The IG report on FISA abuses has now been released and you can read it below:
OIG report has now been posted: https://t.co/0OdxjgZssq
— Julia Macfarlane (@juliamacfarlane) December 9, 2019
🚨 BREAKING 🚨
DOJ IG REPORT RELEASED:
Review of Four FISA Applications and
Other Aspects of the FBI's Crossfire
Hurricane Investigation https://t.co/IbE9xi2G4x pic.twitter.com/vu48Ie8R3m— Benny (@bennyjohnson) December 9, 2019
Mollie Hemingway reminds us that the report was not investigating the opening of the Russia probe, but rather FISA abuses, of which there are many, as well as criminal referrals:
Beware. As predicted, journalists appear to be preparing to spin HARD on IG report. IG was not investigating opening of Russia probe but, rather, FISA abuse. His findings are reportedly quite harsh and involve criminal referrals. pic.twitter.com/plIJ4OIo6e
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 9, 2019
Here are a few things to note here early on from the report:
This just in pic.twitter.com/MCy4Jy16Ak
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) December 9, 2019
This just in pic.twitter.com/XiBVTZUdQ4
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) December 9, 2019
IG finds the opening of the overall Russia probe, as well as related investigations of Papadopoulos, Page, Flynn and Manafort had sufficient legal backing. pic.twitter.com/fvnI5XhHpa
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) December 9, 2019
IG: Page & Strzok did not influence decision to start Russia investigation pic.twitter.com/xed0oq5PZU
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) December 9, 2019
UPDATE: Here’s a statement from Bill Barr:
AG Bill Barr – "The Inspector General’s report now makes clear that the FBI launched an intrusive investigation of a U.S. presidential campaign on the thinnest of suspicions that, in my view, were insufficient to justify the steps taken."
— Jake Gibson (@JakeBGibson) December 9, 2019
And more things to note from the report:
Of applications for warrants to spy on US citizen Carter Page, IG says "numerous instances in which factual representations in those applications were inaccurate, incomplete, or unsupported by appropriate documentation."
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 9, 2019
IG reminds that it did "did not analyze all of the decisions in the Crossfire Hurricane investigation," but had a more limited scope.
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 9, 2019
In fact, IG specifically says "our role in this review was not to second-guess discretionary judgments by Department personnel about whether to open an investigation" — something spin from media and their sources on IG's view of opening investigation neglected to mention.
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 9, 2019
Massive counterintel investigation against political campaign of opposing party was started solely on tip from foreign gov't, nothing else, IG says. W/in days, 4 campaign officials targeted, picked because they'd been to Russia or talked to Russians. Wow does this look flimsy.
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 9, 2019
IG says this was technically allowed, thanks to " low
threshold" FBI has for counterintelligence investigations.— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 9, 2019
IG says he's "concerned" about investigation handling given "constitutionally protected activity occurring
during a national presidential campaign." Also "concerned" about "intrusive investigative techniques that could
impact constitutionally protected activity."— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 9, 2019
IG says officials all agreed that they should launch massive counterintel probe on basis of that one uncorroborated tip and not tell campaign (which included US Sen. and future AG Jeff Sessions and former NJ Gov. Chris Christie, notably) in case they were all in on it.
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 9, 2019
(It is perhaps worth noting that public reporting from recent years shows that US officials did talk to Russia about the alleged efforts but not the Trump campaign itself.)
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 9, 2019
#BREAKING: IG #FISA Abuse report also determined "FBI leadership supported relying on Steele’s reporting to seek a FISA order on Page AFTER being advised of…concerns … that Steele may have been hired by … Clinton or the DNC…” pic.twitter.com/HJiA47pL5b
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) December 9, 2019