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.
Government watchdog targets ‘weapons of mass reproduction’ after Supreme Court ruling
Court keeps ‘Decoy Dan’ on Alaska ballot as expert warns ranked-choice system creates voter ‘traps’
Military Leaders Brief Trump on Plan for Full-Scale War in Iran: Report
Judge Frees Punks Accused of Brutalizing Elderly Man Who Dared Stand Up for Pregnant Woman – Welcome to Mamdani’s Paradise
RNC chair predicts first-ever midterm convention will turn Dallas into ‘Trumpapalooza’ for 2026 fight
WATCH: Obama, Harris advisor warns ‘betrayed’ Black voters could be Texas Senate candidate’s kryptonite
PHOTOS: Trump debuts new Air Force One plane from Qatar
Taylor Swift’s wedding secrecy went so far some guests still didn’t know location days before ceremony: source
Smarter Systems, Safer Missions: AI, Autonomy and the Warfighter
Prominent Attorneys Form Team Aimed at Overturning Karmelo Anthony’s Murder Conviction
Alert: Names Will Be Named – House Adopts Massive Resolution on Sexual Misconduct Slush Fund Recipients
One of America’s oldest manufacturers says AI is creating jobs — not replacing them
EXCLUSIVE: Millions of newborns to receive special Social Security cards celebrating America’s 250th birthday
‘I Am a Ruined Man’ – Japanese World Cup Tourist Gets Trapped in Hilarious Cycle – Won’t Say No to a Gift, So Free ‘Gift’ Chips Won’t Stop Coming at Mexican Restaurant
Trump honors Village People and ‘Y.M.C.A.’ singer Victor Willis after death announcement
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.
