The FBI engaged in a systemic, strategic effort to leak information to stoke fears of Russian collusion during and after the 2016 presidential campaign, a top Republican congressman charged in a letter to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein on Monday.
By Gregg Re, Catherine Herridge | Fox News
Former FBI official: Strzok, Comey, McCabe disgraced bureau
New documents provided to Congress raise “grave concerns” about an “apparent systemic culture of media leaking” among high-level FBI and Justice Department officials to release information damaging to President Trump, a top Republican congressman charged in a letter to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein on Monday.
In the letter, Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., points in particular to two text message exchanges in April 2017 between now-fired FBI agent Peter Strzok and former FBI attorney Lisa Page, in which the two discuss the bureau’s “media leak strategy.”
“I had literally just gone to find this phone to tell you I want to talk to you about media leak strategy with DOJ before you go,” Strzok texted Page on April 10, 2017, according to Meadows, who cited newly produced documents from the Justice Department.
Two days later, Strzok wrote, “Well done, Page,” and told her that two negative articles about Page’s “namesake” would soon come out. That was an apparent reference to Carter Page, the former Trump adviser whom the FBI surveilled for months after obtaining a warrant from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court.
The FBI and DOJ declined to comment. Fox News also reached out to lawyers for Strzok and Page; they did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
On April 11, 2017, the Washington Post published a story titled, “FBI obtained FISA warrant to monitor former Trump adviser Carter Page. The article, citing “law enforcement and other U.S. officials,” reported that the DOJ and FBI had convinced a FISA judge there was “probable cause to believe Page was acting as an agent of a foreign power, in this case Russia.”
The text message exchanges “should lead a reasonable person to question whether there was a sincere desire to investigate wrongdoing or to place derogatory information in the media to justify a continued probe,” Meadows, who serves on the House Oversight Committee, wrote.
Strzok, who was a leading investigator in both the Hillary Clinton and Russia probes, was fired in August after the DOJ inspector general excoriated him for a slew of anti-Trump text messages he sent on his FBI-issued phone, including one in which he said “we’ll stop” Trump from becoming president.
Documents also have shown that the FBI inaccurately reassured the FISA court on several instances that a Yahoo News article provided independent basis to surveil Page, when in fact it also relied on Steele as its source.
In his letter, Meadows noted that the Post’s reporting “[set] off a flurry of articles suggesting connections between President Trump and Russia.”
The leaks involved other outlets in addition to the Washington Post, Meadows wrote. FBI and DOJ officials, including DOJ prosecutor and top Robert Mueller deputy Andrew Weissmann, met with several Associated Press reporters in April 2017, according to court filings in the Virginia federal trial of Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
The leaks to the media continued even as FBI attorneys cited the U.S. Attorney’s Manual in telling Congress that witnesses could not answer questions about pending probes, Meadows wrote.
There is “troubling evidence” that the FBI and DOJ continue to coordinate leaks to the media, Meadows said. While those disclosures may not be unauthorized, he added, they still compromise the appearance of impartiality at the bureau.
Meadows concluded by requesting written communications from FBI and DOJ officials, including Stu Evans, Mike Kortan and Joe Pientka, from June 2016 to June 2017, although he emphasized that he was not suggested they engaged in wrongdoing.
Congressional sources tell Fox News they expect President Trump will soon agree to a longstanding request by the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees to declassify more documents used to justify Page’s surveillance, as well as activities by embattled DOJ attorney Bruce Ohr.
Ohr had contact in 2016 with Weissmann, then his colleague, as well as other senior FBI officials about the controversial anti-Trump dossier and the individuals behind it, two sources close to the matter told Fox News.
Congressional Republicans are still trying to get to the bottom of Ohr’s role in circulating the unverified Steele dossier. A Republican-authored House Intelligence Committee memo released in February said that Steele “maintained contact” with Ohr “before and after” the government fired the British ex-spy as a source.
But Republicans have said the FBI failed to disclose to the FISA court not only the funding sources for Steele dossier, but also Ohr’s involvement and the fact that his wife, Nellie, had worked on Russia issues for Fusion GPS, the opposition research firm behind the dossier.
