NUNES’ LETTER

What Role May UK Officials Have Played in Spreading False Allegations?

The following letter was written by Devin Nunes, Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, to President Trump.

Congress of the United States

Washington, DC 20515

May 22, 2019

President Donald J. Trump

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

On May 19, 2019, the Telegraph published an article titled, “Theresa May’s Spy Chiefs Were Briefed on Explosive Christopher Steele Dossier Before Donald Trump.”[fn_1] According to the Telegraph, Christopher Steele personally briefed British intelligence officials on the dossier he compiled on the Trump campaign. The article states that Steele’s information was rapidly briefed up the chain to multiple high-level British government officials, including MI5 director general Andrew Parker and MI6 chief Alex Younger.

The claims asserted in the Telegraph article, if true, raise important questions about the potential role foreign government officials may have played in spreading the dossier’s false allegations and what actions they may have taken in response to the allegations. To better understand these matters, I respectfully request that you ask Prime Minister May about the British government’ s knowledge of the Steele dossier and whether the British government took any unilateral actions based on information provided by Steele or at the request of any U.S. departments or agencies, including but not limited to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Specifically, I recommend you ask:

• Did Christopher Steele inform any current or former British intelligence or government officials about the allegations he put forward in the Steele dossier or any other allegations about President Trump or Trump campaign associates colluding with Russians? If so, describe what action British officials took in response to this information.

• Did any current or former British intelligence or government officials discuss with Christopher Steele the possibility of Steele writing additional memos about President Trump or Trump associates colluding with Russians? If so, what guidance did British officials give to Steele and when was this guidance provided?

• Did any current or former U.S. government or intelligence officials inform any current or former British government or intelligence officials about Steele’ s allegations or any other allegations about President Trump or Trump campaign associates colluding with Russians, if other such allegations exist? If so, describe the circumstances and timing of this communication and any resulting action that was taken.

• Is the British government aware of, did it give permission for, or did it participate in, activities by any government to surveil or otherwise target active or former associates of the Trump campaign, if any such surveillance or activities took place?

• Did any current or former British intelligence or government officials relay classified or unclassified information to any current or former U.S. officials about alleged contacts between Trump associates and suspected Russian intelligence officials, if any such information exists? If so, when was the information relayed and how was this information collected?

• Describe any communications or relationship, if any, Joseph Mifsud (potentially also known as Joseph di Gabriele) has had with British intelligence and any information the British government possesses about Mifsud’s connection to any other government or intelligence agency.

• Did any current or former British officials provide an assessment of Christopher Steele, including a determination of his credibility or motivations, to any current or former U.S. intelligence, law enforcement, or government officials, or presidential transition team members?

Please contact Committee Republican staff at (202) 225-4121 with any questions about this request.

Sincerely,

Devin Nunes

Ranking Member House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

---