Australian media prepares for FISA fallout https://www.news.com.au/world/breaking-news/docs-declassification-will-expose-downer/news-story/baaaf5ab8c93a099e38228246bdeaaef Docs declassification 'will expose Downer' Donald Trump's former adviser George Papadopoulos claims Australia and the UK spied on him before the 2016 US presidential election.  Peter Mitchell, AAP US Correspondent  Australian Associated PressNovember 8, 20184:36pm Donald Trump says he is "very seriously" looking at declassifying documents related to the FBI's Russia investigation, a move one of the US president's supporters believes will expose the role Alexander Downer and the Australian government played in the probe. Trump, at a fiery press conference at the White House on Wednesday, branded Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation an embarrassment to America. The president fired US Attorney-General Jeff Sessions shortly after the press conference in a move viewed as a potential step toward shutting down or declawing Mueller's ability to complete his investigation. "It's amazing how people on the other side just don't want those documents declassified," Trump told the packed press conference held a day after the midterm elections. "But, no, we're looking at that very carefully. "I certainly wanted to wait until after the midterms." A meeting at a London wine bar in May 2016 between Downer, then Australia's high commissioner to the UK, and George Papadopoulos, a Trump campaign foreign relations adviser, has been credited as the spark that began the FBI investigation into potential Trump-Russia collusion. Downer later told The Australian newspaper Papadopoulos mentioned at the drinks "the Russians might use material that they have on Hillary Clinton in the lead-up to the election, which may be damaging". Downer said he passed the highly-sensitive information back to Canberra "the following day or a day or two". It eventually made its way to the FBI. Papadopoulos became one of the first members of Trump's campaign or administration to be charged by Mueller and was sentenced to 14 days' jail for lying to the FBI. Papadopoulos has been on a highly-public campaign in recent weeks accusing Downer and the Australian and UK governments of spying on him. He claimed Downer recorded their 2016 drinks session and Australia and the UK had attempted to derail Trump's presidential election campaign. Downer has denied his claims. A few hours after Trump's Wednesday press conference Papadopoulos encouraged the president to declassify Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrants from the case. "FISA declassification will assure all the actors who tried to harm America are finally exposed," Papadopoulos wrote on Twitter. "Alexander Downer, the Australian government, UK, and GCHQ (British intelligence). "If FISA is not declassified, these foreign governments will try to interfere again in 2020 to hurt Trump and the movement." Trump in September ordered documents related to the FBI's Russian investigation, including text messages from FBI figures Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, be declassified and released publicly but days later he backed down. The president said "key allies" asked him not to release them, raising speculation Australia and the UK were the nations who behind the requests.  trending in world