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.

Climber dies in fatal fall on Colorado 14er south of Aspen

US forces sink narco-refueling station linked to Ecuadorian cartel in Pacific: SOUTHCOM

Trump Pre-empts Canada’s Retaliatory Tariffs by Telling Jet Maker Bombardier ‘No More Selling’ in US

‘You’re Fired’: Police Event Scraps Jelly Roll Performance in Response to Trump-Bashing on ‘Kimmel’

Watch: Stadium Erupts as Florida Brings Back Chant That Was Banned for Years Due to Imaginary ‘Racist’ History

Leftists Call for Murder of Liberal Financial YouTuber for Promoting Personal Responsibility to Overcome Debt

Trump Admin Preparing Plan to Boost Nuclear Families by Paying Stay-at-Home Moms: Report

NTSB reveals if crew survived Amazon cargo jet disaster as it shares details about victims

Dem Governor Orders Flags at Half-Staff for Gloria Steinem – Will Remain Lowered on Anniversary of Charlie Kirk’s Murder

Menendez brothers granted 2027 parole hearing a year earlier than expected

Convicted Murderer Karmelo Anthony Now Begging Supporters for Another $250,000

New Mexico’s Dem Governor Triggered After Trump Jokingly Suggests New Name for Her State

Radical Muslim Kills Gay Pro-Palestine Activist Outside Gay Bar

WJ Straw Poll: Rubio Surges to Commanding Lead, Vance Cruises Past Massie

Alleged cryptoscam ringleader set for plea hearing in $240M bitcoin theft

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.