The DOJ's Inspector General Report Today Is A Damning Indictment Of James Comey And His Violation Of FBI Policies Through His Handling And Dissemination Of Official FBI Material
THE FACTS
THE DOJ INSPECTOR GENERAL HAS CONCLUDED THAT FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY VIOLATED DOJ POLICIES THROUGH HIS HANDLING AND DISSEMINATION OF SENSITIVE FBI MATERIAL
- The DOJ OIG reported former FBI Director James Comey repeatedly failed to correctly classify and redact information from memos he created concerning interactions with President Trump.
- The OIG found Comey handled the sensitive information in his memos improperly including by storing it in a personal safe and disseminating information to a reporter and his personal attorneys without seeking or receiving FBI permission.
- The OIG found it "particularly concerning" that Comey repeatedly failed to inform the FBI or members of Congress that he was retaining personal copies of his memos or disseminating them outside of the FBI.
THE OIG'S REPORT MAKES CLEAR THAT COMEY'S CONTINUOUS EXCUSES FOR HIS IMPROPER HANDLING OF CLASSIFIED MATERIAL DO NOT HOLD WATER
- Former Director James Comey had an extensive career in law enforcement, held security clearances throughout his career, received annual classification training, and told the OIG he was "aware of his obligations to protect classified information."
- Despite Comey's claims that his memos were "personal documents," Comey told the OIG he did not have a personal relationship with President Trump and that his interactions with President Trump were in his capacity as FBI Director.
- Regardless of whether Comey's documents were "personal," FBI policy specifically designates its executives "personal notes" as official federal records.
- FBI senior leadership were unanimous in their belief that Comey's memos were official records:
- Deputy Director Andrew McCabe described Comey's memos as a record of Comey's official engagement with the president.
- The FBI's General Counsel James Baker said the memos were official business and were discussed in the office in connection with Comey's official responsibility.
- Comey's Chief of Staff James Rybicki said he treated the memos as "official records" and that he could not remember Comey ever indicating to him that Comey viewed the memos as personal papers.
- FBI personnel with paper copies of the memos told the OIG that they kept them locked in safes in their offices.
- Members of Comey's senior leadership team were shocked at the news Comey had leaked information and the FBI's Unit Chief reported leadership "probably" regarded it as a "spill" of classified information.
THE REPORT MAKES IT CLEARER THAN EVER THAT COMEY WAS A WITCH HUNTER ACTIVELY FEEDING INFORMATION TO THE FBI TEAM INVESTIGATING PRESIDENT TRUMP
- Deputy Director Andrew McCabe's Special Counsel Lisa Page told the OIG she thought Comey handled the memos the way he did in order to keep the team doing the Russia Investigation "from knowing any of this, so that it didn't ultimately, impact their investigative steps."
- But Comey, following his conversation with President Trump memorialized in memo 1, immediately briefed supervisors of the FBI's "Crossfire Hurricane" Investigative Team, the team investigating the Trump campaign, via secure video teleconference.
- Deputy Director McCabe forwarded Comey's memo to his Special Counsel Lisa Page, and Lisa Page confirmed Comey had both met with the team conducting the Russia Investigation, forwarded his memo to the team, and told the team to upload it into the case file.
- Lisa Page and Deputy Assistant Director for Counter Intelligence Peter Strzok received the memos and kept copies of Comey's memos.
- Strzok and Page were "key players" in the FBI's probe into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia and Strzok was later absorbed into Special Counsel Mueller's Investigation.
- In December 2017, it was revealed Peter Strzok and Lisa Page both held deep anti-Trump biases and fears that Trump might win the election
Read the full DOJ OIG report on Comey here.
