The Hill: Robert Mueller, the former FBI director and current special prosecutor in the Russia case, once was hauled before the nation’s secret intelligence court to address a large number of instances in which the FBI cheated on sensitive surveillance warrants, according to evidence gathered by congressional investigators.
For most of the past 16 years, Mueller’s closed-door encounter escaped public notice because of the secrecy of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC).
But thanks to recent testimony from a former FBI lawyer, we now have a rare window into documented abuses of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants and how the courts handled the matter.
The episode is taking on new significance as Mueller moves into the final stages of his Russia probe while evidence mounts that the FBI work preceding his appointment as special prosecutor may have involved improprieties in the securing of a FISA warrant to spy on Donald Trump’s campaign in the final weeks of the 2016 campaign.
The sin that plagued the FBI two decades ago, and that now lingers over the Russia case, involves the omission of material facts by agents applying for FISA warrants in sensitive counterterrorism and counterintelligence cases.
Such omissions are a serious matter at the FISC, because it is the one court in America where the accused gets no representation or chance to defend himself. And that means the FBI is obligated to disclose evidence of both guilt and innocence about the target of a FISA warrant.
Trisha Anderson, who recently stepped down as the FBI’s principal deputy general counsel, told House investigators late last year in an interview that early in Mueller’s FBI tenure, nearly two decades ago, the FISC summoned the new director to appear before the judges to address concerns about extensive cheating on FISA warrants.
“It preceded my time with the FBI but as I understood it, there was a pattern of some incidents of omission that were of concern to the FISA court that resulted in former Director Mueller actually appearing before the FISA court,” Anderson told Congress. read more
Are we watching the Deep State dying from 1000 paper cuts? Interesting news cycle lately. I bet next October is going to be a hoot.
This guy needs to have his door busted down at 4:00am and forced to sit in his yard while the gestapo rummages though his house for a few hours.
That guy’s mug screams J-E-R-K !!
“Hey, Bubby… may a diseased camel take an interest in your tonsils.”
If you had taken out your wallet and paid attention 16 years ago; you would understand why Bob is attacking Don. His mentor and protecter GWB hates Don. GWB protected Bob 17 years ago. Bob owes GWB for many favors inclusing the ’02 defense!
I am not rich! Were I so I would not have worked the fields (picked (NOT OBAMA), worked irrigation) 60 years ago to earn $ for college. But I did take out my wallet when the progressive liar GWB was putting other liberals in very high places: Brennan, Clapper, Comey…..
Something tells me, zip will happen. I have zero faith in the Government policing itself as it is completely out of control. And only armed Americans will get it back.
Why does this guy have that ‘chewing tobacco’ jaw lump like McCain?
He should have been hauled in wearing his pjs by a swat team raid on his home at 4 a. m.