FBI chief: No evidence of illegal spying on Trump campaign
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
FBI chief: No evidence of illegal spying on Trump campaign
ERIC TUCKER and MICHAEL BALSAMO, Associated Press 18 hours ago His comments at a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing broke from Attorney General William Barr, who has described as "spying" FBI surveillance during its investigation into potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Barr has not said such surveillance was necessarily improper, but Trump nonetheless seized on those comments to suggest his campaign was spied on in an illegal and unprecedented act.
Asked by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., if he would say that the FBI is "spying" when it investigates suspected terrorists and mobsters while following "investigative policies and procedures," Wray replied, "Well, that's not the term I would use."
He added: "I believe that the FBI is engaged in investigative activity, and part of investigative activity includes surveillance activity of different shapes and sizes. And to me, the key question is making sure that it's done by the book, consistent with our lawful authorities. That's the key question. Different people use different colloquial phrases."
Wray declined to discuss in detail the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign because of an ongoing Justice Department inspector general probe into the origins of the Russia inquiry. Barr has said he expects the watchdog report to be done in May or June.
But asked whether he was aware of evidence that the FBI had illegally spied on the Trump campaign, Wray said, "I don't think I personally have any evidence of that sort."
Barr is investigating whether there was a proper basis for the FBI to open a counterintelligence investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. The recently concluded investigation from special counsel Robert Mueller did not find a criminal conspiracy between the campaign and the Kremlin to tip the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.
"The attorney general is seeking to understand better the circumstances at the department and the FBI relating to how this investigation started, and we're working to help him get that understanding," Wray said about the Justice Department's review. "I think that's part of his job and part of mine."
Barr didn't specify what he meant when he said he believed there had been spying on the Trump campaign, though he also said that he did not mean the word in a negative way. At a hearing last week, he described "spying" as a "good English word" encompassing "all forms of covert intelligence operations" and said he wouldn't back away from using it.
The FBI obtained a secret surveillance warrant in the fall of 2016 to monitor the communications of former Trump campaign aide Carter Page, whose interactions with Russians several years earlier had raised law enforcement suspicions even before he joined the campaign.
The New York Times reported last week that the FBI sent a female government investigator posing as a research assistant to speak with ex-Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos, who was told by a Maltese professor in the spring of 2016 that Russia had "dirt" on Democrat Hillary Clinton in the form of stolen emails.
In his book about his entanglement in the Russia probe, "Deep State Target," Papadopoulos wrote that the woman, who identified herself as Azra Turk, asked him about his work with the Trump campaign.
"She wants to know: Are we working with Russia?" he wrote. He described her question as "creepy" and said he told her he had "nothing to do with Russia."
Papadopoulos later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his interactions with the professor, Joseph Mifsud, and was sentenced to 14 days in prison.
So why isn't Carter Page in prison yet? What the hell is taking them so long? Why wasn't Page questioned and charged by Mueller or Comey? Common Dems, lock Carter Page up! He is main reason behind the FISA warrants for spying on the Trump campaign. Let's get this master spy/criminal behind bars for the public good!
I am sure Wray feels the FBI was justified because it had FISA warrants. What he doesn't answer is if the warrants were legal. Another nothing burger by an career Establishment employee.
The warrants were authorized by a court of law after clearing from what I understand are significant hurdles for consideration. What would not make them legal? Furthermore, what evidence do you have that Carter Page deserves to be in prison?
Nonsense. Th IG is investigating what is obviously.
the Obama Admin used the deep state to present false documentation to the FISA court in a conspiracy against an opposition party
thats why from Obama’s on down they stated emphatically that Trump would not be president. FBI traitor Strozk assured his lover that with the assistance of another FBI traitor, McCabe they had a plan in place to take Trump down
this is fac, not speculation and this conspiracy needs to be fully exposed and Obama and his fellow conspirators put in prison
Clapper now admits they SPIED on Trump
Conspiracy theorists are never swayed by facts.
Facts are like kryptonite to the left. Any rational observation of the facts points to exactly what I stated
Well then thank God a rightie wouldn't recognize a fact if it bit them in the nether regions.
Considering we on the left are still here, you've obviously not provided any kryptonite (AKA.... "Facts").
BTW..... You didn't happen to see those guys on the Grassy Knowles did you?
You don't understand sarcasm? Did my post really need a damn /S tag behind it?
Carter Page is the main reason given for the FISA warrants. If they had such damning evidence against him to get a warrant, why was he never questioned or charged? He should have been the first one indicted. Instead he was never even questioned.
They need to review all the FISA warrants, and if the evidence isn't there against Page, then the judge needs to be removed- and all those involved in the request indicted.
Very true, and a brilliant observation. Many of them cannot accept the Mueller Report and the fact that Trump and associates never colluded with Russia, or obstructed justice.
No... I saw the attempt at sarcasm. What was also made clear is you seem to think that FISA warrants are handed out like candy, and that you are more than happy to disregard the efforts of our security offices go to try to keep our country safe.
Then answer the question, why hasn't Carter Page been indicted? They had all of this "evidence" against him to get FISA warrants to monitor anyone he was associated with. They used him again, again to extend these warrants; but nothing- not even questioned by Comey or Mueller.
How can the FISA warrants be legal when Carter Page is a free man?
Lying to a FISA court is not legal.
Who lied to the FISA court?
Who didn't lie to a FISA court? How can the public determine who did and who didn't lie to a FISA court?
The Obama Administration who knew they were presenting false documents
You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice, nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit.
It’s been thoroughly validated that they presented false documents to the FISA Court.
like most leftists the truth is inconvenient to yourhatred of Trump and Conservatives
Validated by whom? Got names? Got organizations?
For once in your life can you produce or even tell the truth in support of your statements?
It has?
So where is the indictments for Comey, Rosenstein, Yates, Beonte and the Special Agent/s who swore to the veracity of the evidence?
WTF is Barr waiting for?
FBI chief: No evidence of illegal spying on Trump campaign
Which any realist already knew.
And which no conspiracy theorist will ever accept.
The DEEP STATE will cover it up
Any realist knows the deep state are enemies of the people. The left use to also believe this until Trump became president
And here they are, the hierarchy of the Deep State....
The deep state exists only in the dreams of some folks.
Which any realist already knew.
The asshole is lying, working the cover up for all he can.
The evidence will appear as the investigations continue into summer.
Now are you referring to Mr. Trump or Mr. Wray?
If it be Mr. Trump then we agree, if it be Mr. Wray then it would mean that Mr. Trump appoints assholes making Mr. Trump twice the asshole as you say.
There is a lot of dancing around the word "spying" as if it were different somehow than secret surveillance. It's not. It is what it is. What matters is whether or not the spying was improper at some level. Arguing about the meaning of the word "spying" is a distraction.