Horowitz reportedly finds FBI lawyer falsified FISA doc; WaPo stealth-deletes Strzok connection
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz has found evidence that an FBI lawyer manipulated a key investigative document related to the FBI's secretive surveillance of a former Trump campaign adviser -- enough to change the substantive meaning of the document, according to multiple reports.
The show-stopping development comes as Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told Fox News that Horowitz's comprehensive report on allegations of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant abuse against former Trump campaign aide Carter Page will be released on Dec. 9. "That's locked," Graham said.
The new evidence concerning the altered document, which pertained to the FBI's FISA court warrant application to surveil Page, is expected to be outlined in Horowitz's upcoming report. CNN first reported the news, which was largely confirmed by The Washington Post.
The Post, hours after publishing its story, conspicuously removed the portion of its reporting that the FBI employee involved was underneath Peter Strzok, the FBI's since-fired head of counterintelligence. The Post did not offer an explanation for the change, which occurred shortly after midnight. Earlier this week, the DOJ highlighted a slew of anti-Trump text messages sent by Strzok when he was leading the Hillary Clinton email investigation and the probe into the Trump campaign.
Horowitz reportedly found that the FBI employee who modified the FISA document falsely stated that he had "documentation to back up a claim he had made in discussions with the Justice Department about the factual basis" for the FISA warrant application, the Post reported. Then, the FBI employee allegedly "altered an email" to substantiate his inaccurate version of events. The employee has since been forced out of the bureau.
In its initial 2016 FISA warrant application, the FBI flatly called Page "an agent of a foreign power."
FBI AGENTS MANIPULATED FLYNN FILE, AS CLAPPER ORDERED 'KILL SHOT,' FILING SAYS
Sources told Fox News last month that U.S. Attorney John Durham's separate, ongoing probe into potential FBI and Justice Department misconduct in the run-up to the 2016 election through the spring of 2017 has transitioned into a full-fledged criminal investigation -- and that Horowitz's report will shed light on why Durham's probe has become a criminal inquiry.
Durham has reportedly taken up Horowitz's findings concerning the falsified FISA document, meaning the ex-FBI lawyer who made the changes is now under criminal investigation. The Post indicated, however, that the document was not central to the legality of the FISA warrant obtained against Page.
One-time advisor of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump Carter Page was called "an agent of a foreign power" by the FBI in its 2016 FISA surveillance warrant application. He has not been charged with any wrongdoing despite more than a year of surveillance, and several holes have emerged in the FBI's FISA case. (AP)
Republicans have long argued that the FBI's alleged FISA abuses, which came as the bureau aggressively pursued ultimately unsubstantiated claims of criminal links between the Trump team and Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign, were politically motivated. In recent months, a series of unearthed documents has strengthened those claims.
Just nine days before the FBI applied for its first FISA warrant to surveil Page, bureau officials were battling with a senior Justice Department official who had "continued concerns" about the "possible bias" of a source pivotal to the application, according to internal text messages previously obtained by Fox News.
The 2016 messages, sent between Lisa Page and then-FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, also revealed that bureau brass circulated at least two anti-Trump blog articles, including a Lawfare blog post sent shortly after Election Day that called Trump possibly "among the major threats to the security of the country."
Fox News is told the texts were connected to the ultimately successful Page application, which relied in part on information from British ex-spy Christopher Steele – whose anti-Trump views are now well-documented – and cited Page’s suspected Russia ties. In its warrant application, the FBI inaccurately assured the FISA court on numerous occasions that media sources independently corroborated Steele's claims, and did not clearly state that Steele worked for a firm hired by Hillary Clinton's campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
Much of the Steele dossier has been proved discredited or unsubstantiated , including the dossier's claims that the Trump campaign was paying hackers in the United States out of a non-existent Russian consulate in Miami, or that ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen traveled to Prague to conspire with Russians. Special Counsel Robert Mueller also was unable to substantiate the dossier's claims that Carter Page had received a large payment relating to the sale of a share of Rosneft, a Russian oil giant, or that a lurid blackmail tape involving the president existed.
