Christopher Steele, the former British intelligence agent who compiled the hoax dossier alleging ties between President Donald Trump and Russia, refuses to cooperate with the Department of Justice’s investigation into the origins of the Obama administration’s spying on then-candidate Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, according to Reuters.
A Reuters source close to Steele’s private investigation outfit, Orbis Business Intelligence, said the ex-spy has chosen not to answer questions from Connecticut’s U.S. Attorney John Durham, who was recently appointed by Attorney General William Barr to examine the probe’s origins. Reports of Steele’s unwillingness to cooperate with the Justice Department comes days after President Trump gave Barr authority to declassify intelligence materials related to the probe and ordered several law enforcement agencies, including the CIA and FBI to cooperate with Durham’s review.
In 2016, Steele was hired by the opposition research firm Fusion GPS tasked by attorneys for the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign to dig up dirt on President Trump. Steele’s dossier was used by the FBI to obtain a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant to surveil members of the Trump campaign, namely, onetime Trump campaign foreign policy advisor Carter Page. FBI officials did not disclose explicitly to the FISA court that the dossier was paid for by the DNC or the Clinton campaign. However, the bureau did indicate that the document was produced as opposition research.
Appeals court upholds order blocking IRS from sharing taxpayer data with ICE
Senator’s daughter wins Democratic nod in closely watched race to replace outgoing Dem incumbent
Ex-Dem lobbyist for company that promoted addictive opioid clears key gubernatorial hurdle
Wife of top ex-Biden advisor easily advances to House showdown in November
Cold case takes grim turn after remains identified as runaway teen; homicide investigation underway
Establishment Dem defeats socialist challenger in crucial battleground Senate primary
Incumbent GOP governor rolls to primary victory after keeping Trump at a distance
New Hampshire Senate race set between John Sununu and Chris Pappas
Nancy Pelosi Disclosed a Multi-Million Dollar AI Investment Just Weeks Before the Stock Blew Up
Turning Point Condemns Georgetown ‘Mockers and Trolls’ Planning Event for Charlie Kirk’s Death Anniversary
US Marshals Find 79 Missing and Endangered Children During Historic Operation
Netanyahu denies UAE warned him ahead of Oct. 7 as blame for massacre dominates Israeli election season
Breaking: US Responds to Failed Iran Strikes, Attacks Oil Tankers as Iran’s Economy Deteriorates
US says it destroyed five Iranian tankers after Navy warship targeted with missiles
‘Demonic’ Attack Ends in Irate Passenger Duct Taped to Seat, Thanks to Gun Guy Who Defended Jewish-Christian Author
In a recent interview with the Fox News Channel, Barr said his department is examining if “government officials abused their power and put their thumb on the scale” at the start of the FBI’s counterintelligence operation.
“I’ve been trying to get answers to the questions, and I’ve found that a lot of the answers have been inadequate, and some of the explanations I’ve gotten don’t hang together. In a sense, I have more questions today than when I first started,” the attorney general told anchor Bill Hemmer.
“The source close to Steele’s company said Steele would not cooperate with Durham’s probe but might cooperate with a parallel inquiry by the Justice Department’s Inspector General into how U.S. law enforcement agencies handled pre-election investigations into both Trump and Clinton,” according to Reuters.
Story cited here.
