FBI Agent Peter Strzok is set to testify before Congress concerning the controversy he has brewed at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Strzok was a former top counterintelligence agent, who signed off on the FBI investigation into possible Russian collusion during the 2016 campaign; the probe into whether the Trump camp and the Kremlin were working to tilt the election began in July of 2016. By May of 2017, the investigation was now helmed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, following the firing of FBI Director James Comey, which has turned out to be a justified move, per the findings of Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz. By August of 2017, Strzok was removed from the Russia probe and reassigned to human resources. Why? Oh yeah, I forgot, he was having an extramarital affair with bureau lawyer Lisa Page, who has since left the FBI. The two sent tens of thousands of texts, which were anti-Trump. It’s an issue since Strzok was a key player in both the Russia counterintelligence probe and the Hillary Clinton email investigation, the latter of which had the two texting each other, worried that the FBI was going too hard on Clinton.
There was possible evidence of a server breach; Strzok did nothing. This was a review, as to whether Hillary mishandled classified information Hillary serving as secretary of state due to her using an unsecure and unauthorized email server from which he conducted all official business. The two texts that stand out in this lovebird fiasco: the one where Strzok mentioned an “insurance policy” in August of 2016, and him reassuring Page that they will stop a Trump presidency.
The “insurance” text could very well mean the largely unverified Trump dossier, which was compiled by a former MI6 operative, who was hired by Fusion GPS after they were retained by the Clinton campaign to find dirt on Trump. This piece of campaign opposition research was used to obtain a spy warrant on one, Carter Page—Trump’s former foreign policy adviser on the campaign. Strzok and Page were involved with and discussing some of the most sensitive cases during 2016. When Mueller fund out about these texts in August of 2017, Strzok was reassigned.
After nearly a year, there is no evidence that the Trump team colluded with the Russians, and this little game is getting old. No one cares about Russia, except Democrats. Right before a rally in South Carolina last night, Trump tweeted, “The hearing of Peter Strzok and the other hating frauds at the FBI & DOJ should be shown to the public on live television, not a closed door hearing that nobody will see. We should expose these people for what they are - there should be total transparency!”
The hearing of Peter Strzok and the other hating frauds at the FBI & DOJ should be shown to the public on live television, not a closed door hearing that nobody will see. We should expose these people for what they are - there should be total transparency!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 25, 2018
Why is Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), perhaps in a near drunken state, claiming he has information that only he and Bob Mueller, the leader of the 13 Angry Democrats on a Witch Hunt, knows? Isn’t this highly illegal. Is it being investigated?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 25, 2018
Is this a political witch-hunt? That remains to be seen, but Trump heard about Sen. Mark Warner’s (D-VA) remarks about the investigation, which were said behind closed doors, but it got out.
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“Why is Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), perhaps in a near drunken state, claiming he has information that only he and Bob Mueller, the leader of the 13 Angry Democrats on a Witch Hunt, knows? Isn’t this highly illegal. Is it being investigated?” Trump tweeted.
There was certainty bias at the FBI/DOJ. Three other agents were identified as sharing deeply partisan views. Now, did they impact the investigation? No, both were completed. That doesn’t mean the bias point is undercut. It’s not. We should hear two Supreme Court cases on union dues/participation and the travel ban, so stay tuned for that.
In the meantime, yeah—maybe Strzok should be grilled in front of Congress for all to see.
“The most profound question of our era: Was there a conspiracy in the Obama Department of Justice and the FBI to prevent Donald Trump from becoming President of the U.S., and was Strzok at the core of the conspiracy?” Judge Andrew Napolitano
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2018