TODAY, THE DOJ RELEASED A DAMNING REPORT ON JAMES COMEY'S HANDLING OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
The Department Of Justice Released A Report Today That Found James Comey Violated Department Of Justice And FBI Policies, And His FBI Employment Agreement Through His Handling And Dissemination Of Classified Material
Between January And April 2017, Then FBI Director James Comey Created Seven Memos Concerning His One On One Interactions With President Trump . "Between January 6, 2017, and April 11, 2017, while Comey was Director of the FBI, he memorialized seven one-on-one interactions that he had with President-elect and President Donald J. Trump." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
The Department Of Justice Office Of The Inspector General Found Comey Violated FBI Policies And His Employment Agreement By Failing To Surrender Copies Of His Memos, By Releasing Official FBI Information And Records To Third Parties Without Authorization And By Failing To Immediately Alert The FBI About His Disclosures To His Personal Attorneys. "Accordingly, after his removal as FBI Director, Comey violated applicable policies and his Employment Agreement by failing to either surrender his copies of Memos 2, 4, 6, and 7 to the FBI or seek authorization to retain them; by releasing official FBI information and records to third parties without authorization; and by failing to immediately alert the FBI about his disclosures to his personal attorneys once he became aware in June 2017 that Memo 2 contained six words (four of which were names of foreign countries mentioned by the President) that the FBI had determined were classified at the 'CONFIDENTIAL' level." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
In Particular, The OIG Found That Director Comey Failed To Live Up To His Responsibilities As FBI Director And "Set A Dangerous Example For Over 35,000 Current FBI Employees And Many Thousands More Former Employees " "Former Director Comey failed to live up to this responsibility. By not safeguarding sensitive information obtained during the course of his FBI employment, and by using it to create public pressure for official action, Comey set a dangerous example for the over 35,000 current FBI employees-and the many thousands more former FBI employees-who similarly have access to or knowledge of non-public information." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
The OIG Found Comey Used The "Unauthorized Disclosure Of Sensitive Information, Obtained During The Course Of FBI Employment, In Order To Achieve A Personally Desired Outcome. "Comey had several other lawful options available to him to advocate for the appointment of a Special Counsel, which he told us was his goal in making the disclosure. What was not permitted was the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive investigative information, obtained during the course of FBI employment, in order to achieve a personally desired outcome." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
The OIG Report Shows Comey Repeatedly Failed To Correctly Classify And Redact Information From His Memos
Of The Seven Memos Comey Wrote, Memos 1,2,3, And 7 Were Reviewed By The FBI And Deemed To Contain Classified Material. "The FBI determined that Memos 1 and 3 contained information classified at the 'SECRET' level, and that Memos 2 and 7 contained small amounts of information classified at the 'CONFIDENTIAL' level. The FBI designated Memos 4, 5, and 6 as unclassified, 'For Official Use Only.'" ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
The OIG Found That Comey Incorrectly Did Not Mark Memo 2 As Classified; A Later Classification Review Determined The Memo Was Confidential Due To The Potential Impact On U.S. Foreign Relations. " Comey does not mark Memo 2 as classified. Comey places a signed printout of Memo 2 in his personal safe at home and gives a second signed printout to his Chief of Staff to keep at the FBI. During a classification review in June 2017, the FBI determines that six words in the Memo recounting the President's comment about returning telephone calls are classified 'CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN' because of the potential impact on foreign relations." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Despite Believing Memo 3 Contained Classified Information When He Wrote It, Comey Did Not Mark Memo 3 As Classified. "Comey also believed that Memo 3 contained classified information when he wrote it, but did not mark the document as classified." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Additionally, Comey Placed No Classification, Dissemination Controls Or Other Handling Markings On Memo 7. "Comey placed no classification, dissemination controls, or other handling markings on Memo 7. Comey told the OIG that Memo 7 was the last memo he wrote about any interactions with President Trump." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Following The Creation Of His Memos, Director Comey Repeatedly Handled His Memos Against DOJ Policy And Disseminated His Memos Without Permission
