Tipsheet

New Texts Show the Obama White House May Have Been Briefed About Spying on the Trump Campaign

Katie Pavlich
Katie Pavlich  |  March 22, 2019 12:40 PM

Fox News just released a bombshell report about the extent of FISA abuse at the FBI during the 2016 presidential election. 

The first big news details how a DOJ official issued reservations about going forward with surveillance on Trump campaign associate Carter Page. The individual cited that the source behind the FBI's justification for doing so, British Spy Christopher Steele, was biased. The FBI kept pushing for it anyway and were eventually successful. Text messages between former FBI attorney Lisa Page and fired FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe tell the story. From the report:

The most significant Page-McCabe communications made plain the DOJ's worries that the FISA application to surveil Trump aide Carter Page was based on a potentially biased source -- and underscored the FBI's desire to press on.

Fox News is told the texts were connected to the ultimately successful Page application, which relied in part on information from British ex-spy Christopher Steele – whose anti-Trump views are now well-documented – and cited Page’s suspected Russia ties. In its warrant application, the FBI assured the FISA court on numerous occasions that other sources independently corroborated Steele's claims but did not clearly state that Steele worked for a firm hired by Hillary Clinton's campaign.

Next, while Page and McCabe are refusing to clarify, it appears the Obama White House may have been directly briefed on the matter.

On Oct. 14, 2016, Page again wrote to McCabe, this time concerning a meeting with the White House.

“Just called," Page said to McCabe. "Apparently the DAG [Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates] now wants to be there, and WH wants DOJ to host.  So we are setting that up now.  ... We will very much need to get Cohen’s view before we meet with her.  Better, have him weigh in with her before the meeting. We need to speak with one voice, if that is in fact the case.” ("Cohen" is likely then-Deputy CIA Director David Cohen.)

McCabe responded within the hour: "Thanks. I will reach out to David." On Oct. 19, Page wrote to McCabe that the "meeting with WH counsel is finally set up."

Neither Lisa Page nor McCabe responded to Fox News' inquiries as to whether the meeting was designed to brief the White House on the FISA application or some other matter.

The Obama White House has denied knowing anything about surveillance or spying on the Trump campaign or any American citizen.

Meanwhile, Special Counsel Robert Mueller is expected to wrap up his investigation into the 2016 presidential election soon. The Special Counsel was launched and justified on false information presented by the FBI through the Steele dossier.

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Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham has vowed to investigate FISA abuse and has called for a separate Special Counsel investigation to do the same.