On Thursday, CNN host John Berman asked former FBI general counsel James Baker: "Did the FBI spy on the Trump campaign as the attorney general suggested?" Baker didn't initially say no, but rather objected that the word "Spy" has negative connotations.
Asked in a congressional interview whether the FBI or DOJ ever investigated the Trump campaign for political purposes, former FBI Director James Comey was definitive: "I know that we never investigated the Trump campaign for political purposes."
"Has the FBI or DOJ ever investigated the Trump campaign or the Trump presidency for political purposes?" FBI agent Peter Strzok was asked by Democratic staffer Janet Kim.
The inevitable question eventually was asked by Kim: "Have you ever been a part of any DOJ or FBI investigation conducted for a political purpose?" Anderson's answer was "No." Kim went on: "Are you aware of the FBI ever placing spies in a U.S. political campaign during your time at the FBI?" "No," Anderson said.
So if the FBI employed a confidential human source to gather intel, that would not be spying, and FBI officials can claim under oath that the bureau hasn't used spies.
Breitenbach became more specific: "Does a spy include an undercover FBI employee?" At this point he had Anderson at a loss: "I don't know," she answered.
Later in her testimony Anderson let slip another piece of information undermining claims that the FBI isn't in the spy game.
https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2019/05/18/spy_vs_spy_euphemism_at_the_fbi.html
Asked in a congressional interview whether the FBI or DOJ ever investigated the Trump campaign for political purposes, former FBI Director James Comey was definitive: "I know that we never investigated the Trump campaign for political purposes."
"Has the FBI or DOJ ever investigated the Trump campaign or the Trump presidency for political purposes?" FBI agent Peter Strzok was asked by Democratic staffer Janet Kim.
The inevitable question eventually was asked by Kim: "Have you ever been a part of any DOJ or FBI investigation conducted for a political purpose?" Anderson's answer was "No." Kim went on: "Are you aware of the FBI ever placing spies in a U.S. political campaign during your time at the FBI?" "No," Anderson said.
So if the FBI employed a confidential human source to gather intel, that would not be spying, and FBI officials can claim under oath that the bureau hasn't used spies.
Breitenbach became more specific: "Does a spy include an undercover FBI employee?" At this point he had Anderson at a loss: "I don't know," she answered.
Later in her testimony Anderson let slip another piece of information undermining claims that the FBI isn't in the spy game.
https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2019/05/18/spy_vs_spy_euphemism_at_the_fbi.html
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