While Serving As FBI Director, Comey Took Signed Originals Of Four Of The Memos Home And Kept Them In A Personal Safe. "Through our investigation, we learned that Comey considered Memos 2 through 7 to be his personal documents. He created Memo 2 and Memo 4 on his personal laptop computer, and kept signed originals of four of the Memos - Memo 2, Memo 4, Memo 6, and Memo 7 - in his personal safe at home, while he was serving as FBI Director." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Comey Told The OIG That He Stored Personal, Family Related Things In The Safe And Acknowledged That His Wife "In Theory" Had Access To the Safe. "Comey told us that he put one original in his personal safe at home, where he stored personal, family-related 'things that mean the most' to him. Comey acknowledged that '[i]n theory' his wife also had access to this safe, but told us that at the time, she did not have a key and did not know where he kept his key." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
- Department Of Justice Policy States That Employees May Not, Without Agency Permission Remove, Records From The Department, Either During Or After Employment. "Department policy states that employees may not, without agency permission, remove records from the Department-either during or after employment." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Following His Removal As FBI Director, Comey Provided His Personal Attorneys With Copies Of Memos 2, 4, 6 And A Redacted Version Of 7. "Comey kept signed originals of Memos 2, 4, 6, and 7 in a personal safe in his home and, following his May 2017 removal as FBI Director, provided his personal attorneys with copies of Memos 2, 4, and 6, and a redacted version of Memo 7." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
"Comey Did Not Seek Authorization From The FBI Before Providing Memos 2, 4, 6, And 7 To His Attorneys." "Comey did not seek authorization from the FBI before providing Memos 2, 4, 6, and 7 to his attorneys." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
- FBI Policy States That All Information Acquired By The FBI Is The Property Of The United States And Personnel Must Receive Advance Permission From The FBI Before Disclosing Information Outside Of The FBI For Non-Official Purposes. "Pursuant to FBI policy, all information acquired by FBI personnel 'in connection with official FBI duties, as well as all official material to which FBI personnel have access, is the property of the United States.' Accordingly, before disclosing FBI information outside of the FBI for non-official purposes, current or former FBI personnel must obtain, with limited exceptions such as for whistleblowing and disclosures to Congress, advance permission from the FBI." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Comey Provided Contents Of His Memo 4, Through His Attorney, To A Reporter At The New York Times. "Comey instructed Richman to share the contents of Memo 4, but not the Memo itself, with a specific reporter for The New York Times. Comey did not seek FBI authorization before providing the contents of Memo 4, through Richman, to a reporter." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
"Comey Did Not Seek FBI Authorization Before Providing The Contents Of Memo 4, Through Richman, To A Reporter." "Comey did not seek FBI authorization before providing the contents of Memo 4, through Richman, to a reporter." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
- FBI Policy States That Disclosures To The Media Must Not Address An Ongoing Investigation. "Section 3.4 of the FBI's then-existing Policy on Media Relations stated that disclosures to the media 'must not address an ongoing investigation' except as indicated in that section." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
The OIG Report Found Comey Repeatedly Failed To Inform The FBI Or Members Of Congress Concerning His Improper Actions
After Being Removed As Director, Comey Did Not Report To The FBI He Had Taken Copies Of His Memos Home. "After being removed as Director, Comey did not report to the FBI that he had copies of these Memos. Comey subsequently provided his copies of Memos 2, 4, 6, and 7 to the Office of Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III on June 7, 2017." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
- The OIG Found It "Particularly Concerning" That Comey Did Not Tell Anyone From The FBI He Had Retained Copies Of His Memos Even When His Chief Of Staff, The FBI's Associate Deputy Director, And Three SSAs Came To Comey's House To Inventory And Remove All FBI Property. "We found it particularly concerning that Comey did not tell anyone from the FBI that he had retained copies of the Memos in his personal safe at home, even when his Chief of Staff, the FBI's Associate Deputy Director, and three SSAs came to Comey's house on May 12, 2017, to inventory and remove all FBI property." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Comey Failed To Immediately Notify The FBI That He Had Given Memo 2 To His Attorney After Learning Of The FBI's Classification Decision. "On June 7, 2017, Comey learned of the FBI's classification decision regarding Memo 2 when the FBI allowed him to review copies of all seven Memos, with classification banners and markings, in preparation for his June 8, 2017 congressional testimony. Once he knew that the FBI had classified portions of Memo 2, Comey failed to immediately notify the FBI that he had previously given Memo 2 to his attorney." