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The IG report (Horowitz hearing and beyond......)


swordfish

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To avoid confusion for those of lesser mental capabilities........A new thread for you separate from the impeachment inquiry thread.....

https://thegreggjarrett.com/ig-horowitz-hearing-exposes-deliberate-fbi-misconduct-in-investigating-trump-campaign/?fbclid=IwAR0p1L-3bfaIVyiRGv_aG0QACcmDgH1aXrDFV5RLSdRzDM_s2BUdauK2CKg

When the FBI discovered that the anti-Trump Steele dossier was garbage, the bureau concealed that vital evidence.

Instead of promptly terminating its surveillance of Donald Trump’s former campaign adviser Carter Page, the FBI persisted in its quest to prove a Trump-Russia “collusion” conspiracy that officials knew was unsupported by credible evidence.

This was the most significant result of Wednesday’s Senate Judiciary Committee questioning of Michael Horowitz, the inspector general (IG) at the Department of Justice, in the aftermath of his damning 476-page report on the FBI investigation of the Trump campaign that was released this week.

The dossier, which was funded by the Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC), was assembled by maladroit ex-British spy Christopher Steele. His collection of memos was, according to the IG, “central and essential” to the FBI’s application to the court hearing cases under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to surveil Page through four successive warrants.

Horowitz found 17 “significant inaccuracies and omissions” made by fired FBI Director James Comey’s team to the FISA judges. However, there is more to the story. If you turn to “Appendix 1” on pages 418 to 423 of the IG report, there were a total of 51 false representations made to the court. That is a breathtaking number.

The FBI persisted in its quest to prove a Trump-Russia “collusion” conspiracy that officials knew was unsupported by credible evidence…

It is not remotely plausible to dismiss this appalling conduct as sloppy or careless work. It cannot be minimized (or trivialized) as just a case of “performance failures,” as Horowitz would have us believe. No, the sheer volume and magnitude of this shameful misconduct leaves little doubt that it was willful and deliberate.

The lies perpetrated on the FISA Court constituted premeditated fraud. It is evidence of unremitting malice. Comey was at the helm of it all and signed off on three of the four warrants to spy. He now claims “vindication.” This is a delusion. Comey has cemented his legacy of disgrace.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., focused like a laser Wednesday on the most egregious of the FBI’s deceptions identified on pages 187 to 188 of the IG report. It described how, in early 2017, the FBI belatedly interviewed the person who secretly fed Steele much of the dossier’s contents.

The still-unidentified “primary sub-source” later repudiated the information, telling the FBI that “Steele misstated or exaggerated” what the sub-source had told him.

For example, it turns out that Steele’s incendiary accusation of Trump’s alleged sexual activities in a Moscow hotel was nothing more than unconfirmed “rumor and speculation.” The sub-source said they were comments “made in jest.” Some joke.

As for Steele’s ludicrous claim that Page was offered what amounted to an $11 billion bribe – yes, $11 billion – by a Russian energy conglomerate in exchange for the lifting of sanctions during a Trump presidency, the sub-source provided text messages to the FBI that proved it was completely untrue.

The sub-source insisted that he “never expected Steele to put the statements in his reports or present them as facts.” Indeed, he said he specifically warned Steele there was no proof whatsoever because “it was just talk.”

The sub-source further explained that he was passing along “word of mouth and hearsay” and “conversations that he had with friends over beers.” It was described as “multiple layers of hearsay upon hearsay.”

After Trump was elected, both the FBI and Steele were desperate to verify anything in the dossier because the bureau had falsely sworn to the FISA Court in October 2016 that its application information was already verified.

The IG report details how Steele pleaded with his sub-source to “find corroboration.” The person tried, but “could find none … zero.”

In other words, Steele’s dossier that was so “central and essential” to the FBI’s surveillance warrant was rubbish that should have been fed into the nearest shredder.

Armed with this evidence that the dossier was phony, the FBI was duty-bound to rush immediately to the FISA Court to alert it of all the fabrications. Comey and his confederates did not do so.

Instead, the bureau purposefully covered it up, continued its surveillance of Page, and pursued even more renewals of the warrants that were signed by Comey, Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

“If you don’t have a legal foundation to surveil somebody and you keep doing it, is that bad?” Sen. Graham asked Horowitz.

“Absolutely,” replied Horowitz, adding that “it’s illegal surveillance.”

Beyond Steele’s fictitious document, the FBI hid from the FISA Court exculpatory evidence that Page was not a Russian spy, which is how the initial warrant application boldly described him.

Official: Durham’s reaction to IG report means ‘he’s got the goods on somebody’

According to the IG, a top FBI attorney (identified by Graham during the hearing as Kevin Clinesmith) doctored an email that falsely portrayed Page as a Russian spy when, in fact, the original email confirmed that he had worked for a U.S. intelligence agency. Page had also helped to prosecute an espionage case against Russian agents.

