Did the FBI Shape the Trump Presidency?
mike.editor@midpush.com 191211, updated 191215
Since the Mueller report was released, Lawmakers, the media, and a few US citizens have anxiously awaited the release of what turned out to be a 500 page report (Download 33MBs).
The report was prepared by Inspector General (IG) Michael Horowitz. It reviewed the actions of the Justice Department and FBI in regards to the fabled FISA Warrants. Horowitz has a long history and was chosen as the lead for this investigation as both Democrats and Republicans regard him as a straight shooter, who avoids the limelight.
Prior to the release, several news agencies, with leaked information, commented that it was not the bombshell President Trump was hoping for.
Even after the release a reading of the Executive Summary offered not quite the information expected by everyone.
However, Michael Horowitz was called into a hearing Wednesday, Dec 11, 2019 for a question and answer session.
This session gave a slightly different presentation of the events, then the written report appears to. With the report, Horowitz appeared to take a line down the middle, but his verbal session in the Dec 11th Senate hearing was a bit more interesting. Hence this article.
Summary
Much has been said about President Trump’s distrust of America intelligence and law enforcement services. This would include the DOJ, the FBI, and the CIA. Some of this appears to have started with the January 2017 meeting of Comey, Clapper, and Brennan to discuss their findings on Russian involvement in the 2016 election with Trump.
From all of this we have the Mueller Report which didn’t live up to Democratic and Media Expectations.
This article is about the Horowitz IG report, which in writing, does not really live up to Republican expectations. Soon to come is the Durham Report, which everyone will have to wait and see.
But the Senate Hearings, which Michael Horowitz on the stand, verbally, were an eye-opener, for both Democratic and Republicans.
If you think the Horowitz Report exposed nothing, just think about FBI Director Christopher Wray. He has a list of 40 items he needs to fix with the FBI. This will keep FBI Human Resources busy for a few years shuffling the agents into conference rooms for days of classes. They need to be re-indoctrinated.
Can you spare about 10 minutes for a view of Horowitz highlights?
If you were Trump, would you think American Intel agencies did well?
FBI Attorney modifies evidentiary Email used before the FISA Court
Ted Cruz, Senator, (R-TX), queries Horowitz. To get the FISA Warrant approved, Horowitz(40secs), agrees that an FBI Lawyer modified a document, creating fraudulent evidence, to pass to the team getting the warrant.
At 1:00, Horowitz stated he has never seen this before.
There is sense that Horowitz is trying not to take sides.
FBI Leadership "Lack of Understanding or Awareness"
Michael Horowitz, in 1 minute and 13 seconds, describes at a high level what the FBI needs to do before spying on an American Citizen, or even an opposition candidate.
He describes how FBI senior officials displayed a “lack of understanding” on the issues brought forward.
Final recommendation, pretty weak, is to refer the report to the FBI Chain of Command, to address their performance failures. Similar to the prior video above.
IG Horowitz states Comey is not Vindicated by this IG report
Senator Lyndsey Graham (R-SC) stated that James Comey stated that Vindicates him. Graham ask Horowitz if his report vindicates former FBI Director James Comey.
Horowitz states, “I think the activities we found here don’t vindicate anybody”.
Graham was unable to get the video playing.
In Dec 2018, Comey stated he had total confidence was handled in a thoughtful and responsible way by DOJ and the FBI and I think the notion that FISA was abused here was nonsense”.
Horowitz, the IG, stated disagreement with Comey.
FBI Sent Confidential Human Sources(agents) to record Campaign Interactions
Ted Cruz brings up Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) stated that the FBI did not place Spies into the FBI campaign. Note that Diane Feinstein has had CIA snoop, spy, or conduct surveillance on her staff.
But, Horowitz admitted they sent Spies to record members of the campaign, called Confidential Human Sources (CHS), to record the campaign.
Graham to Horowitz, "How would you describe the behavior here?" - of the FBI
Lindsey Graham asks, “How would you describe the behavior here of, knowing the subsource disavows the dossier that was the primary reason you got a warrant. Finding that a lawyer(FBI) doctored an email to keep the investigation going”.
Horowitz, “Is it definitely, not uh, it certainly better not be routine and I don’t know of any reason to think it is routine”.
Graham, “Is it off the charts bad?”
Horowitz, “It’s pretty bad”
Sheer Incompetence or Intentional Conduct?
Senator John Kennedy (R-LA), asks if the people in on the FISA application. Horowitz basically states these people were handpicked by Andrew McCabe.
John Kennedy asks if the FISA team had issues with 1) Sheer Incompetence or 2) Intentional Conduct? Horowitz, a political man writing a political report appears, verbally, to lean to incompetence. The other answer would mean trouble.
It is better to be dumb and stupid, rather then knowingly break the law.
Ted Cruz questions the logic of the FBI to Spy and Wiretap an opposition Presidential Campaign
Ted Cruz questions the sanity of an FBI Supervisor coming in and requesting spying and wiretapping on basically a member of America political class.
Who would request a surveillance on Hillary Clinton, John Kerry? If you asked the question, they would say, “What in the hell are you talking about!”.
On a lighter note he says, “This wasn’t Jason Bourne, this was Beevis and Butthead“.
Closing
On the right, a clip from my favorite movie of 1959, “The FBI Story“. After watching this movie as a child I wanted to be an FBI agent for the longest time. How many kids still want this after the past few years? I know my opinion has changed about the FBI in the past 3 years, starting in the summer of 2016.
Sadly most FBI employees are hard working honest, only semi-political employees. Ie, Americans.
The clip from the movie is cameo from with J. Edgar Hoover(, the actual FBI Director(1935-1972), like James Comey (2013-5/2017), or Christopher Wray(2017-present).
In the cameo Hoover states, “No one man can build it, but one man can pull it down“.
Did James Comey pull it down? Probably not, but he sure delivered a broadside, if Horowitz, a middle of the road guy, is right.