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Comey Never Informed The FBI He Had Shared His Memos With His Attorneys And The FBI First Learned This information From Comey's Public Testimony And From One Of His Attorneys. "Comey also said that, at some point the FBI learned that he had provided these Memos to his attorneys, but that Comey could not remember how the FBI learned that. As described below, the FBI first learned that Comey had shared Memo 4 with Richman while watching Comey's public testimony before SSCI on June 8, 2017. Comey also never informed the FBI that he had shared Memos 2, 4, 6, and 7 with Fitzgerald, Kelley, and Richman; rather, the FBI first learned this information from Richman." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
During His Congressional Testimony, Comey Did Not Inform Senator Susan Collins That He Had Shared Four Of His Memos With Three Of His Attorneys. "Comey told the OIG that he did not tell Senator Collins about sharing four of the Memos with his three attorneys because Comey was 'trying to answer the question that [he] was asked, and not reveal confidential communications with my lawyers.'" ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
THROUGHOUT THE OIG REPORT, IT'S CLEAR COMEY'S EXCUSES FOR HIS ACTIONS DO NOT HOLD WATER
The OIG Completely Refutes Comey's Excuse That His Memos Were Personal Recollections Of Personal Encounters With The President
Throughout The OIG's Investigation, Comey Claimed His Memos Of His Interactions With President Trump Were "Personal Documents." "Through our investigation, we learned that Comey considered Memos 2 through 7 to be his personal documents." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
But Comey Told The OIG He "Did Not Have A Personal Relationship" With President Trump And His Interactions With The President Were Due To His Occupation As FBI Director. "When we asked Comey whether the dinner invitation had been extended because of Comey's position as FBI Director or because of a personal relationship with Trump, Comey told the OIG he "did not have a personal relationship" with President Trump and that if he had not been the FBI Director, he would not have been invited to dinner by the President." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Comey Admitted To The OIG That It Was "Hard To Separate Himself From The FBI" When Interacting With President Trump. "Comey also acknowledged that it was 'hard to separate [himself] from the FBI,' because the personal assurances that Trump sought from Comey were linked to the power Comey held as FBI Director." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Regardless, FBI Policy Specifically Designates Executives "Personal Notes" As Official Federal Records. "This program designates which documents are considered official Federal records, and provides specific records retention schedules for such capstone officials.11 The records retention schedule for FBI senior executives states that the FBI must maintain, as official FBI records, "the emails, personal notes, annotated briefings, not maintained elsewhere, and other documentation received or generated by the Director in the normal course of business." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Comey Had An Extensive Career With The FBI And DOJ And Was Well Aware Of The Processes Guiding Classified Materials
Director Comey Has An Extensive Career In Law Enforcement Including More Than Five Years With The Department Of Justice. "Early in his career, from 1987 to 1993, Comey served in the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, where he was promoted to Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division. From 1996 to 2001, Comey served as the Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney in charge of the Richmond Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Starting in January 2002, Comey served as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, a position he held until December 2003, when Comey was appointed Deputy Attorney General for the Department of Justice. Comey served as Deputy Attorney General until 2005, after which he worked in the private sector. In 2013, Comey was nominated by then-President Obama to serve as FBI Director and was confirmed by the Senate to serve a ten-year term. On May 9, 2017, Comey was removed from his position as FBI Director by President Trump." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Throughout Comey's Employment At The Department Of Justice And FBI, Comey Held Security Clearances That Provided Him Access To Classified Information Pursuant To Nondisclosure Agreements. "Throughout Comey's employment at the Department of Justice, including his tenure as FBI Director, Comey held security clearances that provided him access to classified information pursuant to nondisclosure agreements (NDAs)." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Comey Verified His Signature On A Number Of NDAs He Signed During His Tenure As FBI Director And Told The OIG He Was Aware Of His Obligations To Protect Classified Information. "During his OIG interview, Comey verified his signature on a number of NDAs he had signed during his tenure as FBI Director and at other times while employed by the U.S. government, and told the OIG he was aware of his obligations to protect classified information under those agreements. He also acknowledged that he had "an obligation, lifelong, to protect classified information." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Comey Received Annual Classification Training From 2014 To 2017. "As FBI Director, Comey was one of the officials designated by the FBI as an Original Classification Authority (OCA). Comey's FBI training records show that he received initial training on his responsibilities as an OCA on January 9, 2014, and annual training most recently on March 28, 2017." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
FBI Senior Leadership Were Unanimous In Believing The Material In Comey's Memos Were Official Records
All Of The FBI Senior Leaders Interviewed By The OIG Stated The Memos Were Official Government Records. "All of the FBI senior leaders interviewed by the OIG stated that the Memos were official government records." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Deputy Director Andrew McCabe Described Comey's Memos As A "Record Of Comey's Official Engagement With The President" Created In Comey's Capacity As FBI Director. "For example, McCabe described the set of Memos as a 'record of [Comey's] official engagement with the President' that was created by Comey in his role as FBI Director." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Then FBI General Counsel James Baker Stated The Memos Were Official Business And Were Discussed In The Office In Connection With Comey's Official Responsibilities . "Baker told us that the Memos were 'related to official business' and that 'they were discussed in the office in connection with [Comey's] official responsibilities.'" ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Comey's Chief Of Staff James Rybicki Said He Treated The Memos As "Official Records" And That He Could Not Remember Comey Ever Indicating To Him That Comey Viewed The Memos As Personal Papers. "Rybicki told the OIG that, since Comey's removal, Rybicki had treated the Memos as FBI records. Rybicki also said he could not remember Comey ever indicating to him that Comey viewed the Memos as personal papers." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
The FBI's Assistant Director For The Counterintelligence Division E.W. Priestap Told The OIG He Characterized The Memos As Documents "Produced By The Director In His Capacity As Director…They're FBI Work Product." "Priestap characterized the Memos as documents 'produced by the Director in his capacity as Director…they're FBI work product.'" ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
FBI Personnel With Paper Copies Of The Memos Told The OIG That They Kept Them Locked In Safes In Their Offices. "FBI personnel with paper copies of the Memos told the OIG that they kept them locked in safes in their offices." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Members Of Comey's Senior Leadership Team Were Shocked At The News That Comey Had Leaked Information And The FBI's Unit Chief Reported Leadership Probably Regarded It As A Spill Of Classified Information
Members Of Comey's Senior Leadership Team Were "Shocked" And "Stunned" Comey Had Provided The Contents Of His Memo To A Reporter. "Members of Comey's senior leadership team used the adjectives 'surprised,' 'stunned,' 'shocked,' and 'disappointment' to describe their reactions to learning that Comey acted on his own to provide the contents of Memo 4, through Richman, to a reporter." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
The FBI's Unit Chief Told The OIG That FBI Leaders Were "Probably" Regarded The Situation Was A "Spill" Of Classified Information. "The Unit Chief told the OIG that, by that point, the FBI leaders were 'probably' thinking of the situation as a 'spill' of classified information, '[b]ut because of the sensitivity' of the Memos, they did not involve the FBI's Security Division." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
THE REPORT MAKES IT CLEARER THAN EVER THAT COMEY WAS A WITCH HUNTER ACTIVELY FEEDING INFORMATION TO THE FBI TEAM INVESTIGATING PRESIDENT TRUMP
The Report Makes It Clearer Than Ever That Comey Was A Witch Hunter Actively Feeding Information To The FBI Team Investigating President Trump
Deputy Director Andrew McCabe's Special Counsel Lisa Page Told The OIG She Thought Comey Handled The Memos The Way He Did In Order To Keep The Team Doing The Russia Investigation "From Knowing Any Of This, So That It Didn't Ultimately, Impact Their Investigative Steps." "McCabe's Special Counsel Lisa Page told the OIG that she thought Comey's 'objective in keeping the [number of] people exposed to [the Memos] incredibly small was an effort to insulate the core team, who was doing the Russian investigation,…from knowing any of this, so that it didn't, ultimately, impact…their investigative steps….'" ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