Despite being accused by the FBI of being a Russian agent in the FISA application, and being secretly surveilled for more than a year, Page has not been charged with any wrongdoing. He has since sued numerous actors -- including the DNC -- for defamation related to claims that he worked with Russia.
Former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, seen here in 2018, is alleging that the FBI also doctored documents in his case. (AP)
DISPUTE ERUPTS AS BRENNAN, COMEY APPEAR TO DISPUTE WHO PUSHED THE STEELE DOSSIER
"OI [Office of Intelligence] now has a robust explanation re any possible bias of the chs [confidential human source] in the package," Lisa Page wrote to McCabe on Oct. 12, 2016. "Don't know what the holdup is now, other than Stu's continued concerns."
It's unclear whether the confidential source in question was Steele or another individual. "Stu" was an apparent reference to Stuart Evans, then the DOJ's National Security Division deputy assistant attorney general. In one previously unearthed and since-unredacted text message , Strzok texted Page that he was "Currently fighting with Stu for this FISA" in late 2016.
Page is not the only Trump official to allege misconduct by the FBI. Last month, an explosive court filing from Michael Flynn’s legal team alleged that FBI agents manipulated official records of the former national security adviser’s 2017 interview that led to him being charged with lying to investigators. Flynn's attorneys demanded the FBI search its internal "Sentinel" system to find more evidence of allegedly doctored files.
Newly released text messages involving text messages between Strzok and former FBI lawyer Lisa Page revealed that Page -- who was not present for the Flynn interview -- had apparently made "edits" to the so-called "302" witness report in the case, which was key to Flynn's prosecution on a false statements charge. Page told Strzok on February 10, 2017 that she “gave my edits to Bill to put on your desk.”
Horowitz told congressional lawmakers in an October letter that his investigation and ensuing report were nearing their conclusion.
The "lengthy" draft report "concerns sensitive national security and law enforcement matters," Horowitz wrote in the letter, adding that he anticipated "the final report will be released publicly with few redactions."
Horowitz noted that he did not anticipate a need to prepare or issue "separate classified and public versions of the report."
"After we receive the final classification markings from the Department and the FBI, we will then proceed with our usual process for preparing a final report, including ensuring that appropriate reviews occur for accuracy and comment purposes," Horowitz wrote in the letter. "Once begun, we do not anticipate the time for that review to be lengthy."
The left will call these people "patriots". The only thing they are loyal to is themselves, and their corrupted version of what they think government should be.
According to Certain "Media Outlet/s" (ref. comment #3.1) , Nothing to really see here.
Falsifying…..is only an Offense if it actually "Does" something.
Reminds me of the "Impeachment Hearings"....the "Opposite Effect" !
[deleted]
Think about it ….. won't you ?
If you're adamant about this being a non-issue in "Falsifying" information for a FISA warrant (A Very Important "Legal" piece of paper by the way), because a "Media Outlet" says so, you must think the same way about this Impeachment Fallacy, which is based on a non-legally binding phone call, and didn't have anything "Happen", no matter what Schiffty Schiff is telling you otherwise.
Hope I didn't.....CONFUSE YOU !
And what do you really " Feel " ( can't use "Think" here ), about this issue ?
No, you never can.
I knew it !
You have no "Grasp" of the "Subject" as explained in the article/Seed !
I dont think what the low level FBI lawyer did is "ok", but it is not the bombshell in this story. The bombshell is that after a long investigation the IG determined that the FISA application was valid and had a "proper legal and factual basis".
Did Fox News report that little tidbit I wonder.
The Bomb shell is that a respected? "Intelligence Agent" , Actually Fudged Info.. Doesn't it make you wonder what this "Wonderful" agency of ours, "Fudged" elsewhere ?
Maybe poor "American Citizen" Martha Stewart" shouldn't really have been put in jail ?
