statement that it has "grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo's accuracy."