Comey knew this before the first warrant was ever sought. As I explained in my book “Witch Hunt: The Story of the Greatest Mass Delusion in American Political History,” Page had sent a letter to the director in September 2016 advising that he had assisted the FBI and CIA for many years, acting as a valuable source.

Instead of responding to Page or having the bureau interview him, Comey prepared and executed a warrant application to have him wiretapped and to secretly access all of his electronic communications going forward and backward.

Much like FBI Counterintelligence Agent Peter Strzok and his paramour FBI lawyer Lisa Page, Clinesmith was an anti-Trump activist who once texted “Viva la Resistance!” and was fired from the team of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Horowitz has recently referred Clinesmith to the Justice Department for potential criminal prosecution.

It is impossible to view the actions of those who lied to the FISA Court as not driven by a virulent bias against Trump. It is true that the IG investigation “did not find documentary or testimonial evidence” of bias. But in his testimony Wednesday, Horowitz conceded that he could not rule it out.

Graham was more candid. “They had bias that reeked,” he said.

Common sense tells us that bias animated both the warrants to spy on Carter Page and the FBI’s dilating investigation of Donald Trump. If you harbor any doubt, take a few moments to read through the multitude of ugly and profane text messages exchanged between Strzok and his lover. You’ll be reminded of how the very people who were investigating Trump were disparaging him with profanity-laced invective.

Horowitz rebuked Comey’s “vindication” claim when the IG said: “The activities we found here don’t vindicate anybody who touched this.”

IG report reveals FBI misconduct and abuses in anti-Trump probe of Russia collusion hoax

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, ridiculed Comey’s other assertion in a Washington Post op-ed that “the FBI fulfilled its mission.”

Lee responded: “I don’t understand that. I find it absolutely stunning that he would reach that conclusion. This is nonsense.” Lee correctly observed that Comey’s FBI had weaponized the FISA process.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told Horowitz that his findings “should be deeply chilling to anyone.” He is right.

And so was Attorney General William Barr, who remarked on Tuesday that he found the conduct of the FBI “appalling” because the bureau committed “gross abuses and inexplicable behavior that is intolerable in the FBI.”

Apparently, Comey tolerates abuse of power and dysfunction quite well.

If Americans have lost faith in the FBI, their sad disillusionment is justified. They can at least take solace in knowing that people like Comey, McCabe, Strzok and other malefactors at the FBI have been banished from the bureau they diminished.

The FBI under Comey's direction was crucial in executing the genesis of this hoax started under the previous administration.......

AG Barr:  ‘First Time in History’ That Incumbent Gov’t Spying ‘Has Been Done to a Presidential Campaign’

 

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Edited by swordfish
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9 minutes ago, gonzoron said:

Maybe Senator Graham should be investigating why the reform bill couldn’t get past the Republican controlled committee he now chairs?

So you are opining if that bill had been passed, the former administration's FBI (led by Comey) couldn't have fooled the FISA court with tthe tampered and falsified documents Horowitz found?

Image result for thats a stretch meme

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3 minutes ago, swordfish said:

So you are opining if that bill had been passed, the former administration's FBI (led by Comey) couldn't have fooled the FISA court with tthe tampered and falsified documents Horowitz found?

Image result for thats a stretch meme

That according to Horowitz, showed no bias.  

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12 minutes ago, swordfish said:

That's exactly what they (Peter Stzrok, Lisa Page) TOLD  (not testified under oath) him (Horowitz) so it had to be true........Wink Wink.....

The inevitable conspiracy theory.....wow what a shock.

Appointed by Bush, Horowitz is a career straight shooter.  Some can't handle that and prefer lies.

I'll cite Reuters as opposed to "AnalyzingAmerica.com"  lol

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-horowitz/doj-watchdog-michael-horowitz-is-a-career-straight-shooter-colleagues-say-idUSKBN1YD111

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1 minute ago, BARRYOSAMA said:

The inevitable conspiracy theory.....wow what a shock.

Appointed by Bush, Horowitz is a career straight shooter.  Some can't handle that and prefer lies.

I'll cite Reuters as opposed to "AnalyzingAmerica.com"  lol

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-horowitz/doj-watchdog-michael-horowitz-is-a-career-straight-shooter-colleagues-say-idUSKBN1YD111

Exactly - Horowitz couldn't get anything under oath from anyone.  So he reported what they (whoever he was investigating) told him.  (Surely none of them lied .....)

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9 minutes ago, BARRYOSAMA said:

The inevitable conspiracy theory.....wow what a shock.

Appointed by Bush, Horowitz is a career straight shooter.  Some can't handle that and prefer lies.

