DOJ Report Faults FBI For Errors In Russia Investigation But Finds No Evidence Of Anti-Trump Conspiracy – By Zaid Jilani (IB Times) / Dec 9 2019
A long-awaited report from the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General faulted the Federal Bureau of Investigation for how it conducted its investigation into Trump campaign officials’ ties to Russia, but also exonerated the agency from claims by the president that it was engaged in a conspiracy against him.
Investigators found “no documentary or testimonial evidence” of political bias during the course of the FBI’s Russia investigation, which went under the name Crossfire Hurricane. Inspector General Michael Horowitz concluded the agency had sufficient evidence to open the investigation in July 2016.
However, the investigation did fault FBI investigators for making errors during its investigation of former Trump campaign aide Carter Page. Page was subject to a wiretap under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act; the report found at least 17 errors or omissions in the FBI’s application to surveil him.
“We are deeply concerned that so many basic and fundamental errors were made by three separate, hand-picked investigative teams on one of the most sensitive FBI investigations; after the matter had been briefed to the highest levels within the FBI, even though the information sought through the use of FISA authority related so closely to an ongoing presidential campaign, and even though those involved with the investigation knew that their actions were likely to be subjected to close scrutiny,” Horowitz writes in the report.
Continue to article: https://www.ibtimes.com/doj-report-faults-fbi-errors-russia-investigation-finds-no-evidence-anti-trump-2882191
