Hill: Sitting in the hot seat of a high-profile congressional hearing has a way of unmasking the mettle of any witness.
Attorney General William Barr showed us Tuesday, in his first testimony since the end of the Russia probe, that he’s not big on emotion, animation or flashy presentations. Calm, scholarly and precise was his modus operandi, even as Democrats tried to lob a bomb or two his way.
But the even-keeled nature of his two-hour-plus performance shouldn’t blind us to one momentous declaration he made to lawmakers.
Though it didn’t happen on his watch, Barr told Congress he will investigate how the FBI came to conduct a counterintelligence investigation against Donald Trump, then the Republican nominee for president, starting in the summer of 2016.
We have known for more than a year now that Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General Michael Horowitz has been investigating whether the FBI or DOJ abused the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to secure a warrant to spy on Trump campaign adviser Carter Page less than three weeks from Election Day 2016.
But Barr made clear Tuesday that his review is distinct and more far-ranging than IG Horowitz’s investigation. It goes back to the moment when a probe code-named Crossfire Hurricane was opened on July 31, 2016, by Trump-hating FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok.
That probe’s goal was to determine whether Trump was colluding with Russia to hijack the election. And very quickly, the FBI chose to use an opposition research project, funded by Trump rival Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party and written by British intelligence operative Christopher Steele, as key evidence — even though it was unverified at the time.
Special counsel Robert Mueller has settled the collusion issue, concluding (like House and Senate Intelligence committee Republicans before him) that there was no Trump-Russia conspiracy.
But Barr used a question from Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) to signal that he wants to go further than Mueller or the IG to determine whether the counterintelligence probe was legit from the start. more here
See also:
AG Barr Assembled “Team” to Investigate Corrupt FBI Probe into Trump Campaign.
Attorney General William Barr has assembled a “team” to investigate the inception of the FBI’s hoax probe into Trump-Russia collusion,according to an administration official who spoke with Fox News.
Yesterday during a congressional hearing, the attorney general said that he is “reviewing the conduct” of the FBI’s Trump-Russia probe and that the Inspector General’s investigation into FISA abuse allegations is nearing an end.
I just heard Rush talking about that idiot Brian Schatz trying to brush back Barr for daring to use the word “spying”. Barr says, “We can call it ‘surveillance’ if it makes you feel better.” lolol I think I’m going to like re-Barr.
As I said before, wake me for the 6 am SWAT raid…
Remember a year ago when the media NPCs were all droning, “Informants aren’t spies, they’re essential FBI tools!”
They’re tools, all right. Here we go again.
“Sitting in the hot seat of a high-profile congressional hearing has a way of unmasking the mettle of any witness.” Seriously? It’s a clown show.
And, so?
All hat and still no bovine.
“We will make no wine before its time.”
“You must have faith… that the Universe will unfold as it should.”
“Patience is a minor form of despair disguised as a virtue.”
Waiting is hard.
Oh goodie. Months and months of more investigations. In several years, they will all be asked to retire with full benefits – Jus like Louis Learner, Eric Holder, and Sally Yates.
The laws only apply to the “little people”
Davy, Sally Yates was once considered Senate material here in Georgia. Not any more. It may not be full justice for her, but she’s definitely paying a price in broken dreams. But yeah, I’d also like to see her hauled into court for her role in this sedition.
That Barr used the word “spying” several times is revealing, the implication being that wrong doing was committed. Also glad to hear that the Horowitz report will come out in a month or two.
There is no rush for Barr to complete his own investigation, the fact that there is one is huge. Something along the lines of an “October Surprise” 2020 would suit me just fine.
You can bet Obama’s fingerprints are all over this so Biden is toast by implication, not that Biden had any chance anyway (old, white, no gender ambiguity).
Will ex FBI and Justice folks get indicted, lets hope so {rubbing hands together in glee}
Sessions should go down in history as a traitor. He could have nipped this is the bud long ago. I wonder what they had on the guy.
The doj is going to investigate itself.
oh, ok.
I have full confidence that they’ll do a just investigation of themselves and find themselves guilty if there were crimes.
SARCASM OFF
There not only must be a special counsel, but the special counsel has to be a known right wing bulldog. If those two things don’t happen there is not a chance in hell that any of the criminals in the doj and fbi will pay for their crimes. Not a chance in hell.