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.
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org
They did it. They finally did it. Those maniacs. They blew it up. As New…
President Donald Trump has finally moved the United States past the traumas of the Iraq…
Summer gasoline prices in the U.S. are the lowest they’ve been in four years on…
People accuse me of hating people with trans identities because I advocate for ethical and…
Schedule Summary: President Donald Trump will receive a briefing and visit with foreign ministers on…