Attorney General William Barr reportedly disagrees with a finding by the forthcoming Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General (IG) report that the FBI had sufficient reason to monitor the Trump campaign in 2016.
The FBI conducted surveillance on Trump campaign associates, including foreign policy aide Carter Page, on the basis of suspicions that the campaign might have been colluding with Russia to interfere with the 2016 election.
No evidence of collusion was ever found, though the surveillance continued well after the election, and the fact that the FBI was investigating the Trump campaign over Russia was leaked to Democrats and to the mainstream media.
The IG report is expected to criticize the FBI for the way in which it approached the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court to obtain a warrant for that surveillance. The FBI partly relied upon the so-called “dossier” prepared by former British spy Christopher Steele for Fusion GPS, an opposition research company being paid by the Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Republicans have claimed that the FBI failed to corroborate the unproven allegations in the dossier, and hid its political origins from the FISA court.
Trump rolls out ‘Great Healthcare Plan,’ urges Congress to slash costs for Americans
Trump’s Greenland takeover would likely entail enormous price tag: report
FBI arrests suspect after federal courthouse in Minneapolis windows smashed
Stunning Footage: Minneapolis Rioters Break Into Federal Agent’s Vehicle, Steal Weapon and Ammunition
Alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson’s lover Lance Twiggs no longer under FBI protection, source says
Leavitt urges Democrats to grab a coffee with an ICE officer before blowing up at ‘left-wing hack’ reporter
DHS, Greg Abbott Call Out Dems After Illegal Sends ICE Agent to Texas Hospital While Trying to Run Him Over
Democrat-led states push anti-ICE bills that may violate supremacy clause
Federal appeals court sides with Trump admin in judge’s Mahmoud Khalil decision
Top House GOP leader demands Tim Walz resign as Minneapolis erupts over ICE shooting
Alarming Video: Furious Somali Men Pour out of ‘Daycare’ and Accost Journalist Investigating Where $2.25 Million in Grant Money Went
House Democrats Are Tearing Themselves Apart Over ‘Performative’ Kristi Noem Impeachment Effort
Trump to meet with Venezuela’s opposition leader after praising ‘terrific’ Maduro loyalist
ICE deputy director resigns from agency to run for Congress
Israel will honor the late Charlie Kirk with award for opposing antisemitism
But there have been conflicting leaks about what the report, which is set to be released next Monday, will say about misconduct at the FBI. Several individuals have already seen drafts of the report, as they are mentioned in it.
The Washington Post reported Monday evening that IG Michael Horowitz, an Obama administration appointee, had concluded that there was, in fact, sufficient evidence to justify what Barr earlier called “spying” on the campaign.
Barr reportedly disagreed, though a spokesperson for the DOJ dismissed reports of a dispute between Barr and Horowitz: “Rather than speculating, people should read the report for themselves next week,” she said.
Horowitz was criticized for his 2018 report on how the FBI handled the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s illicit email server, in which he found that officials mishandled the investigation but that political bias was not the reason.
Story cited here.