But Comey, Following His Conversation With President Trump Memorialized In Memo 1, Immediately Briefed Supervisors Of The FBI's "Crossfire Hurricane" Investigative Team Via Secure Video Teleconference." "Comey told the OIG he began writing Memo 1 immediately following his meeting with Trump on January 6, 2017. Comey said he had a secure FBI laptop waiting for him in his FBI vehicle and that when he got into the vehicle, he was handed the laptop and "began typing [Memo 1] as the vehicle moved." He said he continued working on Memo 1 until he arrived at the FBI's New York field office, where Comey gave a "quick download" of his conversation with President-elect Trump to Rybicki, McCabe, Baker, and supervisors of the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane investigative team via secure video teleconference (SVTC)." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Crossfire Hurricane Was The FBI Counterintelligence Team Investigating Whether Individuals Associated With The Trump Campaign During The 2016 Election Coordinated With The Russian Government. "That FBI counterintelligence investigation, known as 'Crossfire Hurricane,' concerned whether individuals associated with the Trump campaign during the 2016 presidential election were coordinating with, or had been unwittingly co-opted by, the Russian government." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Deputy Director McCabe Forwarded Comey's Memo To His Special Counsel Lisa Page, And Lisa Page Confirmed Comey Had Both Met With The Team Conducting The Russia Investigation, Forwarded His Memo To The Team And Told The Team To Upload It Into The Case File. "McCabe forwarded Memo 1 to Page. Page told the OIG that Comey had met with the "team conducting the Russia investigation, after [his January 6, 2017] meeting [with Trump] and both told us of the substance, and…also forwarded [Memo 1] to members of the team, to upload into the case file" because it was "central to investigative activity." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Lisa Page Testified That She Made And Kept Copies Of The Memos Recorded By Comey. "Page told the OIG that McCabe also allowed her to look at Memos 2, 3, and 4, but asked her not to share them with anybody. Page said that, on her own, she decided to make and keep copies of these Memos because they were "just of the nature that [she] felt like there should be one other copy somewhere else." She told the OIG that she did not know if others in the FBI were keeping copies of the Memos. Page told us that she kept her copies of these Memos in her office, which was a SCIF, inside her safe." ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Additionally, Deputy Assistant Director For Counter Intelligence Peter Strzok Received The Memos, Understanding Them To Be Relayed From McCabe And Baker, And Uploaded Them Into His "Case File" For A Record. "Priestap told the OIG that he received copies of the Memos from Page. Priestap's then-Deputy Assistant Director for the Counterintelligence Division, Peter Strzok, told the OIG that Priestap instructed him to upload the Memos into the FBI's Sentinel case management system, an instruction Strzok said he understood to be relayed from McCabe and Baker. Strzok told the OIG that he participated in "getting [the Memos], reading them, scanning them, and making sure they were serialized into Sentinel-into our case file so that there's a record there.'" ( Department Of Justice , 08/29/19)
Strzok And Page Were "Key Players" In The FBI's Probe Into Possible Collusion Between The Trump Campaign And Russia. "Strzok and Page were key players in the investigation into Clinton's use of a private email server to do government work as secretary of state, as well as the probe into possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia in the 2016 election." ( The Washington Post , 12/12/17)
Strzok Played Key Role In Launching The Counterintelligence Investigation Into The Trump Campaign And Was Absorbed Into Special Counsel's Mueller's Investigation In May 2017. "Strzok played a central role in the investigation of Hillary Clinton's private email server and helped launch the counterintelligence investigation into links between Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russians. Mueller absorbed that investigation and a criminal probe shortly after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey in May 2017. Strzok was removed two months into Mueller's 22-month investigation." ( The Washington Post , 12/12/17)
In December 2017, It Was Revealed Peter Strzok And Lisa Page Both Held Deep Anti-Trump Biases And Fears From That Trump Might Win The Election . "Texts between two senior FBI officials involved in both the probe of Hillary Clinton's emails and possible connections between Trump associates and Russia show the pair frequently discussed their political views, their intense dislike of candidate Donald Trump and their fear he might win.A review of the texts between senior FBI agent Peter Strzok and senior FBI lawyer Lisa Page were sent to lawmakers Tuesday night." ( The Washington Post , 12/12/17)
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