Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray must ensure that the declassification of documents associated with the Russia investigation that US President Donald Trump has ordered will not hurt the probe in any way, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire, wrote in a letter to Wray on Thursday.
"I urge you to make every attempt during this process to ensure that any documents released do not expose the sources and methods of intelligence collection or impede ongoing investigations," Shaheen said.
The letter said Shaheen is worried about the safety of intelligence officials and the Justice Department's independence due to Trump's order to "immediately" declassify selective parts of documents and texts related to allegations of Russia’s interference in the 2016 US presidential election.
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Shaheen also requested answers to several questions, including whether Wray was consulted before Trump ordered the declassification, what steps are being taken to ensure sensitive information about active or former officials of the FBI is not released, and what steps are being taken to ensure the independence of the Russia investigation.
Members of the US Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies should receive a briefing on the process and results of the declassification before any documents are released to the public, the letter said.
Trump directed the Justice Department and Office of the Director of National Intelligence to release the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act application on his former adviser Carter Page and all FBI reports of interviews prepared in connection with his file.
Russia has repeatedly denied interfering in the vote, dismissing the allegations as "absurd." Trump has also rejected accusations of collusion with Russia as politically motivated lies and has called the investigation a "witch hunt."