What about all the other "American Folks" that have been put to the test by "Our Intelligence ? Agencies". Were they really ALL Okay in the "Evidence" AGAINST them ?
I’m thinking that Flynn’s new legal team is right on in what they told the judge in that case.
If this is the biggest bombshell to come out of the IG report and the Barr / Durham investigation (and the first leaks usually are the biggest bombshells) this long dreamed of take down of the deep state will more resemble a feather landing on an elephant's ass.
Oops , there goes thousands of hours of right wing fever dreams that the FISA application represented a deep state conspiracy against Donald Trump that people would go to prison for.
I'm still waiting for all those indictments to the President Obama administration.
And the left will claim the Deep State are good people as we've seen in a recent Krugman tweet.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS THE DEEP STATE.
You might want to write Krugman and let him know.
Krugman, for some very strange reason, is a favorite among many on the left. Probably because he erroneously predicted doom and gloom for the economy under Trump.
And some are still hoping he will be right one day, as long as Trump is still in office.
I get that you don't do sarcasm, but that was obviously a tongue in cheek comment by Krugman. I heard the same from a few other news pundits, and it was by no means an affirmation that the "deep state" as the tin foil hat conspiracy theorists fantasize about, but that there are deeply courageous, deeply honorable, deeply principled State department employees who are non-partisans who work every day for the benefit of the American people, which is exactly the opposite of what Trump has been doing which is why he hates them so much.
Again, Krugman was not in ANY way affirming the existence of a shadowy cabal of government officials corruptly subverting the will of the people. There are dedicated civil servants who work tirelessly on our behalf and we just watched many of them testify before congress and they were credible, believable and honest which no doubt pissed off the lying clown in the oval office.
I am correct.
Referring to the deep state that tRump and those in his administration and all of the whackjobs have been referring to.
Doesn't exist.
Actually the 'deep state' does exist. It is international and desires to rule/control with wealth and not democracy. Examine Putin's government to understand how this works.
The right wing puts forth the concept that the 'deep state' is the EPA, Social Security, Medicare, anything that benefits the people, the nation and those that want rule by democracy.
Has Russian oligarch money 'bought' the GOP in the same manner it bought the NRA?
The cat is out of the bag even Rand Paul acknowledges the Deep State.
“There is an establishment in foreign policy and also in the intelligence community,” Paul noted. “The intelligence community truly is the Deep State.”
So you and the Republicans want to get rid of the "bureaucracy"? You want everything to go to just whatever anyone feels at the time, no written laws, no procedures, no civil servants dutifully doing their jobs making government function? Shall we go back to just eating raw meat off the carcass too?
The supposed "deep state" that doesn't exist is some fantasy cabal of government officials pulling strings behind the scenes to enact their own agenda. The deep state as described does not exist. If now you're moving the bar to "Well anyone who pushes paper at the State Department or works in civil service and is part of the bureaucracy is the 'deep state' ", then you might as well go buy an island and try starting your own government because we aren't starting over here in America just because a bunch of half wits rage about not being heard and wanting their safe spaces where they can discriminate against gays, liberals and progressives.
You're good at parroting other people since obviously you didn't know what you were talking about in the first place
False. The 'deep state' is the wealth that buys the politicians to serve the deep state. Kindly stop propagating Putin's anti-democratic anti-American democracy.
The "Steele Dossier" was never verified as being true. If you think so, show us the links and sources.
Wrong. The Steel Dossier was never fully vetted to prove whether it was true or false.
"The Strzok connection?" Meaning the agent knew and understood that Trump was a liar, cheat, fraud and perhaps was to easily influenced by foreigners with money?
NEWSFLASH - Horowitz CLEARS FBI of Bias in Russia Probe!
News about Horowitz Clears FBI Of Bias In Russia Probe!
An Inspector General report long hyped by allies of President Donald Trump is reportedly expected to …
That didnt exactly reproduce the way I wanted, but you are correct.
The famed IG investigation has blown up in the right's face.
