Sen. John McCainJohn Sidney McCainWhat Trump didn't say in his State of the Union address Trump signs order to keep Gitmo open Trump’s pick for NY prosecutor scrutinized MORE (R-Ariz.) fired back on Friday against growing criticism from President Trump
Donald John TrumpSchiff: Nunes gave Trump 'secretly altered' version of memo Davis: ‘Deep state’ existed in ’16 – but it elected Trump Former Trump legal spokesman to testify to Mueller about undisclosed call: report MORE and GOP lawmakers of the FBI, warning they are only bolstering Russian President Vladimir Putin.
McCain's comments come as a controversial Republican memo accusing the Department of Justice and the FBI of "shocking" abuses of power is expected to be released shortly.
"Elected officials, including the president, must stop looking at this [Russia] investigation through the warped lens of politics and manufacturing partisan sideshows," McCain said in a statement.
He added that "the latest attacks on the FBI and Department of Justice serve no American interests — no party’s, no president’s, only Putin’s."
A White House spokesperson said on Friday that the president has approved the release of the memo, compiled for Rep. Devin Nunes
Devin Gerald NunesSchumer: Nunes intent on undermining 'rule of law' with altered memo Schiff: Nunes gave Trump 'secretly altered' version of memo Former GOP rep rips Nunes over memo: He's chair of Trump's reelection campaign MORE (R-Calif.). The memo is said to contain allegations of the FBI improperly surveilling a Trump campaign aide's communications.
Trump has seized on the memo as evidence of bias in the top ranks of the intelligence community.
"The top Leadership and Investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicized the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans — something which would have been unthinkable just a short time ago. Rank & File are great people," he said in a tweet.
But McCain fired back on the GOP attacks, warning that the rhetoric is doing long-term damage to the country.
"If we continue to undermine our own rule of law, we are doing Putin’s job for him," he said.
He added: "While we have no evidence that these [Russian] efforts affected the outcome of our election, I fear they succeeded in fueling political discord and dividing us from one another."
GOP leadership has tried to separate the GOP-compiled memo from special counsel Robert Mueller
Robert Swan MuellerSasse: US should applaud choice of Mueller to lead Russia probe MORE's investigation.
"This memo is not an indictment of the FBI or the Justice Department. It does not impugn the Mueller investigation," House Speaker Paul Ryan
Paul Davis RyanSchumer: Nunes intent on undermining 'rule of law' with altered memo Schiff: Nunes gave Trump 'secretly altered' version of memo Several lawmakers have seen intelligence behind Nunes memo MORE (R-Wis.) told reporters on Thursday.
But multiple sources told CNN that Trump believes the memo will help discredit the Russia investigation.