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.
Utter Humiliation: Watch Dem Rep Ask 100 People at Black Church to Raise a Hand if They Don’t Have ID – What Happens Next Is Priceless
Jasmine Crockett Attempts to Defend Ketanji Brown Jackson by Playing the Race Card, Accidentally Proves Conservatives’ Point
UK hosts summit on reopening Strait of Hormuz following Trump demand: ‘Take care of it’
Pam Bondi already fired as attorney general, Cabinet official teed up as replacement: sources
Schumer, Jeffries sue Trump, accuse him of trying to ‘rig’ mail-in voting
Priceless Video: Hospice Fraudsters in CA Rip Down Sign, Flee in $200k Mercedes When Nick Shirley Pays ‘Friendly’ Visit
Nazi Tattoo-Wearing Democrat Sen. Candidate Previously Talked About Jesus Being a ‘Zombie’ and Mary a ‘Skank’
Expert flags ‘disappointing’ questions from justices in Trump birthright citizenship case
Passengers screamed ‘turn around’ as flames shot from Delta jet engine moments after takeoff
ICE nabs alleged machete-wielding MS-13 gangster wanted for murder: ‘the witch’
Religion of Peace: Man Who Tried to Take Out Synagogue Using Explosive-Packed Truck Was Dearborn-Area Muslim Acting for Hezbollah
Ex-counterterrorism chief says Trump must restrain Israel before he can declare victory in Iran
Former Rep. MTG vents that she’s ‘so beyond done,’ characterizing Trump’s address as ‘WAR WAR WAR’
Earthquake rattles northern California major cities
FLASHBACK: Dem senate candidate was critical vote in confirming judge who tied voter ID to ‘White supremacy’
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.
