John Solomon Reports: Just before Christmas 2015, the British intelligence operative Christopher Steele emailed a report to private clients that included an American lawyer for a Ukrainian oligarch.
The title of the dossier was “FIRTASH Abortive Return to Ukraine,” and it purported to provide intelligence on why the energy oligarch Dmitri Firtash tried, but failed, to return to his home country of Ukraine.
“FIRTASH’s talk of returning to Ukraine a genuine ambition rather than merely a ruse to reveal Ukrainian government’s hand. However the oligarch developed cold feet upon the news of a negative reception at Boryspil airport,” Steele reported on Dec. 23, 2015.
Perhaps most important to the recipients, the former MI6 agent’s report purported to share the latest thinking of Russian and U.S. officials on Firtash, who at the time faced U.S. criminal charges and was awaiting extradition from Austria.
Those charges and extradition remain unresolved four years later. Firtash insists on his innocence, while the U.S. government stands by it case despite recent criticism from Austrian and Spanish authorities.
“The prevarication over his return has lost FIRTASH credibility with the Russians, but his precarious position in Austria leaves him little choice but to acquiesce with Moscow’s demands,” the Steele report claimed. “Separate American sources confirm that US Government regards FIRTASH as a conduit for Russian influence and he remains a pariah to the Americans.”
The anecdote of the Firtash report underscores that challenges the FBI faced when it used Steele in 2016 as a human source in the Russia collusion probe.
He not only opposed Trump and was paid by Hillary Clinton’s opposition research firm to dig up dirt on the then-GOP nominee, he also was in the business of selling intelligence to private clients – all perfectly legal — while informing for the FBI. read more
Looks like the FBI took some short cuts and then stood by them as they crashed and burned. Not too sure about their track record as “Top investigative agency in the world” maybe Judicial Watch has them beat.
With all the outrage over Trump being President, we begin to get a really sharp focused picture of American politics. It is not exactly a paragon of virtue. But, we knew that. Now they have removed any doubt that may have existed.
It’s called work product and is what gets you a paycheck. Anybody surprised he was generating as many of these ‘reports’ as he could?
The FBI/NSA/CIA are criminal enterprises.
They know DAM WELL Obungo’s BC/SS/SS were
amateurish FRAUDS and they were in on it or
just did nothing because they are part of the
plan to overthrow America.We the people are FOOK’D.
I don’t know why Steele isn’t throwing the alphabets under the bus yet. They certainly are doing it to him.
Americans are so enslaved now that they think the proper response to tyranny is acceptance instead of rushing outside with pitchforks and torches.