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Ziggy46
5 years ago
Strzok-Page texts confirm the suspicions of copious supporters of the Trump Presidency. If it were otherwise, a Democrat Presidency the Fifth Column mainstream media and its deep-seated ally the treasonous Democrats would scream from the rooftop, “High Treason.” The President and those who he trusts must open the gate to this perfidy perpetrated by the insidious FBI and its handlers, the Democrats, Obama, and Soros.
Trump with the hardcore evidence in hand must speak to the people. It is imperative that revealing the regressive progressives’ undermining of the presidency and the Republic is factual. It is paramount, exposing the FBI and others to these acts of High Treason. Those of the Liberal Fascist movement, the conjurors of this betrayal will scoff and throw a hissy fit; however, the time has come to awaken everyday Americans not part of this duplicitous counterplot. Those of the Liberal Fascist scourge are too far gone; rendered comatose by the voodoo-like indoctrination of Progressivism.
The indictment of the Democrats and its scheming tagalongs should be swift and merciless.
Amen, CharlieSeattle; there are numerous RINOs; I didn’t mean to overlook them. Hell, at least Trump is aware of the treasonous Dems; some RINO traitors are obvious, others are roaches scurrying about when the lights go on.
Dennis
5 years ago
This article, though it does not reference it, stands to me as continuing evidence that the divisiveness that is permeating this nation was purposely set in motion and continues today by those who dislike Trump and what he stands for. With the recent Woodward book and the so-called anonymous op-ed in the Times, the attempt to shut down Trump is becoming outrageous. The people elected Trump because we sought change in the way we were being governed. They rejected Hillary, and I believe that they realized that they had been fooled by Obama, and saw in Trump a reasonable chance for a change in administrating our federal government. Throughout American history there have been close elections and bitter differences between American’s involved in politics, but the person elected was allowed to govern and people proudly cooperated in that persons governing, despite crazies who used violence against some who were elected. The fact that this article identifies the personal adverse conduct of FBI and DOJ officials is mortifying to me. The Mueller investigation should be ended cold, these people who are identified as affirmatively opposing the Trump administration by creating false negative narratives in the manner identified should all be fired, they should lose their pensions, and probably prosecuted for using their positions of confidence in such an apparently criminal manner. That is how strongly I feel about what is going on in this nation. We must take back control, before it is too late!
A good part of the divisiveness can be laid squarely at the feet of Obhammud. His weaponizing the IRS against political opponents is one example. Another is his irresponsible statement that the Hartford police “acted stupidly” and the resultant “beer summit”, thereby precipitating the current war on cops.
Navy_Vet
5 years ago
With the inept and corrupt CIA, DOJ, and FBI, nothing will be done to those who commit treason and espionage. They have become a protected class that can not be prosecuted.
Sooner or later, justice will catch up with those who even condone treason and espionage. There is nothing hidden which will not be brought to the light. No high-ranking individual will be above the law.
I am not trying to give you some lip, but what you said is what they are counting on. Us not making them toe the line. They are counting on the clock running out on their treason and that is what it is. They should be taken out of the equation.
My Grad Ma once told me if you loose your reputation you will never get it back in this lifetime. If you do you need to thank God. The agencies you mention don’t know God so he isn’t going to help them and those agencies will not get back their reputations. They sold out to the Devil for power, money, and sex.
Not fbi. Pre-admission, but nothing following, unless “cause”. Point of fact, they encourage stoners (marijuana only) to apply, but that’s the only pre-admission drug that will fly.
No incentive exists for these Traitors to NOT commit Treason. Until they are all EXECUTED, it will just continue. America has no more time to play footsie, or it may not make it through the next time.
That is the point. Justice MUST be restored to America and criminals need to pay. If the government won’t do it, then maybe the time really has come for the people to rise up and do something. If that happens, it will not end well for anyone. Jeff Sessions, are you listening. Start rounding up the criminals. There is no excuse for Comey, Page, Strozk, McCabe, Mueller and Rosenstein to be free.
John Forbes
5 years ago
Trump supporters worldwide need to help & stop this coup attempt.
Trump is winning on jobs & the Elite & the Left hate this & look to be willing to engage in anything to stop this success.
Alleged-Comment
5 years ago
The real name is FIB not FBI <- not grammatically correct. Now you know the secret of the F. I. B.
And when is Strotzki, Corney and others going to be arrested. Why aren't top official and leaders of government almost ever arrested even though they commit heinous crimes that would get you or me HANGED??