Now we will hear that Horowitz is part of the "deep state" too. It's inevitable.
Kinda like that McCabe indictment that never came...
I think Vic needs to recalibrate his timeline, although in fairness the thing McCabe is accused of doing wrong wasnt related to Trump.
I wonder how many Trumpsters understand that this finding wipes out about 95% of their bitching about the "Russia hoax". I'm guessing not many.
Magic eight ball said he's predicted that the Obama administration would be in deep shit soon due to these investigations and that's what he's been saying all along and now I guess it will be just some other whackjob conspiracy theory
Wait until it's released. Remember also, that Barr and Durham are just getting started.
As I stated in another of your posts where you copied and pasted a portion of the NYT article, it clearly stated that the NTY had not seen to DRAFT and was not sure if there was anything damning in it.
Your whole premise, once again, is based on unnamed sources, where you have never been correct.
Bugsy newspapers use unnamed sources every day 24/7.
If you want to wait until the report is released Dec 9th, knock yourself out.
I seriously doubt the result will be any different.
I already stated earlier I was doing that. No credible sources are reporting this. Only far left wing, and they are all citing the NYT, no independent reporting.
I really hope you are not disappointed on the 9th, John. It may very well send you over the edge.
Where is Vic? I want to buy him a drink.
BF, HA and Vic are still running debunked crap.
One of the intriguing contradictions between this story and the one that claims the main FBI players in the Russian hoax will be cleared is this...
The media is claiming this lawyer that altered the FISA document is a low level lawyer, but other reports have debunked that claim. It has also been reported that he was fired from the Mueller probe for writing a handful of anti Trump and Pence texts.
Now, contrast this with the MMM claim that the IG report will be a ho hum and all of the main players will be cleared. Not really sure how a "low level" lawyer can be fired over a few texts but Sztrok will be in the clear and shown not biased after many more biased texts, with some claiming a insurance policy if Trump is elected.
Like most controversial subjects, I will sit back and watch what happens, and if the IG deems to harm, no foul, then I will accept it, although I may not agree with it.
Contrast that with liberals screaming at the sky, donning their vagina hats and protesting, or the militant arm of democrats, ANTIFA, and go out in the streets to assault those that don't think like them.
OK, fine, the WaPo. Not really surprising as they are just as biased, if not more so than the other outlets I listed. They and the NYT usually parrot each other
What about some down the middle outlets. Any of them report on it?
I see a couple of other outlets have reported on it, like USA Today and the WSJ. What is striking is they all cite the NYT for the report. None are independently confirmed. That is lazy reporting.
Even a link from the NYT says the NYT has never seen the draft, and are relying on "anonymous sources".
just like the term anonymous whistleblower, "anonymous sources" mean it is complete bs.
take it all with a grain of salt until the report is released on the 9th.
the leftwing circular reporting of anonymous bs has not been right yet.
If a couple dozen people were in on the call, not sure why they need the whistleblower.
Not one solid punch was landed on Trump in spite of the Dem flailing and lying.
Exactly. Why is it that only 2 people out of better than a dozen that were on the call had a problem with it.
Coincidence that the "whistleblower" and Vindman used the same language to describe what they felt about it? Of course, by Vindman's actions at his hearings, he is the one that fed the info to the "whistleblower/leaker". He said that person had the "right to know". I wonder how much of that is true, considering he knew Schifty Schiff would step in and make sure he did not answer questions concerning who he fed the info to.
Actually, only three testified under oath and ALL THREE had a problem with it, albeit for different reasons.
That is FALSE. Vindman said that the IC officer that he spoke to had the right to know.
His lawyer spoke up. WATCH the hearing!
Vindman doesn't get to make that decision. The only person he should have informed was the one he didn't - his superior! Vindman is insubordinate as well as a leaker. Not what we expect from a military man.
Actually Vic, he does. His authority requires him to know others designations.
His superior was in the room on the call. DO try to keep up.
Insubordinate to whom? PROVE IT.
What did he leak? Link?
