Barr: ‘Very Unusual’ For FBI To Rely On Steele Dossier Given ‘Clear Mistakes’

Attorney General William Barr said in an interview that aired Friday that he is investigating what role the Steele dossier played in the Russia probe, and that the salacious document had “a number of clear mistakes.”

“It’s a very unusual situation to have opposition research like that, especially one that on its face had a number of clear mistakes and a somewhat jejune analysis,” Barr told Fox News’ Bill Hemmer.

“And to use that to conduct counterintelligence against an American political campaign is a strange — would be strange development.”

In the interview, Barr spoke at length about an inquiry he launched at the Justice Department into the origins of the Russia investigation. He told The Wall Street Journal in an interview that the investigation is also focusing on what information U.S. intelligence agencies gathered on Trump campaign associates before the FBI formally opened its investigation in July 2016.

Delcy Rodríguez considering visit to US after meeting with energy secretary

Senate Democrats weigh skipping Trump State of the Union address

Possible tattoo seen in Nancy Guthrie video may help ID subject, former profiler says

House Passes SAVE Act: Only One Democrat Voted for Proof of Citizenship in US Elections

Homan announces Operation Metro Surge to conclude in Minnesota

DEI, climate agenda advanced through progressive-backed lawsuits, new report claims

Nancy Mace Says She’s Seen Unredacted Epstein List, Which Shields ‘Prime Ministers’ and ‘Former Presidents’

Florida man suspected of killing 6 in shooting spree at 2 residences identified

GOP leaders want Trump to endorse Cornyn in Texas Senate primary amid fears of costly fight

House Republican Greg Steube introduces bill to nix controversial H-1B visa program

Minivan mom puts Dem incumbent on notice in top GOP target district: ‘She has done nothing for us’

Gabbard ends task force that aimed to reform intelligence gathering after less than a year

Florida man allegedly points gun at multiple drivers during road rage confrontation

IRS erroneously shared confidential immigrant taxpayer data with DHS: court filing

Federal Judge releases four illegal immigrants convicted of murder, sex crimes from ICE Custody

The FBI relied heavily on the Steele dossier, which was funded by the DNC and Clinton campaign, to obtain surveillance warrants against Carter Page, a Trump campaign adviser. But Republicans have accused the FBI of misleading the surveillance court by relying on the dossier given that its allegations were unverified.

Christopher Steele, a former British spy, claimed in the dossier that the Trump campaign was involved in a “well-developed conspiracy of co-operation” with the Russian government to influence the 2016 election. He alleged that Page and other Trump associates, like Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen, were at the center of the scheme.

But the special counsel’s report all but debunked the dossier’s central thesis, while dismissing one specific allegation about Cohen. The report said that prosecutors were unable to establish a conspiracy between the Trump team and Russia. It also said that Cohen did not visit Prague in August 2016, which is where the dossier claimed the former Trump lawyer went to pay off Russian hackers.

Steele and his client, Fusion GPS, shopped the dossier around to numerous journalists. Steele also provided memos from his dossier to the FBI and State Department.

Barr told Hemmer that the answers he has received so far about the origins of the investigations “aren’t sufficient.” He is reportedly working with the directors of the CIA, FBI and Office of National Intelligence on the inquiry.