In the aftermath of Special Counsel John Durham's long awaited and damning indictment of FBI misconduct during the 2016 presidential election, the Bureau released a statement insisting things have changed.
"The conduct in 2016 and 2017 that Special Counsel Durham examined was the reason that current FBI leadership already implemented dozens of corrective actions, which have now been in place for some time. Had those reforms been in place in 2016, the missteps identified in the report could have been prevented. This report reinforces the importance of ensuring the FBI continues to do its work with the rigor, objectivity, and professionalism the American people deserve and rightly expect," the FBI released in a statement.
But in the Durham report, investigators warn that without significant changes to the ethos of the FBI and a return to defending the U.S. Constitution, not a political party, changes in policy will be "fruitless."
"The promulgation of additional rules and regulations to be learned in yet more training sessions would likely prove to be a fruitless exercise if the FBI's guiding principles of 'Fidelity, Bravery and Integrity" are not engrained in the hearts and minds of those sworn to meet the FBI' s mission of 'Protect[ing] the American People and Uphold[ing] the Constitution of the United States,'" the report states.
Meanwhile, the findings from Durham's investigation have re-upped calls to completely overhaul the FBI, it's culture and to clean house.
Hillary and the Democrats tried to use the FBI to rig a presidential election. There need to be consequences - and prosecutions pic.twitter.com/WfkiRqEZuH
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) May 16, 2023