Everything Vindman did is EXACTLY what I expect from a military man. Vindman's oath is to the Constitution, NOT to Trump.
No ? What about :
Vindman completed the Infantry Officer Basic Course (IOBC) at Fort Benning in 1999 and was sent the next year to South Korea , where he commanded both infantry and an anti-armor platoons . [3] In addition to overseas deployments to South Korea and Germany, Vindman is a combat veteran of the Iraq War , and he served in Iraq from September 2004 to September 2005. [2] In October 2004, [2] he sustained an injury from a roadside bomb in Iraq, for which he received a Purple Heart . [3] He was promoted to the rank of major in 2008, [7] and to lieutenant colonel in September 2015. [8]
During his Army career, Vindman earned the Ranger Tab , Combat Infantryman Badge , Expert Infantryman Badge , and Parachutist Badge , as well as four Army Commendation Medals and two Defense Meritorious Service Medals . [2]
Beginning in 2008, Vindman became a Foreign Area Officer specializing in Eurasia. In this capacity he served in the U.S. embassies in Kiev , Ukraine , and Moscow , Russia . Returning to Washington, D.C. he was then a politico-military affairs officer focused on Russia for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . Vindman served on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon from September 2015 to July 2018. [2]
What exactly do you expect from a military man ?
Ratcliffe: Who do you report to? What is your chain of command?
Vindman's lawyer erupted: "I object to that characterization. It's pretty obvious what you're trying to do, sir."
Ratcliffe: "Let me ask the question."
Vindman's lawyer: "I'm representing my witness here, and this is my client. For you, I mean this insinuation, if you guys want to go down this road, God be with you."
Vindman went around the man he should have reported to. That is insubordination and malfeasance, and would normally be punishable under several sections of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). It won't be in his case.
You seem to think his military record gives him carte blanche to do whatever he wants? Michael Flynn had a distinguished military career and was a Lieutenant General. I didn't see anyone touting his military record when he was accused of lying.
I expect a military man to live up to the tenents of the military as do those who serve:
I said ONLY TWO had a problem, and you think you have a gotcha with only three. Reaching?
Vindman does not have the right to grant "right to know". What did he do? Go around and ask the person if he had the right to know? Of course, they guy said "yea", huh?
"His lawyer spoke up. WATCH the hearing"!
They both did. The lawyer could have made his case and Schiff could have stated his decision, but he jumped in AT THE SAME TIME as the lawyer.
You act as if Vindman is free from any type of questioning because of his military background. I can assure you, that with 20 years under my belt, if I was accused of wrongdoing, or just maybe has s
ome info about something, I certainly would be questioned about it, and I would not have someone whine about me being asked about something simply because I was in the military.,
Let me ask you this and see if you can answer honestly. Schiff says he does not know who the whistleblower is. Vindman states the same. If Schiff does not know who that person is, why did he have an issue with Vindman simply give the name of the person he talked to? Why didn't Vindman tell his lawyer that he does not know either way who the whistleblower is, so he is simply giving the name of the person he talked to.
Two points....They both know who the whistleblower is. Vindman and the whistleblower both used the same language, that NOBODY else used, when describing their feelings of the July 25 call. They both used the word "demanded", where no one else did.
Very strong evidence that I am right, as listed above. If true, I hope Vindman is court martialed and booted from the Army with a BCD.
Where did I say ANYTHING like that ?
His military record is clear evidence of his high level of integrity. That you don't like what he has to say is meaningless.
You can't compare him to Michael Flynn, a convicted felon based on his guilty plea.
Where are you quoting from Vic?
That wasn't said in either the hearing or the deposition.
Are you making up testimony now Vic?
That is an utter load of bullshit.
Morrison was Vindman's direct report and Morrison was IN THE ROOM. Secondly, Vindman had moral and ethical issues with the call and went to NSC legal.
BTFW, Morrison did EXACTLY the same thing. Morrison didn't go to his direct report, he went directly to NSC legal. Where is your outrage for his actions?
