BURLINGTON, Vt., Feb. 2 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement after Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee published the Nunes memo:

Let’s be absolutely clear. The release of this Republican staff memo is a blatant attempt by House Republicans and the White House to disrupt the critically important investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and the possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. 

The fact that Congressional Republicans and the White House would release a memo the FBI itself says is misleading is a sad example of a political party putting partisanship above patriotism. That this memo was first released to right-wing news outlets like FOX News and the Washington Examiner speaks to the political nature of this effort.

According to news reports President Trump himself has acknowledged that the release of the memo was designed to disrupt Robert Mueller’s investigation. It is critical that the American people learn the truth about what happened in 2016, and no political stunt should interfere with the special counsel’s work. What is the president afraid of?