Drew the Infidel
5 years ago
For perspective, the planting of stories to affect public opinion one way or the other, known as disinformation campaigns, is as old as communication itself. It was used during the Stalinist purges in Russia during which his head of the secret police stated, “You show me the man and I’ll show you the crime.”
It was also used before Pontius Pilate to justify the Crucifixion.
I can’t imagine an official of the Roman Empire having to justify anything to anyone save the emperor — especially a provincial governor who had wide latitude in discretionary power.
I recommend you to run as a Green party candidate in next elections. Pretend that you don’t eat chicken for a while. We need more Green Party challengers, to take as many votes from democraps as we can.
I re-registered as a Constitution party member, leaving the Republican party. I share little ideological beliefs with the Green party. I cannot run for office myself as I’m a grandmaw with just enough skeletons in my closet to be fodder for the flammers.
Falcon101
5 years ago
Many people just don’t understand the level of corruption necessary within the walls of the government that would allow them to get away with mass murder on multiple occasions. Starting with the Columbine school shooting to the huge number of other government orchestrated events like Oklahoma City and 9/11 and it is now clear as day just who and why they have been doing these events. They obviously have an agenda to make people fear not only the government but privately owned firearms so as to eventually remove them from the people and we all know full well what happens to a society that has their guns removed, the people become the absolute slaves to the system.
There may come a day where the truth of this massive corruption is actually absorbed by the people and only then will there be any recompense for their crimes against the people.
idontknow
5 years ago
Armed patriots should surround every single FBI building in the country and demand treason laws are enforced…
Maranatha
5 years ago
What is Sessions doing on this issue?
Where is he?
EVERYONE who has any brains at all knows that this is a political hit job on the President. Why do we allow the central government to dictate to us about our culture/beliefs is beyond me.
hopespringseternal
5 years ago
When are these traitors going to be prosecuted. Who is responsible for bringing these to court/trial?
CharlieSeattle
5 years ago
The ‘Deep State’ is made up of the corrupt Demo☭rats, MSM, Facebook, Twitter, Google, NSA/CIA/ FBI/DHS, MS-13, Black Lives Matter, A☪LU, ☪AIR, Muslim Brotherhood, DN☭, SPL☭, ANTIFA, Tranny’s, Gays, Illegal Alien Criminals and Seditious …current and …former City, State and National politicians!
RICO racketeering laws apply! They can ALL be arrested ….NOW!
They are WILLFULLY engaged in “Seditious Conspiracy” and should be in prison for TREASON!
Prez. Trump, …It’s time to get serious…….now WTF is AG Sessions?
I hope he will, after Nov. elections, but we need to help and make sure that every republican votes!
Fred Flint
5 years ago
and here I thought the FBI IG’s conclusion was that the Paige and Strozyk emails did no harm.
Badger
5 years ago
It is taking a long time to get these people into court. It can’t be lack of evidence and it will inevitably lead to Hillary’s door. I hope that is not the cause of the delay. Does anyone believe Hilary will be on trial before Trump’s second term?
tommer
5 years ago
This goes way past hiLIARy probably all the way to the top.Time for hiLIARy to go to sleep and have a heros funeral.
Crystal Waters
5 years ago
These orchestrated leaks are also evidence of perjury before Congress as Strzok when being questioned by Trey Gowdy, angrily and emphatically stated, “I can assure you, Mr. Chairman, at no time in any of these texts did those personal beliefs ever enter into the realm of any action I took.”
Head Honcho
5 years ago
What aren’t these cowards in fed prison where they belong?
jafo
5 years ago
Enough of this political BS … everyone knows only a civil war will drain the swap … but that ain’t going to happen .. short of the left starting it …
knightsstrength
5 years ago
Still waiting for many arrests and long term convictions.
Michael Jacobs
5 years ago
Don’t be ridiculous. This is not a monarchy, and Trump is not the sovereign. THE PEOPLE are. And the President is subject to the rule of law, just like everybody else. When Dems say they want to “get” Trump they mean they want to pursue his alleged wrongdoing with the tools of the law. That is no different in kind than what the GOP did to Obama, and Hillary Clinton (BENGHAZI!!!) as well as Bill Clinton. And who is to say this will not lead to another Nixonian moment, once the investigation is complete? Glass house dwellers ought to be careful where they throw stones.
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