As an aside, after watching Fiona Hill and Tim Morrison testify, Morrison must have been a YUGE letdown for his subordinates. Talk about a downgrade.
Assume much? You cited more than a dozen and I pointed out that only 3 of them testified under oath and all of them had issues with the call. That isn't reaching, that's a fact.
Vindman is the Director for European Affairs for the United States National Security Council. He KNOWS who has the 'need to know' within his chain of command. Just STOP.
No I don't.
If you and your JAG lawyer had been instructed by the Chair of the inquiry NOT to reply to questions about IC employees, your JAG lawyer sure as hell BETTER jump in and stop you from doing so.
I will answer with an analogy.
Ever play hangman? You call out letters and take note of what letters match and which letters don't. It's a process of elimination and there are 26 letters to choose from.
So Vindman doesn't know who the whistleblower is but he knows who in the IC community he spoke to. The same may be true for ALL of the witnesses.
Now the GOP has a list of the people that qualify to file a ICIG whistleblower complaint, who also may have participated in the meetings cited in the complaint. That list could be far shorter that 26 people long.
All you need do is start throwing out names on that list and eliminating or confirming who talked to whom. Eventually, through process of elimination, you figure out the identity of the whistleblower.
THAT is why the Chairman refuses to allow ANY questions about specific members of the IC community.
I believe Schiff AND Vindman.
So what?
Because Vindman used the word demand and so did the WB?
So you're actually claiming THAT is 'very strong evidence' for a court martial but everything that's been brought to light by the Impeachment inquiry isn't enough to remove Trump?
Wow, if that doesn't illustrate bias I don't know what does.
Look. I get it. You are thrashing because you know the outcome you are hoping and "praying" for is not going to happen. The only thing that makes you happy is that your little liberal buddies in Congress made it clear during the 2018 mid terms that they were running to impeach the President, and they probably will keep that promise in the House. What pisses you off is you know the Senate sees through Schiff charade and will not remove this President. Even Independents are seeing the farce for what it is.
I'm not going to respond to you point by point, because it will be a waste of time and you will continue to spin. However, what I said was true. You just don't want to admit it.
Joe and Hunter Biden are now being looked at thoroughly and that could be the true bribery you are so hoping is going to remove the president. You also know Vindman and Schiff both know who the whistleblower is or else neither would have objections to naming the person Vindman spoke to. Vindman is in a world of crap when it comes out he is the informant for the whistleblower. You know the whistleblower did not have the need to know because he was not on the call and if you knew anything about how the military or the government works, you would know that if you were not a part of something, you did not have the need to know about it.
Trump will be your President for 5 more years, no matter how many libs cry, scream at the sky, assault people, or insult supporters of the President. As a matter of fact, the more they do it, the more of a landslide the President and, we the supports, will have next year.
You just have to accept it.
that, is a fact.
You're supercilious comments haver proven over and over again that you don't.
You seem to think you have carte blanche to gaslight members of NT.
Trump stated that Flynn of lied:
Your opinion...and it's usually wrong.
The fact that you need to truncate my comment makes your reply intellectually dishonest.
I take from your silence that you have no intention of admitting that you fabricated that 'quote'.
IMHO, it's pretty fucking sad to have to make up shit out of whole cloth when you can't make a real argument. You've made multiple allegations against Vindman and the only 'evidence' you offer is fabricated.
You're credibility meter is bottoming out.
Disgusting.
Really XD? Tell you what, cite the page # from that pdf where Radcliff asked those two questions.
Oh fuck it, I'm done giving you and your fellow travelers the opportunity to redeemed yourselves.
Vic bailed and instead of doing YOUR due diligence, you chose to infer that I was too lazy to do the research.
Yet here's the thing XD, before I replied to Vic, I searched BOTH Vindman's deposition AND the transcript of the open hearing testimony and it DOES NOT EXIST.
Vic just made that shit up and you swilled the pabulum he served up. You've been gaslighted and you know who you can thank for it.