Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz confirmed Thursday his office is still investigating possible abuse of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act by the DOJ and FBI in their investigation into President Trump and associates of his 2016 campaign.
Nearly one year ago, on March 28, Horowitz announced the start of the FISA abuse probe by his office, saying he was doing so following requests from then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Republican members of Congress.
These GOP lawmakers alleged the DOJ and FBI had abused the FISA process and misled the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in their investigation and surveillance of Trump and his associates during the campaign and Trump's administration.
At the time, the inspector general's office said it would "Examine the Justice Department's and the FBI's compliance with legal requirements, and with applicable DOJ and FBI policies and procedures, in applications filed with the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court relating to a certain U.S. person." That "Certain U.S. person" is believed to be Trump campaign associate Carter Page.
The DOJ IG also said it would "Review information that was known to the DOJ and the FBI at the time the applications were filed from or about an alleged FBI confidential source. Additionally, the OIG will review the DOJ's and FBI's relationship and communications with the alleged source as they relate to the FISC applications." The "Alleged FBI confidential source" is widely believed to be Christopher Steele, the British ex-spy whose so-called Trump dossier was used in FISA applications presented before the Court to justify FISA warrants.
Democrats have defended the actions of the DOJ and the FBI. "It is a shame that the Inspector General has to devote resources to investigate a conspiracy theory as fact-free, openly political, and thoroughly debunked as the President's so-called 'FISA abuse,'" Rep. Jerry Nadler, who is now chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said when the DOJ IG investigation began last year.
"Any objective review of these claims should tell us what we already know - that the FBI was right, that there was sufficient evidence to continue investigating certain Trump campaign officials for their connections to the Russian government, and that the Republicans are desperate to distract from that investigation."
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/doj-inspector-general-confirms-year-long-investigation-into-fisa-abuse-is-still-active
Nearly one year ago, on March 28, Horowitz announced the start of the FISA abuse probe by his office, saying he was doing so following requests from then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Republican members of Congress.
These GOP lawmakers alleged the DOJ and FBI had abused the FISA process and misled the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in their investigation and surveillance of Trump and his associates during the campaign and Trump's administration.
At the time, the inspector general's office said it would "Examine the Justice Department's and the FBI's compliance with legal requirements, and with applicable DOJ and FBI policies and procedures, in applications filed with the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court relating to a certain U.S. person." That "Certain U.S. person" is believed to be Trump campaign associate Carter Page.
The DOJ IG also said it would "Review information that was known to the DOJ and the FBI at the time the applications were filed from or about an alleged FBI confidential source. Additionally, the OIG will review the DOJ's and FBI's relationship and communications with the alleged source as they relate to the FISC applications." The "Alleged FBI confidential source" is widely believed to be Christopher Steele, the British ex-spy whose so-called Trump dossier was used in FISA applications presented before the Court to justify FISA warrants.
Democrats have defended the actions of the DOJ and the FBI. "It is a shame that the Inspector General has to devote resources to investigate a conspiracy theory as fact-free, openly political, and thoroughly debunked as the President's so-called 'FISA abuse,'" Rep. Jerry Nadler, who is now chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said when the DOJ IG investigation began last year.
"Any objective review of these claims should tell us what we already know - that the FBI was right, that there was sufficient evidence to continue investigating certain Trump campaign officials for their connections to the Russian government, and that the Republicans are desperate to distract from that investigation."
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/doj-inspector-general-confirms-year-long-investigation-into-fisa-abuse-is-still-active
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