More bad optics for crooked Comey’s FBI. As it turns out, Comey allowed his underlings to take matters into their own hands in their coup attempt against Trump.
A few months ago, rumors pointed to a Strzok arrest on the horizon. Clearly, we’re still waiting for that to happen. But new facts continue to surface. For example, as Hot Air reported on Catherine Herridge, Peter Strzok did some of his own dirty work.
Catherine Herridge obtained an Electronic Communication (EC) via Judicial Watch which announced the launch of the Crossfire Hurricane investigation. In fact, the memo was drafted by Trump-hating FBI agent Peter Strzok and also states it was approved by Strzok. Herridge suggests that may be a problem.
“Former senior FBI agent tells @CBSNews that same person drafting + signing off on an ‘EC’ is unusual + may violate the ‘DIOG’ or Domestic Investigations Operations Guide which is the roadmap/rule book for FBI agents. Based on “DIOG, Crossfire Hurricane appears to fall under ‘Sensitive Investigative Matter’ because it involved a political candidate/organization – DIOG states these cases should be brought to attention ‘FBI HQ + other DOJ officials’
She tweeted:
#Durham GET FOCUSED: Agent Strzok memo, known as an “EC” or electronic communication opened FBI Russia probe “Crossfire Hurricane” on July 31, 2016. NOTE: This “EC” obtained through @JudicialWatch shows Strzok drafted + approved it + Durham is investigating whether “Crossfire
Hurricane” was “properly predicated" which means based on solid evidence + procedures followed. Former senior FBI agent tells @CBSNews that same person drafting + signing off on an “EC” is unusual + may violate the "DIOG" or Domestic Investigations Operations Guide” which pic.twitter.com/xXPfGMIYZq
— Catherine Herridge (@CBS_Herridge) September 14, 2020
So Strzok had the stroke to approve his own draft? That’s what Herridge implies in her article.
However, the big question that has already been answered is, should this investigation have happened in the first place? Recall that both AG Barr and John Durham said last December that they had disagreements with IG Horowitz on this exact point.
On Monday, when the Justice Department’s inspector general, Michael E. Horowitz, rejected one of Mr. Trump’s main attacks on the F.B.I. and declared the bureau had adequate reason to investigate the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia, Mr. Barr again stepped in, issuing a statement saying that the F.B.I. instead should not have opened the investigation in 2016.
“The F.B.I. 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,” he said…
John H. Durham, a federal prosecutor whom Mr. Barr appointed to run a separate criminal investigation into the origins of the Russia investigation, backed Mr. Barr’s findings in his own highly unusual statement. “Last month, we advised the inspector general that we do not agree with some of the report’s conclusions as to predication and how the F.B.I. case was opened,” Mr. Durham said.
There is no reason to believe that Barr or Durham now disagree with their findings at that time. In fact, all subsequent evidence suggests they have doubled-down.
Finally, nobody believes Strzok acted independently. Further, if he approved his own draft, he did it with full knowledge of higher-ups. Now, will he roll over on them? That remains to be seen. Nevertheless, Durham certainly has a reason to bring Strzok back to the hot seat.
