US Atty John Durham and Atty Gen Bill Barr were quick to issue statements in response to Michael Horowitz's long awaited IG report on FISA abuses.
Barr had already been "on record" a week ago that he disagreed with the reports conclusions. The AG makes it clear there was clear an unjustifiable intrusion launched against Trump and that "...the malfeasance and misfeasance detailed in the Inspector General’s report reflects a clear abuse of the FISA process."
"Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, December 9, 2019
Statement by Attorney General William P. Barr on the Inspector General's Report of the Review of Four FISA Applications and Other Aspects of the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane Investigation
Attorney General William P. Barr issued the following statement:
"Nothing is more important than the credibility and integrity of the FBI and the Department of Justice. That is why we must hold our investigators and prosecutors to the highest ethical and professional standards. The Inspector General’s investigation has provided critical transparency and accountability, and his work is a credit to the Department of Justice. I would like to thank the Inspector General and his team.
The Inspector General’s report now makes clear that the FBI 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. It is also clear that, from its inception, the evidence produced by the investigation was consistently exculpatory. Nevertheless, the investigation and surveillance was pushed forward for the duration of the campaign and deep into President Trump’s administration. In the rush to obtain and maintain FISA surveillance of Trump campaign associates, FBI officials misled the FISA court, omitted critical exculpatory facts from their filings, and suppressed or ignored information negating the reliability of their principal source. The Inspector General found the explanations given for these actions unsatisfactory. While most of the misconduct identified by the Inspector General was committed in 2016 and 2017 by a small group of now-former FBI officials, the malfeasance and misfeasance detailed in the Inspector General’s report reflects a clear abuse of the FISA process.
FISA is an essential tool for the protection of the safety of the American people. The Department of Justice and the FBI are committed to taking whatever steps are necessary to rectify the abuses that occurred and to ensure the integrity of the FISA process going forward.
No one is more dismayed about the handling of these FISA applications than Director Wray. I have full confidence in Director Wray and his team at the FBI, as well as the thousands of dedicated line agents who work tirelessly to protect our country. I thank the Director for the comprehensive set of proposed reforms he is announcing today, and I look forward to working with him to implement these and any other appropriate measures.
With respect to DOJ personnel discussed in the report, the Department will follow all appropriate processes and procedures, including as to any potential disciplinary action.""
Durhams response was more of a surprise as it's not general practice for one investigation/ investigator to weigh in on another. We saw this with the Mueller investigation after false statements were made that a response had to be issued to set things straight. Durham wanted to make it clear there is a lot more going on and it should be noted the IG's scope was narrow not to mention not having the power to convene a grand jury, nor prosecute.
Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
District of Connecticut
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, December 9, 2019
Statement of U.S. Attorney John H. Durham
“I have the utmost respect for the mission of the Office of Inspector General and the comprehensive work that went into the report prepared by Mr. Horowitz and his staff. However, our investigation is not limited to developing information from within component parts of the Justice Department. Our investigation has included developing information from other persons and entities, both in the U.S. and outside of the U.S. Based on the evidence collected to date, and while our investigation is ongoing, 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 FBI case was opened.”
Those taking a victory lap on the Left might want to wait before they again make fools of themselves.
That said both Barr and Durham need to speed things up as time is not on their side. We cannot have them delivering their findings in the summer or even as an October Surprise. Voters won't care and more importantly those engaged in criminal activity could get away should by some freak act of nature Trump loses in 2020. While it's unlikely we must assume the slightest chance Trump could lose, if that happens all these investigations will be squashed under a new democrat admin and the guilty will be cut loose. Now do you see why time matters?!
Barr and Durham need to start naming names, indicting those engaged in the coup d'état, holding hearings/ trials soon by the Spring, with the big fish going down by the Summer! You do not want to be going into the Fall with nothing happening the dems will use it as a big told you so.