I'll cite Reuters as opposed to "AnalyzingAmerica.com"  lol

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-horowitz/doj-watchdog-michael-horowitz-is-a-career-straight-shooter-colleagues-say-idUSKBN1YD111

The AnalyzingAmerica link includes a video of Pelosi admitting the impeachment of Trump has been under way for years. The video is from your beloved CNN.

LOL!

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15 minutes ago, swordfish said:

Exactly - Horowitz couldn't get anything under oath from anyone.  So he reported what they (whoever he was investigating) told him.  (Surely none of them lied .....)

They were low level non decision makers.  Because they were having an affair, Trump makes the juicy distraction.  The sheep eat it up and when the facts are revealed....it become a deep state conspiracy.

All too predictable

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1 hour ago, swordfish said:

So you are opining if that bill had been passed, the former administration's FBI (led by Comey) couldn't have fooled the FISA court with tthe tampered and falsified documents Horowitz found?

Image result for thats a stretch meme

I guess we’ll never know since Republicans don’t want reform, they’d rather obstruct, deny, dodge and deflect.

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50 minutes ago, gonzoron said:

I guess we’ll never know since Republicans don’t want reform, they’d rather obstruct, deny, dodge and deflect.

YET - the former administration's FBI (led by Comey) DID fool the FISA court with the tampered and falsified documents Horowitz found........And not even Patches O'Houlihan himself can deny, dodge, deflect that one......

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1 hour ago, BARRYOSAMA said:

They were low level non decision makers.  Because they were having an affair, Trump makes the juicy distraction.  The sheep eat it up and when the facts are revealed....it become a deep state conspiracy.

All too predictable

Throwing the BS flag......

Peter Strzok -  Former Chief of the Counterespionage Section,  led the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a personal email serverDeputy Assistant Director (one of several) of the Counterintelligence Divisionled the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections, and worked on Robert Meuller's special council before being removed by the same....

Yeah, low level non-decision maker....My ash......

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49 minutes ago, swordfish said:

Throwing the BS flag......

Peter Strzok -  Former Chief of the Counterespionage Section,  led the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a personal email serverDeputy Assistant Director (one of several) of the Counterintelligence Divisionled the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections, and worked on Robert Meuller's special council before being removed by the same....

Yeah, low level non-decision maker....My ash......

Had you read the Reuters article.....No bias.  Deflection and Distraction for the abuser of power and obstructor of justice.

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5 minutes ago, BARRYOSAMA said:

Had you read the Reuters article.....No bias.  Deflection and Distraction for the abuser of power and obstructor of justice.

You are correct - the report indicated there was no "documented or testimonial" bias.   

It is true that the IG investigation “did not find documentary or testimonial evidence” of bias. But in his testimony Wednesday, Horowitz conceded that he could not rule it out.

Graham was more candid. “They had bias that reeked,” he said.

They wouldn't give that up freely - even these low-level non-decision makers are smarter than that..  Wait until or if they are under oath and the threat of perjury hangs over their heads.......

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34 minutes ago, swordfish said:

You are correct - the report indicated there was no "documented or testimonial" bias.   

It is true that the IG investigation “did not find documentary or testimonial evidence” of bias. But in his testimony Wednesday, Horowitz conceded that he could not rule it out.

Graham was more candid. “They had bias that reeked,” he said.

They wouldn't give that up freely - even these low-level non-decision makers are smarter than that..  Wait until or if they are under oath and the threat of perjury hangs over their heads.......

So the straight shooter says there is no bias and the Trump cuck says there is bias.  Hmm tough call.

FBI agents are part of the executive branch....they will probably claim executive privilege like their boss.

1984985556_51h8LETGW0L._SY336_BO1204203200_.jpg.37601149c0ff93f761e063e8477ed820.jpg

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2 hours ago, swordfish said:

YET - the former administration's FBI (led by Comey) DID fool the FISA court with the tampered and falsified documents Horowitz found........And not even Patches O'Houlihan himself can deny, dodge, deflect that one......

Yet Horowitz found that the opening of the case was entirely justified.  Cherry picking again

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54 minutes ago, swordfish said:

It is true that the IG investigation “did not find documentary or testimonial evidence” of bias. But in his testimony Wednesday, Horowitz conceded that he could not rule it out.

So there WAS collusion by Trump's campaign and the Russians. You can have your cake and eat it too.

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1 hour ago, swordfish said:

 

It is true that the IG investigation “did not find documentary or testimonial evidence” of bias. But in his testimony Wednesday, Horowitz conceded that he could not rule it out.

Horowitz also conceded that the conspiracy theory that Obama hired James Bond to spy on Trump COULD NOT BE RULED OUT.

Silliest thing I've read today.

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