Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz pulled no punches Wednesday when describing the actions of FBI agents who withheld information regarding Carter Page in order to obtain surveillance warrants against the Trump campaign aide.
“It’s pretty bad,” Horowitz told the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Horowitz offered the assessment during an exchange with Sen. Lindsey Graham, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Graham laid out Horowitz’s findings that a major source for Christopher Steele had disavowed most of the former British spy’s infamous dossier. The FBI cited Steele’s information to assert Carter Page was a Russian agent.
Graham also noted an FBI attorney identified as Kevin Clinesmith doctored an email to downplay Page’s previous relationship with the CIA.
“How would you describe the behavior here of knowing that the sub-source disavows the dossier that was the primary reason you got a warrant. Finding that a lawyer doctored an email to keep the investigation going in a way unfair to Mr. Page?” Graham asked Horowitz.
“This was not routine, do you agree with that?” he continued.
“It is definitely not … it certainly better not be routine, and I don’t of any reason to think it is routine,” said Horowitz.
“Is it kind of off-the-charts bad?” Graham asked.
“It’s pretty bad,” said the watchdog.
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