Last Updated Jan 30, 2018 10:43 AM EST
Speaker Paul Ryan said Tuesday that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is doing a “fine job” at the Department of Justice despite recent developments that suggest he’s the target of a Republican memo on abuses of a key surveillance law.
“I think Rod Rosenstein is doing a fine job,” the Wisconsin Republican told reporters at a weekly GOP leadership press conference, adding that Rosenstein was hired after the 2016 presidential election.
Ryan was asked about the memo that Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee voted to publicly declassify a day earlier. The memo outlines alleged abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The decision to release it will ultimately be made by President Trump. Asked why Republicans aren’t allowing Democrats to release their memo, Ryan said that they’re going through a “process.” He said that they’re also confident that Republicans are “protecting any sources and methods” by voting to release their version.
“There may have been malfeasance at the FBI by certain individuals,” Ryan added. “So it is our job in conducting transparent oversight of the executive branch to get to the bottom of that. Sunshine is the best disinfectant.”
The House, meanwhile, is set to vote for the third time on a spending bill that would provide new funding to the military. Senate Democrats are opposed to such a bill because they want a budget deal first that raises spending ceilings for both defense programs and non-defense domestic programs.
Ryan called on Democrats to not hold military funding “hostage” and tie it to negotiations over an immigration deal.
Ahead of Mr. Trump’s first official State of the Union address Tuesday night, Ryan said that, “Honestly, the State of the Union is looking up.” He said that wages are rising, and economic confidence is “coming back to America.”
© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
