The Nunes Memo That Didn't Meet the Hype

To quote former FBI Director James Comey: That's it? After an inexcusable buildup, House Republicans have released a memo purporting to show that the Department of Justice investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election was tainted by partisanship. Instead, the memo reveals that the investigation is legitimate -- and vitally necessary.

The memo, released with the blessing of Speaker Paul Ryan and President Donald Trump but over the objections of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department, expresses "concerns" over government interactions with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which must approve any FBI effort to surveil U.S. citizens. It further raises the specter of a "troubling breakdown of legal processes" in the surveillance approval process.